The sun is a tremendous resource for generating clean and sustainable electricity without causing any toxic pollution or life-threatening emissions. Switching to solar energy has a profound positive impact on the environment—but what exactly is considered an environment? When people refer to the environment, they’re usually talking about our natural environment. The term “environment” conjures up images of blue skies, deep oceans, mystical mountains, trees, lakes, and streams. However, it’s also essential to consider the secondary definition of the environment.
As social beings, our definition of the environment also extends to towns and cities as well as the communities of people that reside in them. A quality environment includes all of these elements, and solar energy is fantastic for both natural environments and social environments. Simply by installing a single solar energy system, sizable improvements to the environment can be made.
Health Benefits
According to research conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), adopting solar energy on a large scale will drastically reduce emissions of nitrous oxide and sulfur dioxide. Exposure to both of these substances is harmful to human health, and in the worst cases, these substances can lead to fatalities.
The list of health conditions that can result from exposure to these substances is frightening. Some of these illnesses include:
- Chronic Bronchitis
- Lung Damage
- Infertility
- Genetic Mutation
These are to name a few. NREL found that transitioning to solar power can result in fewer cases of pollution-related illness and reduce instances of respiratory and cardiovascular problems. A reduction in illness translates to fewer lost workdays and lower healthcare costs.
Natural Environment Benefits
Solar energy causes 97% less acid rain compared to coal and oil, and up to 98% less marine eutrophication—the leading cause of oxygen deprivation in the ocean. Moreover, solar energy uses 80% less land. Any form of energy production will have some impact on the natural environment. Still, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, fossil fuel energy is far more harmful than solar energy.
Social Environment Benefits
Calculating the environmental impact of alternative energy sources is a complicated task. The potential environmental consequences of solar energy differ by region since every region differs geographically and socioeconomically. For example, installing a new solar plant in certain states will result in increasing real estate prices for low-income individuals who no longer live near an active fracking site. Certain regions depend on coal mines. In these regions, introducing solar energy has the potential of closing down several coal mines. By shutting down just a few coal mines, thousands of dollars spent on health care costs could be prevented. The best-case scenario would be preventing thousands of cases of premature deaths caused by black lung.
Regardless of region, the facts remain true; unlike the archaic fossil fuel industry, solar energy is equally distributed among people of all socioeconomic levels. This is monumental because all humans require clean air to lead long, healthy lives.
Are you ready to make the environmentally responsible decision of switching to solar power? At Rocky Mountain Renewable Energy, we use a variety of the best solar panels available to help our clients. Contact us today.