Science for Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Science for Energy - Essay Example As such, individuals, societies, and governments can play significant roles in changing the way we use energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper will establish the distinct strategies, policies, or roles that individuals, societies, and governments can play to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In absence of government policies and change in individual actions, the world will continue experiencing adverse effects from greenhouse gas emissions, which include carbon dioxide, sulfur hexafluoride, methane, nitrous oxide, PFCs and HFCs. However, carbon dioxide and methane is the most dominant greenhouse gas emissions since they emanate from burning fossil fuels like petroleum, natural gas, and coal. As such, the global society must focus on reducing the emissions of carbon dioxide and methane since their effects are equally synonymous. To this effect the federal government through the relevant agencies should develop and adopt energy efficiency audits in all sectors to establish the amount of energy used and the resultant gas emissions (Herz et al 16). This will help in developing mitigation measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The government should also increase building efficiency standards in the commercial sector to ensure that we reduce energy in setting up buildings and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The government can reduce energy by modifying existing production methods for the industrial sector. Indeed, some productions methods consume a lot of energy and emit dangerous gases like carbon dioxide. The federal government should also cogenerate facilities for the industrial sector by using electricity-generated heat or water generated heat to make steam for the industrial process or for cooling purposes (Herz et al 16). This saves a lot of energy and minimizes the chances of using coal or petroleum energy, which reduces greenhouses gas emissions. Waste reduction and recycling equally reduces waste and have the potential of reducing energy consumption and methane generation from landfills (Herz et al 17). Moreover, the review of existing production methods for the industrial sector may have an overall effect of reducing waste and thus minimizing greenhouses gas emissions. However, buying and using more recycled resources in all sectors can derive huge benefits by reducing waste, using less energy in production, and thus conserving the environment. As such, the government should encourage the use of recycled materials in all sectors. To achieve this, the federal government should develop and implement a state recycling and waste reduction plan, which should also entail water conservation, and planning for future resources (Herz et al 17). On the other hand, since methane and carbon dioxides are the most dominant greenhouse gas emissions, the government should reduce methane and natural gas emissions from transmission leaks and from coal mining operations by recapturing leaking methane/natural gas from distribution pipe lines and refineries (Herz et al 18). The transport sector is arguably one of the sectors, which emit a significant amount of greenhouse gases. As such, the government and individuals should ensure the auto maintenance for old and newer cars. This will improve the energy consumption efficiency of the vehicle thus saving energy and reducing emission of the combusting gases. To reduce the gas emissions, which emanate from burning petroleum or oil,