Conscious Energy

Evolving human civilization relates directly to the harnessing of energy. As hunters and gatherers, humans first relied on diet to synthesize available kinetic energy aiding survival, the muscular thigh. Sorely injured and inefficient muscle power contributed to evolving human consciousness to seek and harness energy outside the physical body. Humans produced “energy tools,” providing more efficient hunting, fishing, and food transportation methods out of desire for a simpler lifestyle. Evolving production, family relations, politics, and economic situations, for thousands of years, primarily focused on furthering the advancement of energy power in the form of food, fossil, and organic material (Williams, James C., Ph.D.).

Harnessing energy laid the foundation and structural support necessary for the progression of human civilization. A common thread of energy production in the past, of which civilization feeds off today, constitutes production derived from earthly materials such as coal. Incidentally as humans branched outward from bodily energy resources, awareness of energy production’s potential harmful practices and fatalities on earth’s ecosystems sparked the human initiative to seek beyond confined and limited earthly resources. Presently, the global environmental crisis quenches a thirst for new opportunities in the field of renewable energies. Water catapulting re-hydration efforts, issues foundational energy research and technology into high demand (Williams, James C., Ph.D.).

Without water life terminates. Thankfully the earth utilizes a water cycle process to renew water for the distribution of reliable energy to life forms on earth, and possibly beyond, to flourish. Practiced observation of this phenomenon initiated the search for an understanding of water’s intricacies, which constituted a series of progressive steps in the engineering and harnessing of water’s potential energy production. Sensed through observation, the force water emits through light radiating breezes or flooding catastrophes on civilization’s structures, foreshadowed water’s potential upon early researchers.  Researchers today measure water as 800 times denser than air (“Renewable Energy”). Numbers or no numbers, human sensory and imaginary experience predicts water will go a long way.

Before the modern era, about two centuries before Christ, Europeans engineered a contraption known as the waterwheel to utilize the energy power of moving water (“Water energy generally”). The vertical waterwheel spread throughout Europe, and the Romans aggressively seized the contraption to provide advanced industrial practices. Thriving productivity rewarded human anatomy a well-deserved break in labor, and relocations to areas abundant in water resources ensued. Innovational thinking revitalized the western industrial technology once again in the Middle Ages when hydraulic engineers harnessed water energy via mills, dams, and canals. On a roll, utilization of water mills in hydroelectric dams and power plants further revolutionized the iron and cotton industries. These practices eventually took precedence among colonists in constructing the foundations of the United States civilization (Williams, James C., Ph.D.).

Throughout the Industrial Revolution, America nearly depended entirely on water energy resources for production (Williams, James C., Ph.D.). Why did society stray from renewable resources to power industry, uncomprehending the practicality and environmental benefits of further engineering water energy supply? Present day atmospheric properties squawk at human short sightedness, of which fostered the current energy crises. In hindsight, the situation sparked the inevitable tackle amongst modern civilization’s engineers and researchers on renewable energy’s innovational potential.

Currently, water supplies 25% of worldwide renewable energy, and continual reported growth in the field increases the percentage yearly. As the economy crashes, so does water fall. Simple and yielding, one of the most effective renewable energy contraptions involving water stands small in comparison to hydroelectric power plants, yet beats the primitive plants in terms of environmental stewardship. The practice, hydropower, utilizes falling water. Gravity deserves a round of applause here, as its force drives the falling water into a submerged turbine, of which spins, producing energy through an attached generator. Not only a non-pollutant, this advanced fraternal twin of the hydroelectric power plant needs not a dam or reservoir. Hydropower succeeds in utilizing smaller streams as well, and develops a less demanding system, resulting in high societal demands for such systems (“Renewable Energy>Water”). Further researchers plunged into the depths of water’s potential, and out came various and ever improving technologies to revolutionize renewable energy around the globe.

The life support and chemical substance, water, covers 71% of the Earth’s surface (“Water”). By shear numbers one can only guess the importance of water. A colonist crossing the Atlantic may have dreamed up our current situation, and possibly foresaw the eventual harnessing of ocean current to produce civilized energy production. Indeed, waves expectantly supply the most recent harnessing of water energy. The ‘Anaconda’ recently commercialized as the leading engineered wave powering apparatus. The snake’s essentials consist of a slithering rubber tube, tuned to the ocean’s wave currents. Similar to the idea of hydropower, the ‘Anaconda’ tubing connects to a turbine to generate electricity. Environmental sustainability in mind, the ‘Anaconda’ redeems ethical effectiveness as a non-invasive, non-pollutant, self-generating source of electricity off high wave activity coasts. 50 ‘Anacondas’ produce enough electricity to power 50,000 homes; so 1 ‘Anaconda’ powers 1,000 homes (“Anaconda harnesses wave power”). Impressive! Does the length of the ‘Anaconda’ effect the amount of harnessed waterpower? If so, and in light of civilization’s evolving “green identity,” stretch the beasts from the Brazilian coast to Africa and Argentina to Australia!

From ‘Anaconda’ to full spectrum light bulbs, renewable energy and accompanying “green” products and home solutions continually bombard modern culture and affairs. The “green revolution” sweeping civilizations worldwide creates sharing of ethical advancements, and unifies human potential at a time of uncertain crisis. Leaps and bounds in energy standards and efficiency remain hopeful. Jimmy Carter states,

Energy will be the immediate test of our ability to unite this nation, and it can also be the standard around which we rally. On the battlefield of energy we can win for our nation a new confidence, and we can seize control again of our common destiny (“Renewable Energy Quotes”).

Undoubtedly, water means energy, and as history reveals, energy means civilization. Civilization evolved to symbolize many outstandingly horrific and triumphant events. The science and technology civilization offers human survival take precedent in the modern age as the environmental stewardship reaps bountiful awards for future evolution. How long will environmental “green” efforts remain paramount to our survival? After reviewing arguments concerning the persuasion and dissuasion of announced global warming effects, is the scare a motivation falling to desirable profits for a renewable energy industry? It can’t hurt. Where do renewable energy, universal access to clean water, and the elimination of poverty, government corruption, war, and religion fall on the scale of importance for immediate action? Who decides? Time reveals the fate, or human destiny, and instills pressure for modern civilization’s progress. Contemplating water’s intricacies raises questions and theories, and a thought… The absence of boundaries on conscious human thought of related questions cradle human potential.

Advertisement