Global Warming and How the Pollution Affects Out Atmosphere

The world is getting warmer while the atmosphere is becoming more and more pollution-filled by the second. Greenhouse gases are bellowing up to the sky only to smother us in our own waste. We all are affected by these negative effects on our environment and we all, including myself, need to take responsibility and make immediate changes with the ways we live, move, and most importantly... how we obtain our energy. I have done many hours of research on the pros and cons of windmills as an alternative energy source. After my presentation, you will see and agree that windmills are the secret to our success at saving our world and our health.

For many years now, fossil fuels have been the cane that we lean heavily upon for all of our fuel needs. However, fossil fuels are filthy. They are terrible for the Earth's environment; unfortunately, our mounting dependence on them prevents the deceleration in their use. The United States spends large amounts of money purchasing these energies from foreign lands. The purchasing and use of fossil fuels is burning a hole in our economy's pocket as well as our ozone layer. One small but supportive step of weaning America off "the dependence on foreign fossil fuel's teat" is by encouraging the production of offshore windmills.

To begin with, offshore windmills can not completely save the world from all of its downfalls, but they offer a solution to help. Some common problems people have with the production of offshore windmills include worries that the construction can harm marine life and the blades will kill birds and marine ecosystems. Also, they are concerned that building the windmills can be quite costly and some believe it would ruin their view. All these objections can and will be voided here.

In addressing the construction harming marine life, yes, it's true that some undersea plants and creatures will lose their lives as Human Progress, once again, plunges into their habitat. However, according to Marcus Oehberg, a marine biologist at Stockholm University, "It's almost like an artificial reef. We've seen that it encourages more species and that it creates a living environment that wasn't there before." In agreement with Oehberg, I don't think it is fair to criticize the construction of windmills for killing scores of fish or their habitats. Just keeping salt water fish alive in a tank at home is hard enough. Fish were fragile creatures long before humans were around.
To rise from sea to air, it appears that creatures with wings are not indestructible either. While birds have the ability to fly at fast speeds, they do not possess a great amount of intelligence. Birds fly into all sorts of natural, as well as manmade, objects quite often. "It is estimated, by ornithologist Dave Willard, that 98 to 976 million birds die in the U.S. during migration each year from flying into windows" or buildings. It is wrong to place blame on any structure for Death of Birds by Kamikaze. Perhaps blame should be placed on cleaning products, soda holders, or even kids with BB guns. Well, as is obvious, fish will be fish and birds will be birds.

Now to tackle the problem which some people believe they will encounter. Money. Money is always a problem. I find it quite silly when people think of the immediate cost without thinking down the road a bit. Not only will the windmills eventually pay for themselves in energy costs they will also allow our country to cut back on the purchase of fuel from foreign economies. America can finally focus on strengthening our own nation's coffers instead of helping out everyone else.

Not only will American's benefit in this way, off-shore windmills will also begin to improve the tourist sector of our economy. Now, to introduce the Terror of the Locals: "An ugly view." No one wants an ugly view. Now, the majority of those who fear this so-called "ugly view" are the ocean-front property owners. So, locals would have to deal with what they interpret as an ugly view and ugly tourists who would pay to see this supposed "ugly view." Not only do the tourist's benefit, the local economy will surely profit before long. For two summers in a row I worked in an ice cream stand on the "Seaside Heights, New Jersey Boardwalk" so I can sympathize with not wanting more ugly tourists around but I believe I would enjoy watching something out in the distance during a slow, boring day. The people living in these areas need to, and will, come to recognize the importance of constructing windmills not for the sole purpose of making their bills cheaper; but for the purpose of keeping the Earth healthier for themselves along with everyone else. Ignorance is bliss; however, in this case, ignorance leads to 70* winters and 150* summers.

Now that I've discounted each argument put against the production of offshore windmills, there needs to be action taken. Write to your Congressmen, the governor, even our Ocean Resources or Lake Resources Departments. Get word out that you, and others, are for each and every advantage of Windmills. Once you've gotten your point of view out that you want to contribute to a clean Earth, Spread your opinions and the facts to people around you. Take these steps to support the construction of Wind Farms off our coasts.

In conclusion, our marine and fishing industries, America's economy on both national and state levels, and the ocean view will benefit, it is easy to see why offshore windmills are a logical idea. Animals will not see a dramatic increase in Kamikaze deaths nor would the environment be worsened by windmills. If we want to have healthy air in our lungs when our backs give or our eye sight waivers, steps must be taken now - not later. This is your air, your ground, your water that each choice for or against windmills will most definitely effect. So get your opinions out there and start changing those who are so wrongly against a positive part to our environment. These actions can not afford to be cancelled out or slowed down because of a few selfish people. Windmills are an excellent step in the right direction.