Response 2: Going Green while Staying Warm

This article tells about the many fuels that we have now and the ones that are being developed for the future. It lists some of the drawbacks to the fuels we use now as well as the pros and cons of the fuels of the future. Coal is the worst fuel out there not only because of the gases it releases, but also how bad it is for the environment to mine. I was surprised to see that wood is actually okay for the environment because the carbon dioxide it releases when it is burned is turned back into oxygen during the trees lifespan. This is a cool idea, and it is also the basic idea behind ethanol. As the corn grows, the plants replenishes the oxygen in the air that was taken when the corn is harvest. Gas is also bad for the environment because of its carbon emissions. This isn't a big surprise, but i was interested in the ideas that not only is it the carbon dioxide that has a negative impact, but the also the possible spills and pipelines that are build. These resource is not renewable as well, and it also harms the environment when harvested.
Now I have a general idea of the fuels of the past, I want to look at the fuels of the future. Geothermal fuel is something I want to look into farther. The article says that the warmth of the earth is extracted through pipes into your home. This must not only be very costly to build, but how far into the earth would you have to go to get this heat? Another fuel which looks more promising is wind and solar energy. These are certainly renewable sources and are looking better and better as gas prices rocket skyward. This article makes a good point that electrical power is only as good as how its made. If coal is being burned to make electricity then its no better, but solar electricity would work very well. The article also mentions that "a solar system is not a stand-alone home-heating source." This would cause a problem because putting in multiple systems in just to heat your home would be too costly. This article was a good overview on many of the fuels sources we use, but I want to look farther into each fuel and learn how it is made, and specifically what are its drawbacks or advantages.