This week we chose our Action Project topic: Alternative Fuels. We will spend the next week learning more about this topic, researching information on the Internet, collaborating with organizations that deal with alternative fuels, and identifying an Action Project that we can create as a class to educate people about alternative fuel in our community. According to the American Lung Association of Colorado, “air pollution contributes to lung disease, including respiratory tract infections, asthma, and lung cancer.” We have the technology to reduce air pollution, so specifically what will it take to make these new technologies more mainstream?
sam
The biggest reason why this technology is hidden is from ignorance. not only are people not fully aware of how much air pollution there is, and how it is effecting them, they don’t know how to fix it. with these new technologies, people need to be educated. The younger generation needs to start taking responsibility and taking action. this class is also giving us a chance to do that. things can happen and change it will only take time and a lot of work.
astrea
to make solutions to air pollution more mainstream, it would require a lot of things. First of all: awareness. many people are not aware that they can help the environment in this way, and if they do know, maybe they don’t know how they could without changing their entire lifestyle. secondly, these new technologies would have to become more available to the public, cheaper and sold in more mainstream markets…. the end
Brant
Making these solutions more mainstream will require more information about some of the solutions to air pollution. I think most people know about global warming and understand how air pollution can cause respiratory problems, but may not know about biodiesel and other alternative fuels. If everyone works to increase awareness that there are alternative options to gas, it will help increase the market for new kinds of cars and fuels.
john quinn
to make the technologies we have today more mainstream we would need to do a lot more than what we are already doing. it is kind of like a chain if one person knows about alternative fuels and does not pass it on to the rest of the chain then the rest of the chain is left helpless. if we could inform that rest of the chain and make sure that it gets passed on then a lot more people would know about alternative fuel usage.
Bolivia67
I think that if the main contributor of air pollution are factories owned by for profit corporations, (show me one that isn’t) than air pollution controls can only be reached through laws. Since the large majority of factories are run for one reason: for profit, than the only way they will change is if the alternative fuels cost less than petroleum (not likely in the near future) or there is a clean air law. In order for personal cars to change to alternative fuels, again the burden lies with large corporations. If large car industries decide to switch to making cars that will run on alternative fuels, than gas stations will start to sell alternative fuels, and people will start to use alternative fuels. But all of this relies on the cooperation of both the government and the large businesses, neither of which are very likely to be helpful.
The Kellen
I believe that if people are going to start using alternative fuels, they need to be educated. I think that the majority of America knows very little about alternative fuel and /or what they are. For example, most people with a diesel engine have no clue that they could be using biodiesel. I also think that the price of alternative fuel has to drop. I know this because even if someone did have a diesel engine and knew about biodiesel, they may not use it due to cost alone.
Rachel
Specifically it will take an environmentalist’s campaign to raise awareness of this technology, and in order to form a successful campaign we need a strong influential/political backing. This will help fund us and give us supplies to go out and “spread the word.” Two questions, though:
1) What companies are available to help us out?
2) In what ways can we help raise awareness?
It would be really nice if we could just join up with another program, instead of taking this on all by ourselves, since it’s such a big topic and will take a lot of work!
cass
I think this is a challenging project just because of how big it is, but I do think it can be done it’s going to take a lot of effort. If alternative fuels are not enforced soon global warming is going to take place and it’s so easy to fix it. I mean using bio-diesel will decrease fuel emmissions buy 90% – that’s huge! The bottom line is that people everywhere, but mainly in America, need to start caring about this or we’re screwed.