Ecosystem Sustainability

By Author: Anthony W Bills
Total Articles: 158
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Ecosystem Sustainability
In nature, an ecosystem has a way of sustaining itself. Land and sea are examples of ecosystems with diverse and complex biological processes that sustain and maintain the systems. For the purpose of this paper, the term sustainability will be used to imply the responsible use of natural resources.
Human pollution is an unsustainable practice which has gained a lot of attention in the recent past. Following global climatic change as a result of green house gas emissions from use of fossil fuels, the search for alternative sources of energy has become a priority. Solar energy- a clean and recyclable source has thus become very popular in many regions of the world for generation of electricity. Many proposals of tackling the problem have been brought forward. These include:
 Use of clean energy sources like wind and solar energy instead of fossil fuels.
 Recycling of waste materials.
 Construction of green buildings.
 Conserving energy whenever possible.
 Harvesting rain water.
In Auckland, use of solar energy is ...
... one sustainable practice that is gaining popularity. Many private homes are now using solar energy for lighting, space heating, floor heating, and hot water and for powering various electric appliances. In this paper, I am going to look at sustainability in a house in Auckland known as Meadowbank house. On the roof of this house are 30 modules of photovoltaic panels which harness solar energy to power the house. Also on the roof of the house are hot water solar panels that use radiant heat from the sun to heat water for domestic use and to heat space and the floor of the house.



There are two types of solar panels on the roof of Meadowbank house. These are:
a)aThe photovoltaic cell panels
The photovoltaic panels shown in the photograph above convert solar energy to electrical energy through the photoelectric emission phenomenon. In this phenomenon, light falling on the surface of some metals causes them to emit electrons creating an electromotive force (e.m.f.). This e.m.f. then drives an electric current in the circuit. Excess electrical energy is stored in an array of secondary batteries. The electrical energy is then used for lighting using LED energy saving bulbs, for cooking and for powering energy saving appliances (Bailey, 2002).
The panels are set at an angle which gives them maximum exposure to sun radiation throughout the day as shown photograph (c) above (Auckland Solar Energy House).
b) Hot water panels
The hot water panels absorb radiant heat (infrared radiation) from the sun to heat water in coiled copper pipes. The water is then circulated in the house to heat heavily insulated walls and floor and for domestic use. A small electric pump is used to pump the water through the copper pipe network in the hot water panel. The water is the circulated so that it heats the walls and the floor and is availed for domestic use. The electric pump is powered by solar power.
c) Rain water harvesting gutters
A careful look at the first photograph will show that the roof of Meadowbank house is fitted with gutters to harvest rainwater. Rainwater from the roof is collected in the gutters and stored in a storage tank. This water is then used for domestic purposes and so for heating the walls and the floor of the house. The diagram below illustrates how this is done.

Global warming has become a critical issue today especially because largely blamed on unsustainable human activities like use of carbon fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere on combustion. Some of the solutions that have been proposed are use of alternative sources of energy. Solar energy as a renewable energy source has gained popularity in New Zealand in recent times because it is a source of energy clean in operation, unlimited in extent and requires minimal maintenance costs.
Harvesting of rainwater is also gaining popularity. The water is used for most domestic purposes e.g. toiletry, laundry, watering gardens and for heating space and floor. Currently in Auckland, the council does not allow residents to use the water for drinking (Auckland Solar Energy House).
The reason for encouragement of use of solar energy is in order to avert global warming. Increased temperatures will mean prolonged droughts and erratic and unpredictable weather patterns, shortage of water and failure of crops and animals.
The earth’s atmosphere consists of gases, dust and water vapor which reflect part of the radiation into space. Only a fraction of the suns radiation reaches the earth’s surface. The earth also reflects some of this radiation. However, some of it is reflected back by atmosphere. Some of the gases in the atmosphere absorb the radiations which otherwise have been reflected into space. The atmosphere therefore acts like the glass in a greenhouse, trapping in the energy. The gases which are responsible for this are called greenhouse gases and are CO2, Methane, Nitrous Oxide and others. It is estimated that the global temperatures have gone up by more than 0.7oC in the last century. The increase in the level of carbon dioxide is due to the use of carbon fossil fuels. This can be reduced if alternative sources of energy like solar energy and wind energy are used, thereby reducing reliance on petroleum and natural gas which emit carbon dioxide on combustion.
Individuals can help reduce global warming by reducing their level of contribution to emission of carbon dioxide by:
 Use of energy saving bulbs.
 Use of solar energy in their homes.
 Using bicycles to commute to and from work.
 Using solar energy to heat water and to warm homes and offices.
 Buying goods only from environment friendly manufacturers.
 Switching off light and other electric appliances whenever not in use.
 Using heat recovery ventilation
 By living in homes with well insulated walls in order to prevent heat loss.
 Sharing resources.
The government can also encourage good practices that reduce carbon emission by:
 Lowering the tax on solar equipment.
 Providing educational programs on the benefits of using recyclable energy.
 Encouraging innovation and creativity in institutions of learning concerning the use of recyclable energy by availing funds for research.
 Putting in place statutes and guidelines that ensure that contractors construct energy performing buildings.
The important issue about solar energy is that unlike most of the other sources of energy, it has no emissions or waste products which need to be disposed. Solar energy is inexhaustible and the equipments used to harness it require very little maintenance. They are also usually long lasting and may take up to twenty years before requiring replacement (Snyder and Bonta, 2009).
Ongoing research is aimed at maximizing the output of the solar panels and in getting more efficient means of storing the excess power during the sunny hours of the day.
Since most of the carbon dioxide that pollutes the atmosphere comes from the exhausts of cars, use of battery driven cars can be a giant step in reducing carbon emission.

Bibliography
Auckland Solar Energy House. URL: www.Sustainableliving.Org.Nz. Created: 2005. Retrieved: May 12, 2010.
Bailey, Ronald, (2002). Global Warming and Other Eco Myths. California: Prima Publishing
Snyder, Stephen and Bonta, Dave, (2009). The New Solar Home. China: Gibbs Smith

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