This year’s World Environment Day on June 5 is the perfect time to discover how solar-powered energy benefits the environment.
Solar energy is a clean and sustainable way to generate electricity using the sun as an abundant energy source. Solar energy systems allow us to turn natural sunshine into usable electricity, which helps reduce air and water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and the need for non-renewable energy resources.
While making the switch to solar power has financial benefits, the environmental benefits are equally as important. Solar energy’s positive impact on the environment is undeniable. It also provides significant benefits to our health. One of the biggest benefits of solar energy is that it doesn’t pollute the air we breathe every day. Solar power reduces the pollutants in the air and water, and it also helps reduce the risk of health issues on a larger scale.
Here are several ways solar energy benefits your health and the environment.
- Solar power reduces air pollution.
About 62 percent of the electricity the U.S. produces comes from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. The process to get energy from fossil fuels into power lines releases carbon dioxide and other pollutants. These harmful emissions are the leading contributors to air pollution and global warming. Generating electricity with solar panels produces zero pollution and makes use of our most consistent form of energy: the sun. - Solar power reduces water pollution.
According to a recent Sierra Club study, 72 percent of all toxic water pollution in the U.S. comes from coal-fired power plants, making coal plants the main source of toxic water pollution in the country. With solar energy, there is no pollution of water sources because solar energy requires essentially no water to operate. - Solar power reduces the need for non-renewable energy resources.
Solar energy reduces the need for finite energy resources like fossil fuels. Although fossil fuels may seem abundant today, the process to get these fuels into your home is complex, and the resources will eventually be obsolete. Solar energy is a renewable resource that reduces the need for these unsustainable resources. - Solar energy reduces health issues.
Not only does solar energy benefit the environment, it also provides a variety of health benefits. Common energy resources emit harmful chemicals into the air that can cause severe respiratory issues. In addition, fossil fuels pollute water resources through natural gas drilling and coal mining. Solar-powered systems generate electricity without emitting pollutants into the air, and they don’t pollute water or strain supplies by competing with agriculture or drinking water.
Installing solar panels on your home helps to create a healthier environment for you and the people around you. As more homeowners and businesses make the decision to switch to solar energy, reliance on standard energy sources that pollute the air and water will decrease. Making the switch to solar energy on a larger scale will help reduce the risk of chronic health issues and help keep the environment safe for everyone.
