What Has Already Been DoneThere has been a few ways people have tried making the oil sands environmentally sustainable but lots have failed. For instance, one attempt to green the oil sands was reported by the Canadian energy research institute. In the report it analyzed different alternatives to reduce carbon emissions from the oil sands. With the oil sands already accounting for 5% of Canada's greenhouse gases, many people worry that it will keep getting higher. So we all look for ways to prevent it from going up. From looking for new types of energy, solar and wind powering things like homes, and cars instead of gas.
Three other alternative approaches to greenhouse gas emission thought of were: -Using nuclear power instead of natural gas as steam. -Coal gasification combined with carbon capture and storage. -And finally Carbon capture and storage by its self. The way nuclear power could be used is, we can make steam out of it and steam is a big energy producer. While coal gasification would be used by using coal but because it gives off carbon dioxide we would use carbon capture to store it than turn it into energy. Carbon would be used by using carbon in the air and turning it to energy. There was more idea's but those are the three that people think would actually work in the long run. So many people are still trying to find a way to make it so oil isn't used anymore. How though can they stop a multi-billion dollar thing with only thoughts and idea's they all while all have some good idea's and some bad idea's.But in the end even with the race to find a new energy source we all now that oil, natural gas, etc.. will be the number one energy source for years to come. |
Our Suggested SolutionObviously, the complete and total shutdown of the extraction of oil in Alberta would be impossible and just plain stupid at this point in time. A move like that would cause millions of people out of work which, in turn, would cause the economy in not just Alberta, but all of Canada to crumble. However, if something is not done to improve the sustainability of this resource in, we won't have anything for our future generations. Like David Suzuki says in the video above, we need to stat moving away from the oil industry to something that is more sustainable for the Earth and its people, Based on our research this is what we propose we do to achieve a safe and healthy environment for the generations to come:
First, we should attempt to find ways of fixing the problems that we already have. For example, air pollution, water pollution and land destruction. For that, we need more research to be done so that we can define the sustainable levels of production. We need to improve the monitoring of every system involved as best as we can to prevent anything bad from happening or getting worse. This includes improvements to biodiversity, air, surface water and ground water monitoring. Around the same time, we should start looking for alternative energy sources, not just for Canada but the world. Energy sources that can be used without fear of something going horribly wrong for the Earth. We propose the investment in solar energy to power the Earth or at least the a large portion of it. According to the data from a research thesis by Nadine May of the Technical University of Braunschweig in Germany, it would take 496 905 square kilometers are needed to power the entire world alone. That is less than the surface area of Spain. You may be thinking 'why haven't we started this project yet?????' and while it may not look like it, this plan does have some problems. For starters, this map appears to assume that solar panel technology has 100% efficiency when really it can only capture around 20% of solar energy. With time, more research and development of technologies, we're pretty sure this this plan could work all on its own but for now, that isn't the option.
However, it wouldn't do much harm to start this plan. If we steadily develop this plan, it would give Alberta, as well as the rest of the world time to catch up and shift how they make money. Germany is already carving the path for us by producing around half of its electricity using solar energy. We would still be extracting oil from our oil sands and therefore keeping jobs and money flow, but it would be at a reduced rate which would reduce pollution and overall harm of out planet. For more suggestions for solving the oil sands puzzle, click here. |