The document discusses renewable energy sources like wind and hydroelectric power as alternatives to fossil fuels. It notes that fossil fuels are not renewable and cause air pollution and health issues. Wind and hydroelectric power are identified as clean, renewable options that do not pollute the air. They currently make up about 7% and 5% of U.S. energy production respectively. While these have higher initial costs than fossil fuels, they provide community benefits like better health and self-sufficient power if implemented locally.

1. Energy for the Future:
Wind and Hydroelectric
BY JESSE GRAVES

2. Why we need a new energy source
 Fossil Fuels and coal are not renewable
 Air pollution causes many problems health
including: irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, and
upper respiratory infections such as bronchitis and
pneumonia, headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions
 Also power plants would produce greenhouse gases
which contribute to global warming

3. Wind/Hydroelectric power
 Wind/hydroelectric power is clean and
renewable
 Hydroelectric and wind power is much safer to use than other power
sources
 Both don’t pollute the air
 Both beneficial to the environment
 Currently these statistics show what percent of that we relay on for power
Coal: 52%
Nuclear: 20%
Natural gas: 16%
Hydropower: 7%
Other (including wind, biomass, geothermal and solar): 5%

4. Disadvantages of Wind/Hydroelectric power
 Wind power is slightly more expensive
 Hydroelectric power is cheaper but more land taken
up
 Since hydroelectric power plants are usually in dams
they have a risk of failure

5. Community benefits
 If the use of wind or hydroelectric power is
implemented in Communities will result in: better
air quality, less pollution and, better overall health
 This would also mean that the community is self
sufficient of power and does no need to buy power
from a power plant

6. If not used in communities
 If wind or hydroelectric is not used in communities
then it could result in: more air pollution, more
health problems and, more expensive power due to
fossil fuel prices increasing

7. Bibliography
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroelectric
 http://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/Frames/polluti
on-health-effects-f.html
 http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/g
reen-science/wind-power6.htm
 Google images