Proficiency 5

Do you remember those pictures of the oil spill of earlier this year? Do you remember how no one could do anything for numerous days, allowing all of that oil to flow freely into the sea? All that oil leaking out did severe damage to the aquatic ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico. Tragically, this isn't the first time this has happened. Because the main source of energy in America is fossil fuels, and because oil needs to be shipped to and throughout the United States, accidents are bound to happen. But what if we could create our own energy, here in the United States, that is environmentally clean? Wind energy is a healthy alternative to fossil fuels that may be able to save America.

There are many advantages to using wind energy in the United States. The wind is a renewable source, it will never run out, unlike fossil fuels. Also the opposite of fossil fuels, the wind is perfectly clean, not polluted. Dependence on foreign oil, a major fear of many experts, can be eliminated by switching to wind turbines. Finally, because it will never run out, the price of wind energy is a constant, as opposed to oil for which the price consistently changes. Overall, it appears that wind energy would be an plausible option for America to solve its energy crisis.

As with anything, there a certain drawbacks to using wind energy. The price to buy and install a wind turbine is far greater than a barrel of oil. One practical size wind turbine can cost anywhere form one to two million dollars, where one barrel of crude oil can cost below one hundred dollars. Considering America is deeply in debt, wind energy may not be possible. Also, as wind energy requires wind, it may not be possible to create a wind farm in some areas. Finally, wind is known to produce less energy than fossil fuels, so it would be necessary to create many wind turbines to equal the energy of one power plant. Because of these setbacks, some could debate that wind energy isn't right or America.

Fossil fuels, while able to provide much energy, are limited in supply and are harmful to the environment. Because of this, we need to find an alternative. Wind energy, an infinite source of energy that doesn't pollute the environment, is a prime candidate that I believe could get the job done.


"Advantages And Disadvantages Of Wind Energy." Natural & Renewable Energy Sources - Clean Energy Ideas. clean-energy-ideas.com, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2010.