A New Energy/Environment Course
by J. Richard Shanebrook
In recent years there has been considerable interest shown by educators in offering new courses with an environmental focus. In response to this need, I have developed a new course on energy at Union College that emphasizes the many interactions between the energy needs of humanity and our environment. The course has no prerequisites and is open to students of any major or year of standing.
The course begins with a writing assignment that requires students to read the environmental philosophy of Native Americans as expressed by Chief Seattle in Susan Jeffers' Brother Eagle, Sister Sky and V. K. Savchenko's description in The Ecology of the Chernobyl Catastrophe as an example of the current dilemma of how to achieve economic development and, at the same time, preserve the environment. The purpose of this assignment includes showing how far humanity has gone in interacting with our environment and stimulating thinking about how to achieve economic development without environmental degradation.
After an introduction to the forms and units of measure of energy, past energy crises are described, including how shortages of wood in England led to the use of coal and the Industrial Revolution. The predictions of M. King Hubbert on fossil fuel resources and the 1973-74 and 1979 oil crises are then presented, followed by the basics of solar energy processes, including technological inventions for the direct use of solar energy (e.g. , photovoltaics, flat plate collectors, design of superinsulated solar-heated buildings). This leads naturally to energy conservation practices that reduce pollution (air, thermal), conserve resources, and save money. Quantitative examples include savings achieved via showerhead flow restrictors and a 55 miles per hour speed limit.
The environmental consequences of electric power plants are covered with emphasis on coal and nuclear designs. Measures to improve coal plants are presented (gasification, fluidized bed combustion, scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators). The discuss ion on commercial nuclear reactors includes pressurized water reactors and breeders. Problems of waste disposal, accidents, and limited supplies of uranium-235 are presented. The writings of Alvin Weinberg on breeder reactors are emphasized with the film, No Act of God, presented for purpose of balance on this controversial topic. This discussion of commercial nuclear power leads to a study of nuclear physics, radiation, and energy in Wolfson's Nuclear Choices and a class discussion of Savchenko's book.
The next major topic is the role of population growth in meeting the future demand for energy in the world and the US. Current statistics coupled with the mathematics of exponential growth are used to predict future trends in population growth and energy demand. The role of technology in providing adequate food and energy for the billions of additional people is discussed as is the "Utterly Dismal Theorem of Economics." Case studies include the Irish potato famine and the "Green Revolution" (with special emphasis on Mexico). Garrett Hardin's award-winning book, Living Within Limits (reviewed in our Fall 1993 issue) supplements much of the lecture material and provides valuable information on T. Malthus, negative feedback, land usage, and population control (China).
The nature of nonrenewable energy resources is discussed regarding the finite supply of fossil fuels and uranium on earth. With world energy demand rising at rates greater than four percent per year, aspects of energy resource planning are covered, including the mathematics of exponential expiration time (EET) and the inevitable transition from our present fossil fuel economy. EET calculations are presented for coal, natural gas, and petroleum. Special emphasis is placed on petroleum regarding its versatile uses as well as US problems with imports. Hubbert curves are presented for world and US oil consumption. A case study on the US military dependence on oil is presented regarding direct uses (fuel for vehicles) and indirect uses (industrial production of military hardware). National security is thus seen as very dependent on adequate and reliable supplies of petroleum to fuel the economy and the defense establishment.
Renewable energy resources are next presented in the context of alternatives to nonrenewable fossil and nuclear fuels. Biomass energy sources are presented with particular emphasis on wood and the importance of forest preservation (stewardship). Aspects of wind energy are analyzed in terms of its vast potential for the US (Great Plains, coastal areas) and also associated problems (intermittency, diffuseness). Hydroelectric power production is described regarding its technology, current usage, potential, and environmental consequences (dams, flooding, silting). Three forms of ocean energy are discussed (wave, tidal, thermal energy conversion) as well as the more exotic energy from space via satellite power stations. The human body is viewed as a solar-powered engine capable of performing many tasks of human mobility (walking, bicycling) and household chores (thus replacing machines powered by electricity and gasoline). It is noted that this is contrary to the present trend of replacing human labor with machines and leads to a discussion of related social ramifications (robots, computers, corporate downsizing).
The final topic on renewable energy resources concerns the elimination of waste. This involves a fundamental change in our social values from the current consumer society to a conserver society. The latter minimizes all waste such as energy and mater ials via design (for efficiency and longevity), recycling, and reducing per capita demand. Specific topics include energy from solid waste (burning trash), recycling (paper, containers, lubricating oil), and methane production (manure, sewage, crop waste). The latter topic includes case studies of dairy farms where cow manure is converted into methane which powers electric generators (diesel engines).
The course concludes with a class discussion and writing assignment on the US National Energy Policy Plan as published by the US Department of Energy as Sustainable Energy Strategy. This assignment serves to bring the course material together and to stimulate student thinking on the energy/environmental future of our nation. Class discussion focuses on the role of the US, as the global superpower, whose energy plan for the future may serve as a model for the rest of the world on such issues as population growth, environmental preservation, and future energy sources.
(Editor's Note: Professor Shanebrook has described two of his earlier curricular developments in previous issues of this Newsletter -- February 1985 and Fall 1988. Readers desiring more information about his latest course, described here, may contact him at the Mechanical Engineering Department, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308.)
References
1. Susan Jeffers, Brother Eagle, Sister Sky (Dial, New York, 1991).
2. V. K. Savchenko, The Ecology of the Chernobyl Catastrophe (UNESCO, Paris, 1995).
3. R. Wolfson, Nuclear Choices (MIT Press, Cambridge, 1993).
4. Garrett Hardin, Living Within Limits (Oxford, New York, 1993).
5. Sustainable Energy Strategy, National Energy Policy Plan (USGPO, Washington, July 1995).
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