8+Science+4+Group+8+Public+Service+Announcement

=Public Service Announcement: =


 * __Micro Hydroelectric Power:__**

Micro Hydroelectric dams are less harmful to the environment, while being just as useful and effective as large scale hydroelectric dams! We need to build more of these so we do not damage ecosystems, change fish habits, or possibly cause species loss!


 * The Issue:**

As fossil fuels are burned to produce energy, many pollutants enter the atmosphere causing atmospheric damage and ozone depletion. Also, at our current rate of use of fossil fuels, we will eventually run out, leaving us with no substantial alternate energy source. This issue of atmospheric damage has many negative effects to the earth. The most common of the effects is global warming which causes more problems including: habitat loss, species extinction, rising sea levels, melting polar ice caps, and much more. Data has been recorded over the past 50 years that prove that the globe is warming due to many things involving human activity. The more fossil fuels we burn, the more pollutants will enter the atmosphere, the more pollutants, the more problems. We must act now before we can not fix our mistake. The obvious solution to this problem is to come up with alternate ways to generate power instead of burning fossil fuels. One of these cost-effective ways is something called micro hydroelectric power. It is better, because it does not cause some of the problems that a large scale hydroelectric dam would cause. These including: ecosystem change, fish migration and spawning places being blocked, plant and silt build up, and much more. //micro hydroelectric power - small scale generation of electricity using flowing water spinning a turbine. //


 * How the Dams Work:**

First, the river spilts in two directions. The water flows through a settling basin, which rids it of sediment that could mess up the turbine. The water then flows to a forebay tank, from which is it directed downhill through a pipe called a penstock. From there the water goes through a specifically designed turbine, which generates electricity.




 * The Facts:**

 Micro hydro, or small-scale hydro, is one of the most environmentally benign energy conversion options available, because unlike large-scale hydro power, it does not attempt to interfere significantly with river flows. When dams are built blocking an entire river, there are often problems including: floods, ecosystem change below dam due to loss of water, fish not being able to swim upstream to reproduce, plant decay build up causing the release of harmful greenhouse gases, and much more. All of these problems would not occur with a small scale Micro-Hydropower dam. These dams are very small, and do not block off all of the stream or river. They do not have the need for a large reservoir, which means there would be no change to the amount of water in separate places. Another good thing about these dams is that they are cheaper to build and operate, and are easy to build as well. This technology allows rural areas with only small streams to supply themselves with hydroelectric power.


 * Bibliography:**

Arms, Karen. "Hydroelectricity - Power From Moving Water." //Holt Environmental// //Science//. 3rd ed. Orlando, Florida: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2008. 497-498. Print.

"Micro hydroelectric power ." Def. 2.1. //School Dictionary//. Ed. William D Hasley. 2nd ed. New York City, New York: Macmillan, 1991. Print.

"Micro Hydropower." //Micro Hydropower .Net//. Micro Hydropower, 21 June 2007. Web. 3 Dec. 2009. .

Murray, Claire. "Why so GLUM?" //Claire Murray Illustrator//. Claire Murray, 21 Sept. 2009. Web. 3 Dec. 2009. .