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The Environmental Benefits of Wind Power

By: Alex De Mostafa


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Not too long ago, "going green" brought to mind Greenpeace. Before that, "green" was just another pretty color. Today, green represents the environment in which we live, and how we, the caretakers of the Earth, preserve it for future generations. Wind power, solar power, hydroelectric plants - they all make a difference and benefit the world's environmental stability.
Harnessing the Power of the Wind
We use electricity in everything we do, and many wouldn't know what to do without it. The unfortunate consequences of our dependence on energy are self-evident, however, with summer warnings about air pollution and ozone depletion, the greenhouse effect and global warming, among others.

Conventional methods of producing energy include the use of fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal, in the ever-growing population of power plants. Although countries around the world are starting to lean towards more renewable energy sources, power plants are still dumping thousands of tons of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide into the air we breathe.

One of the many and varied environmental benefits of wind power generation is the reduction of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions. A single wind farm, encompassing 8 acres, can prevent the yearly production of over 18,000 tons of CO2 emissions, and 119 tons of SO2 emissions. To put this into perspective, it would take 3,776 acres of forest to remove as much carbon dioxide as a wind farm prevents.

Another of the environmental benefits of wind power is the reduction of nonrenewable resources. Wind is a constant, self-renewing resource. One more farm that is built and used for energy in our homes is one less bin of coal, the nonrenewable resource, burned for the same reason. Every kilowatt-hour of generated energy saves around one pound of coal. That same 8-acre farm would also save over 13,000 tons of coal per year, in addition to CO2 and SO2 emissions.

The largest of the environmental benefits of wind power for many is the amount of land used to produce the energy needed. The conditions of wind farms are such that a site only uses about 5% of the land around it. The area around the turbines, equipment and access roads can still be used for farming and grazing, all the way up to the turbines' foundations.

Individuals, businesses and governments are becoming more aware that our environmental system is finely balanced and precious. Information about recycling is everywhere, but wind power is actually more beneficial to the environment than recycling. For instance, just one block of wind power has the same effect of recycling 4,500 glass jars, 6,900 aluminum cans or 1,150 pounds of steel.

If one farm can reduce CO2 and SO2, lower the use of nonrenewable resources, raise the amount of viable land and provide the same benefits of recycling on a larger scale, imagine what several farms can do. As we harness the power of this renewable resource, the environmental benefits of wind power remain constant, pointing the way toward a cleaner, brighter future.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

ARI Green Energy is a manufacturer of wind generator technologies. Visit them today for a full line of wind turbines and solar technology solutions. Think green.

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