The Impact of Going Solar
As you may know - solar energy is one of the most refined ways we can power our homes and our businesses. It’s the greenest renewable energy resource, and its power comes from something that will never diminish, for millions of lifetimes. In this article, we will show you the environmental impact of using solar energy and how it can benefit you locally and globally.
The Benefits of Solar Energy
1. Reduction of Your Carbon Footprint
Climate change is the biggest issue we are trying to combat for the next several years. By generating electricity with solar power instead of fossil fuels - you can reduce your carbon footprint by an enormous amount. The U.S Energy Information Administration has found that by adding solar panels to your home - you will have the same reduction effect as planting 150 trees every year.
For example, in the state of New York, an average home uses about 7,000 kWh of energy annually. By switching to solar energy - these homes can reduce nearly 5,000 pounds worth of coal consumption per year. Just imagine - if every home in the U.S. converted to solar energy, the reduction of carbon emission would be enough to turn the tide back against climate change.
2. Solar Energy And Water Pollution
Water is one of the biggest resources we have on Earth, but a ton of it gets used by our manufacturing industry and our energy suppliers as well. Nuclear, natural gas, coal, and fracking companies use abundant amounts of water to power their systems - with a huge drawback in returning said water in less than perfect condition. Local water resources are used up - and they’re returned with pollutants that are poisonous to human bodies. With solar energy and solar panels - the only amount of water you’ll ever use is to clean your panels, which is less than .01% of what major energy providers use. If widespread solar energy adoption is created within your locality and within the U.S, the problem of water pollution will be halved by the benefits solar energy can provide.
3. Reduction of Respiratory and Air Pollution
If you’re ever within a major metropolitan city like Los Angeles or New York - you can see a nice cover of smog within the sky. Even worse - these pollutants can affect your health, your children’s health, and wildlife that live miles away from it. Solar energy releases zero air pollutants into the sky, which means no more sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, or particulate matter. Long exposures to these types of pollutants can lead to chronic bronchitis, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory - they have found that widespread solar energy adoption and the infrastructure to house industrial-grade solar panels would solve the problem of airborne pollutants while providing clean energy for your city.
In conclusion…
Solar energy doesn’t just save you money on your energy bills, it can leave some profound benefits for you locally and globally. You will have cleaner air, cleaner water, and best of all - you will reduce the amount of carbon emissions you let out onto the Earth. Solar energy and solar panels are one solution to the rising threat of climate change, and by using clean energy like solar - we can all benefit from a better environment and with more “green” in our wallets as well.
Until next time!