image courtesy: European union
We are concerned citizens and we want to make a difference on affordable energy. One out of five people in the developing world lacks access to modern electricity, three billion people rely on wood or charcoal for cooking and heating. Energy accounts for around sixty percent of total greenhouse gas emission. Casualties occur indirectly by cooking indoors with unsustainable fuels. Women and girls have to collect most of the fuels and they miss their schools in Asia and Africa. If everyone does just a little bit then we can change the world to a better place for all. How can the world solve it? Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency, enhance international co-operation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology. Expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in the developing countries.
image: United nations
What can you do as an individual? Save electricity, turn the appliances off completely when not in use. Plug air-leaks in windows and doors to increase energy efficiency. Replace the older appliances with energy efficient models and light bulbs. Donate once a month! I support SDG#7 Renewable energy. Do you want to live in a world with affordable energy for all? You can make a difference! Affordable and clean energy- why it matters? Renewable energy that will not harm the environment. Here, we are talking about alternative energy sources to non-renewable fossil fuel and expensive electricity and the benefits of its use. How many people are living without energy? In Africa and Asia, people are still deprived of access to modern electricity. These issues can be fixed by using solar energy, hydro-electric energy, wind energy.
image: irena
Solar energy converts sunlight into energy and does not deplete the amount of sunlight that enters the earth. It requires very little maintenance and it stores and collects energy and stays strong for almost thirty years. Talking about hydro-electric energy, generating electricity with hydro energy is not at all polluting itself. The only pollution occurs during the construction of these massive power plants. As long as there is water in the magazines, the electricity can be generated. It is very flexible and can be easily adjusted when desired. Harnessing wind energy does not pollute the environment nearly as much as fossil fuels, coal and nuclear power plant. The potential of wind power is enormous- almost twenty times more than what the entire population needs. Wind power is renewable and there is no way we can run out of it. The operational cost associated with wind power are low. Wind turbines are incredibly space-efficient. The goal here is to reduce the carbon intensity of energy which is the key objective in long-term climate goals. We should care about this goal because energy has been the dominant contributor to climate change.