Energy How Work Gets Done

Energy Sources

Energy is a mysterious force that appears to propel everyone and everything within the known constructs of the universe. All things both require and expend energy in all types of forms and systems. The purpose of this paper is to examine my own personal energy use to determine the extent, sources and destinations of this practice. This essay will include the different forms of energy I consume and expend and how these requirements change over the course of a year. This examination is important because it demonstrates, through individual experimentation, the vast influence that energy has on our way of life in today's complicated and information-rich society.

The most obvious form of energy that I currently rely on is the energy that is provided by the sun. The sun as a source of energy is often overlooked and taken for granted. However, this free and ever-present source of energy fuels all life. I use the sun to gather important vitamins through its rays and enjoy all the food and vegetables that the sun allows to provide. The origin of the sun is unknown but attempts to formulate its creation are widely discussed in cosmological theories but no one really knows how or why the sun does what it can do. Regardless, a personal relationship with the sun should be acknowledged as the preeminent energy source within our local environment.

I rely heavily on fossil fuels as a means to supply the energy sources that allow me to travel. I own a car and use hundreds of gallons of fuel a year to get me to where I need to go. Gasoline is derived from the refinement of oil, a resource found naturally below the earth's surface and it is unknown how much is available. Oil needs energy to be refined and this process is included within my own personal consumption.

The energy that is used within my home comes from several sources and it is nonrenewable like other fossil fuels. The gas on my stove that I used to burn to cook my food is natural gas. This energy source is also found in the earth and is readily available after minimal processing. Newly developed mining techniques for this resource such as fracking have demonstrated that this resource may not be as viable as it once was however.

Battery power is very prevalent energy source that I use on a very consistent basis. This renewable source allows my smartphone to work. The battery is ultimately charged with electricity that comes from the power plant nearly my home which is powered by a combination of sources including nuclear power. Nuclear energy is very powerful but very dirty and many risks are involved with this power source as demonstrated by recent power plant meltdowns in Japan and Russia.

To reduce the strain on the environment and maximize my personal energy consumption changes are necessary. Swanson (2005) wrote "many of the appliances in our homes are extremely inefficient and antiquated. If we simply take a little time to look at our habitats of energy use and make a few changes, we can have a dramatic effect on our personal energy consumption. " She is basically suggesting that individual responsibility is necessary in order for any significant improvement can be made on a larger scale. It all begins with the individual's choice of becoming more efficient.