1D)

The United States today gets its power from a variety of sources. Some of the main
sources are coal, natural gas, nuclear power, and hydro power. The percentage each of these
power sources contributes to the U.S currently is: Coal 39% Natural, Gas 27%, Nuclear 19%,
and Hydropower 7%. (1) Each of these energy sources affects the environment.
Coal is leading emitter of CO2 of the energy sources. A 500-megawatt coal-fired power
plant creates around 3 million tons/year of CO2. They produce other pollutants that can cause
acid rain that damages environments. Smog is also created and builds up, making the air harder
to breath. Because of these environmental effects coal power plants try to be efficient as possible.
How plants are designed and operated. Typical plant coal is crushed and burned. Other types of
plants mix gases and other solids to reduce portion and increase efficiency. These efforts can cost
more and can only reduce the negative effects so much. (2)
Natural gas power plants produce half of the CO2 than coal plants do. These plants also
cause other kinds of air population like methane. The water needed to run a plant is often
discharged polluting nearby water supplies. A plant usually is designed to power a steam or
combustion engine. Due to the environment dangers there is an effort to be efficient and plants
are designed and operated using a combination of combustion and steam engines though these
are more expensive. (3)
Nuclear power is an infamous supply of energy. These plants produce radioactive nuclear
waste, pollute water ways, and run risk of nuclear meltdowns. Plants are designed to be efficient
and are operated under strict safety guidelines. The process is built to use fuel since spent fuel is
the main hazard in a plant. Cost of dealing with waste is high as it is very dangerous and needs to
be handled delicately. (4)
Hydropower in considered green energy since it produces no greenhouse gases. When a
dam is built the resulting flood will destroy nearby habitats. It can also randomly cause flooding
down river and disrupt fish migrations. When a dam is built the resulting flooding is something
that has to be planned out. The design has to hold to the pressure of the water and cracks need to
be fixed as quickly as possible. Dams also tend to have channels that allow fish to move through
though they can be costly and weaken the structure. (5)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=427&t=3
http://www.energyjustice.net/files/coal/igcc/factsheet.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/affect/air-emissions.html
http://www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/np-risk.htm
http://chamisa.freeshell.org/dam.htm