Historical Perspective, Conservation Economics and Renewable Energy

Question 1: Environmental Activists

Environmental activists are people who defend the environment by creating awareness of the importance of maintaining environmental pollution control. Environmentalism is a philosophically based concept, which ideas and social movements amalgamate at the conservation and the development of the current and future conditions of our environment. Environmental activists direct their endeavors at eradicating any non-human elements, which leads to the restoration, preservation and the ultimate improvement in the current situation of the natural environment.

Environmental activists have a long history, taking John Ruskin for instance; he was among the initial icons in the 1860’s to create awareness and controversies of environmental pollution. John had his philosophies based on the industrial revolution that brought with it the consumption of enormous coal amounts as many factories came into development. Air pollution reached an unpredictable and warning level, such that chemical discharges from factories created a danger for hydrochloric acid filled the air. The soda ash development process that was known as the Leblanc process along with other factory based endeavors in cities made the state of the environment deteriorate with immense vigor (Mongillo, 2011).

As a water colorist, philanthropist and a famous social thinker, John Ruskin wrote books and other pieces of literature that were oriented at reducing this environmental threat. His lectures, poems, treaties and essays on the topic led to the need for an interconnection between entities such as society, nature and art. To put even a stronger emphasis on the matter, he went ahead and started making paintings and sketches developed directly from nature, where he worked on such aspects as ornamentation, architectural structures, landscapes, birds, plants, paintings, and rock sketches. His impacts were widely felt, especially in the period before the First World War, which disrupted attention away from his ideas. Nonetheless, he found fame posthumously after the First World War, as his works were published. As a result, after his death in January 1900, he became one of the most famous environmentalists of our times (Michael, 2012). Altogether, the environment as the sole source for all natural resources is the phenomenon that many will always defend. Ruskin and other environmental activists passed on their experience and ideas to younger and more active environmentalists, who, we hope, will finally harness a permanent solution of how to recover from the deteriorating global warming and its effects.

Question Two: Timber vs. Spotted Owl

For more than four hundred years, the dark-brown owl that has numerous spots has been staying in the old growth forests under the multilayered canopies. It has had the rich plants and invertebrates created by the decaying timber as the owl’s sources of food, and the cavities of old trunks as its home. In the current years, the home of this owl has been identified by multi-billion logging industries as a primary source for timber, increasing threats of extinction of this owl. Those involved with the timber logging have cut down trees exhaustively causing the ancient forests to dwindle and, consequently, wiping out numerous spotted owls. According to provided researches, it is notable that about two thousand spotted owls are in existence today (Santo, 2011).

Twenty-five years ago, environmentalist groups and wildlife services in the United States of America discovered that the spotted owl species was increasingly becoming extinct. This led to a controversy and numerous negotiations among timber companies, the government and environmentalists since the companies’ timber phenomenon caused the owl to become a threatened species. In solving the issue, the timber industries were supposed to provide a home for the spotted owls by leaving a forty percent piece of land in the forests to host the birds. According to many industry representatives, this move would leave most of the timber loggers jobless and have immense effects on the economy. On the other hand, environmentalists stand firm on the essentiality of protecting the rare species and the places they live in.

In my opinion, saving the spotted owl has incredible benefits since it causes the saving of an entire ecosystem that is depended upon by humans, plants and other animals. Saving this species means a lot because it has been identified as an indicator species that gauges the health of the ecosystem, which offers home for all species. Letting the species become extinct could cause a steady decline of other species like the flying squirrel and the elk. Another reason is the importance of the society in preserving this species because of its aesthetic values. It is pointless trading splendor of the life and virgin forests for paper cups, because it is similar to destroying a valuable piece of art. The owl and its place of living have great impacts on scientific matters, hence increasing the scientific values. For the above reasons, the timber industries should take note of this and preserve the spotted owl species.

Question Three: Renewable Energy

The increased oil prices, governmental supports and peak oils, leading to incentives, renewable energy legislation and commercialization of the renewable energies, have heightened concerns in climatic changes. In my opinion, solar power generators are the best solutions to the energy crisis since it can produce large amounts of electricity and reduce greenhouse emissions and gases that are harmful to the environment.

Solar power is considered the ultimate conversion of light from the Sun into electricity using either direct or indirect methods. It is a way that can solve the energy crisis caused by the spike in oil prices, and can be used in business, homes, universities, space vehicles and schools (Mongillo, 2011). There are numerous advantages associated with this source of power with the most leading being that the sun required for energy is ultimately available. Additionally, the production associated with the solar energy has been considered free of any form of pollution, are cost effective, and do not require any maintenance in their entire time of use. Another advantage is associated with the lack of a storage need since it can be fed right back into utilities enhancing elimination of any storage system and cutting down electricity bills. This energy form is also advantageous in that the systems have been designed for specific needs. For example, an individual is capable of converting outdoor light into the required solar energy since the solar cells are direct enhancing their conversion to light (Gleason, 2009).

Although the solar power has numerous advantages, it is essential to note the few available disadvantages that include the upfront cost associated with the entire process. Although the installation can be done once every forty years; it is a very costly process with its bills increasing with each use. This is an economic challenge that must be overcome with the help from the governments. The governments can assist through promoting offers on all installation costs making sure that most people turn to this form of energy. Although the energy source has both advantages and disadvantages, it is essential to realize that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages making it a good choice in ending the energy crisis.