Hydrogen
Economy as Vision for Eco-literacy by 2030
Abstract
Ecological
literacy, also referred as eco-literacy, is the knowledge about natural
systems that make our life and how to safeguard our environment from pollution.
The term, eco-literacy, was coined by
American educator David W.Orr and Fritjo.F.Caper in 1990. They emphasized
awareness in people on “The well-being of earth” through proper understanding
of our ecological resources. All natural resources in our environment such as
air, water systems like river, sea, ocean, ponds, agricultural land, soil, and
domestic animals play important role in supporting human life on earth. Our
human activities and technological revolution has polluted and damaged nature
seriously. Therefore, it becomes most necessary to educate the people about
sustainability and safety of ecological systems.
Introduction
The
term ecological literacy or eco-literacy has been used in many different ways.
In this article we are going to see about the topics which are based on the
various sources of pollution and suggested remedial measures to overcome that
situation in foresee vision in 2030. Especially we see about the alternative
energy sources such as wind energy, solar energy ect., which is related to the
word Hydrogen Economy. While hydrogen can help to decarbonize our energy
system, however, it is important to be specific about where and when hydrogen
can help. In that sense, it might be better to think about 'hydrogen in the
economy' rather than 'a hydrogen economy' as such.
Global Warming:
Air pollution
: Carbon-dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitric oxides are the toxic gases, called as
green-house gases majorly pollute the air quality. These gases are principally
emitted from automobiles, combustion of wood, coal, industries smoke. CFC-chlorofluorocarbon
is crucial toxic gas emitted from refrigerators and other electronic products.
These toxic gases have the tendency to retain in the atmospheric layers cover
the earth. These gases do not easily escape from the atmosphere into space. So,
these gases cover the atmosphere as dense blanket layer and also decrease the
density of ozone layer. The density of ozone layer is important for filtering
harmful UV-rays from sun and other stars. The ozone layer depletion results in
UV radiation on living beings on earth and the atmospheric coverage of toxic
gases increases the temperature on earth by 10 degree Celsius. This is denoted
as global warming causing rise in sea levels, floods, snow melting.
Remedies:
1. Coal burning for generating
electricity should be avoided. Instead of Coal burning for electricity, we can
use wind energy, solar energy for electricity.
2. Automobiles using hydrogen gas
as fuel should be used to avoid smoke.
3. Industrial smoke should be
controlled. There are scientific methods introduced in china, Europe countries
to convert smoke into diamond by nanoparticles. These nanoparticles capture
smoke and at high pressures convert the carbon in smoke into diamonds. (Ref:
CNN News).
Oil spill in sea:
Water
pollution: Petroleum tanks are majorly
transported through ships across the global. Recently, there are many adverse
accidents happened causing oil spillage in sea. The petroleum products cause
serious damage to sea living bodies like fishes, seals, prawns, algae, coral
reefs and human life is also at major threat who consumes that sea food.
Nuclear waste, dye waste, mercury, arsenic wastages from industries are mixed
in drinking water bodies like rivers, ponds. These are harmful to living bodies
by drinking the water. Mercury and arsenic pollutants in drinking water affect
our urinary systems. These metals will deposit in our body and cause brain
damage, tumours in body.
Remedies:
a. Oil spillage can be controlled
by taking proper safety methods in shipment. There are catalysts and oil
absorbing sponges are invented. The government should employ such new
scientific methods to remove oil spillage from sea water.
b. Nuclear waste should not be
buried under sea.
c. Industrial metal wastages can be
removed by forming metal complexes that precipitate out easily from water.
There water purifiers systems introduced. Industries should follow catalyst
based green reactions protocols for producing products without any unwanted
side products.
d. Many catalysts based on TiO2,
ZnO are invented in these decades that decompose the dye into useful product
under sun. Industries should be advised to use such catalyst based techniques
for wastage removal. (Catalyst is the chemical compound that increases the rate
of formation of product without losing in its amount. That is catalyst will not
become as pollutant)
Soil pollution:
Some of the
polymer products are not bio decomposable. Such wastages in prolong time deeply
buried into soil and stop the water retention in soil. This reduces ground
water source. The foaming chemicals used in detergents, shampoos, soaps clog
the drainage system. These chemical particles used in cosmetics are not bio decomposable.
Pesticides used for agriculture are very dangerous to soil fertility. Theses
pesticides damage naturally available nitrogen, phosphorous content of the soil.
Remedies
a. Recylization of polymer
products, making of plastic roads are possible solution to avoid the plastic
wastage.
b. Depolymerization techniques to
reduce the polymer into simple monomers are invented recently. These techniques
should be implemented in polymer industries.
c. Bacterial digestion of all
wastages polymer, carbage, nuclear is possible. Government should implement
bacterial digestion methods for wastage removal rather than burning of wastage.
d. Natural body care products
should be encouraged.
e. Natural way of agricultural
methods like bull ploughing, vermi composite are to be followed by farmers. Cow
dung, seeds are such natural fertilizers should be started using again.
Alternate renewable
energy resources:
Solar energy and
wind energy are mainly acclaimed as alternate renewable energy resources. These
energy resources are clean without releasing any toxic gases or chemicals.
Solar energy is absorbed by materials and absorbed light energy is converted
into electricity. The wind energy also in the same way converts the mechanical
energy into electricity.
These energy
resources are the best alternative to harmful nuclear plants and also toxic
petroleum oil sources. The availability of petrol is also decreasing everyday
and it induces many wars across the global. Solar energy and wind energy are
available resources everywhere in the world. Making use of abundant solar
energy is possible remedy.
Hydrogen
economy:
The term
"hydrogen economy" refers to the vision of using hydrogen as a low
carbon energy source – replacing, for example, gasoline as a transport fuel or
natural gas as a heating fuel. Hydrogen is attractive because whether it is
burned to produce heat or reacted with air in a fuel cell to produce
electricity, the only byproduct is water. The reason is,
1. Hydrogen gas is high thermal
capacity that creates lot of energy
2. Hydrogen gas is pollution free
without generating toxic gases CO2, CO
3. Reaction of hydrogen and oxygen
in fuels generate electricity that is best alternate source for energy.
a.
Hydrogen Vehicle:
Hydrogen
is not found in pure form on Earth, however, so it must be produced from other
compounds such as natural gas, biomass, alcohols or water. Hydrogen is really
energy carrier or storage medium rather than an energy source in itself. For
this reason hydrogen is used in electric cars or buses. Hydrogen fuel vehicle
emits 70-80g CO2 for each kilometer driven. As of
2016, there are 3 hydrogen cars publicly available in select markets: the
Toyota Mirai, the Hyundai, and the Honda Clarity. Several other companies are
working to develop hydrogen cars. The power plants of such vehicles convert the
chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy either by burning
hydrogen in an internal combustion engine, or by reacting hydrogen with oxygen
in a fuel cell to run electric motors. Widespread use of hydrogen for fueling
transportation is a key element of a proposed hydrogen economy.
b.
Water
splitting:
It is the
general term for a chemical reaction in which water is separated into
oxygen and hydrogen. Efficient and economical water splitting would be a
key technological component of a hydrogen economy. Various techniques for water
splitting have been issued in water splitting patents in the United States. The
conversion of solar energy to hydrogen by means of photo catalysis is one of
the most interesting ways to achieve clean and renewable energy system. Methods such as photocatalytic water splitting are being
investigated to produce hydrogen, a clean-burning fuel. Water splitting holds
particular promise since it utilizes water, an inexpensive renewable resource.
Photocatalytic water splitting has the simplicity of using a powder in solution
and sunlight to produce H2 and O2 from water and can provide a clean,
renewable energy, without producing greenhouse gases or having many adverse
effects on the atmosphere.
Conclusion:
Michael. K.
Stone, an environmental scientist had stated “This generation will require
leaders and citizens who can think ecologically, understand the
interconnectedness of human and natural systems, and have the ability and
courage to act.” This statement indicates the essentiality of eco-literacy for
students who are future leaders to protect our earth from pollution.
a. The subject on ecological
understanding and how our human activate affect environment should be included
in curriculum. That can bring eco-literacy in new generation by 2030.
b. Give awareness about the
Hydrogen Economy among the students.
c. Using alternative energy sources
is one of remedy to avoid pollution in 2030.
References:
1. Orr, David (1992). Ecological
Literacy: Education and the Transition to a Postmodern World. S.U.N.Y. Press, New
York.
3.Poliakoff,M.;Licence,P.(2007)."Sustainable technology:
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4. RajaAmbal.S,
K. Sivaranjani and C. S.Gopinath, “Recent developments in solar H2generation
from water splitting.” J. Chem. Sci. Vol. 127, No. 1, January 2015, pp. 33–47.
5. Oil and natural gas eating
bacteria to clear-up spills". www.oilandgastechnology.net.
April 30, 2014.
6.
“Air quality implications of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill". Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences. 109 (50): 20280–20285
7.
Lamberth C, Jeanmart S, Luksch T, Plant A (2013). "Current Challenges and
Trends in the Discovery of Agrochemicals". Science. 341 (6147):
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/oct/11/hydrogen-economy-climate-change
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