Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) Infographic

Hello, everyone!

Over the past week and a half, my Honors Environmental Science has been talking about energy and energy usage. To complement this unit, the entire class individually researched hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and created an infographic to display said research. Below is my infographic- enjoy!

One thing I did not mention in this infographic was my personal opinion on the fracking issue. Personally, I do not support the practice. I believe the risks greatly outnumber the benefits. A clean and healthy water supply is far more important than energy stability and security. I believe we should invest more money into cleaner, alternative energy sources in lieu of natural gas extraction.

Energy Consumption Reading Questions Part II

What are some ways that electricity can be used? (209)

Electricity can be used to power lights, operate electronic devices such as televisions, and even to charge electric cars to name a few examples. Electricity is essential to our everyday life in the modern world. 

What are some uses for hydrogen fuel cells? (209) 

Hydrogen fuel cells can be used to replace batteries such as those in cell phones, laptops, or electric cars. 

What are some pros and cons of storing energy as hydrogen? In batteries? In flywheels? (209)

Hydrogen can be used to store chemical energy. Batteries are the most common source of energy storage and can range in size to power anything from a watch or hearing aid to a car or even parts of a power plant. Flywheels are used in electric motors to capture kinetic energy. While all of these sources have their own pros, one major con is that all of three of these sources are not 100% efficient. Each time energy is transfered, some energy is lost in the process.

How do policy decisions affect the development of energy technologies? (210)

Policy can affect the development of energy technologies by determining how much time, research, and money goes into the development process. Policy can have both positive and negative effects on development, all depending on what type of policy is being passed. Some policies may favor research in alternative sources of energy such as wind or solar while others may do just the opposite.

Image 1: http://investingreenenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/off-grid-lighting-technology-home.jpg

Image 2: http://images.anandtech.com/doci/7324/5battery_678x452.jpg

Image 3: https://grist.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/solar-panels-homepage.jpg

Energy Consumption Reading Questions

How does the concentration of energy in a source affect how people can use energy? (198)

The concentration of energy in a source determines how much energy people can extract from said source. For example, if a particular source has a high concentration of energy, then it will produce more energy than another source with a lower concentration.

How do the United States, China, and Kenya compare in total energy consumption? In per capita energy consumption? (198)

In 2008, the United States consumed one-hundred and five billion gigajoules of energy (22% of the global total), China consumed ninety billion gigajoules of energy (17% of the global total), and Kenya consumed twenty-two million gigajoules (0.04% of the global total). The United States consumes the most energy per capita at approximately fifty-six gigajoules per person per year. That’s roughly six times the amount consumed by the average person living in China and sixty times the amount consumed by the average person in Kenya.

How can the same energy service be provided with less energy for lighting? For transportation? (205)

The same energy service can be provided with less energy for lighting by using more-efficient light bulbs such as CFLs or LEDs in lieu of incandescents. Likewise, in terms of transportation, less energy can be used by operating more efficient vehicles with either better gas mileage or driving hybrids.

When does conservation reduce quality of life? Improve quality of life? (205)

Conservation can reduce quality of life when buildings lower their temperature in colder weather and raise their temperature in warmer weather in an attempt to conserve energy; one can argue it makes those who inhabit the building uncomfortable. Conservation can be enjoyable when participating in carpools, driving more-efficient vehicles, or living in energy-efficient homes.

Image 1: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/images/mobile-phone-death-boy-px.jpg
Image 2: http://green-mom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/led-lights1.gif
Image 3: https://www.brown.edu/about/administration/transportation/sites/brown.edu.about.administration.transportation/files/images/carpool.jpg