Disadvantages of renewable energy
The biggest disadvantage that impacts the use of renewable energy is the higher cost. In general, renewable energy sources are much more costly to establish than their fossil fuel counterparts. The equipment required to set up a renewable energy plant can be very expensive.

Another distinct disadvantage is the fact that renewable plants have to be built in certain environments. Renewable energy such as tidal and hydro plants require rivers and beaches. Wind powered plants must be built in a place where they will capture a lot of wind and solar panels need a lot of sun to generate electricity. This severely limits the type of renewable energy sources that can be used in certain cases.

Most renewable energy sources rely on weather conditions to create energy. This is much more environmentally friendly than burning fossil fuels, but it is also a huge disadvantage. Solar powered plants will not produce energy if there is no sun, wind powered plants will not produce energy if there is no wind and hydroelectric plants cannot produce energy if there is no flowing water. This makes renewable energy sources unreliable. It also makes it difficult to produce the quantity and quality of energy needed to power large cities and towns.

Despite the fact that most renewable energy sources are more environmentally friendly they may still have a negative impact on the environment. For example, hydroelectricity can cause a dramatic change in silting patterns of a river because a dam must be created. This impacts the development of wildlife and flora along the river. Wind turbines have been shown to affect the wind currents in areas where they are used. This may causes changes to weather patterns and rainfall. Some evidence also shows that geothermal drilling and damming of rivers can make areas more susceptible to earthquakes.

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What are the advantages of high altitude training?

The theory of how high altitude training works is based on the fact that the body does not receive as much oxygen as it is used to at lower altitudes. The body then must adapt to this lack of oxygen and these adaptations are supposed to help an athlete perform better at lower altitudes.

Increased red blood cell count
The lower oxygen in the body at high altitude stimulates the kidneys to release a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO). This causes more red blood cells to be produced by the bone marrow so the body can use the oxygen more quickly and efficiently. This has the effect of increasing endurance at lower altitudes.

Muscle changes
There are also changes in the muscles of athletes that train at high altitude. The body adapts to allow more blood and oxygen to be delivered to the muscles. This is believed to increase the energy production within the cells of the muscles.

Whether altitude training actually helps upon return to sea level is still the subject of much debate. Research suggests that the effects are only temporary and that training at altitude does have some dangers that must be considered. If you are considering undertaking this type of training you should consult with your doctor before beginning.

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Advantages of Geothermal Power

• Geothermal power plants do admit some greenhouse gases, but they are far less than those produced by a fossil fuel power plant and they can be easily contained and neutralized.
• Geothermal power is highly sustainable as heat is continually produced by the earth and the mining of that heat will not run out.
• Geothermal power plants require very minimal land and water requirements to produce comparative amounts of power to a fossil fuel plant.
• They are very cost effective for countries as they do not require any fuel to be brought and requires little maintenance once the plant is constructed.
• Once an appropriate site is located the harnessing of geothermal energy is uncomplicated.
• Geothermal power can be used on a small scale to heat homes and offices and water.
• A geothermal power plant is self sustaining and the energy it produces can be used to power the mechanical components of the plant.

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Advantages of Hydroelectric Power

Most power stations rely on fossil fuels to run. The fossil fuel is burned to heat large vats of water which produce steam. This steam turns the turbines. This is not a renewable source of power and creates considerable amounts of pollution. Hydroelectric power stations used the movement of falling water to turn the turbines. In most cases a dam is built across a large river and the water is channeled through the turbines and released out of the other side. In some cases hydroelectric plants take advantage of tidal movements to generate power. Many have numerous reservoirs which can increase and decrease the power supply depending on demand.

Advantages of Hydroelectric power

• The biggest and most important advantage of hydroelectric power is that it is a renewable power source. It uses the natural progression nature and waterways to generate electricity.
• Another huge advantage of hydroelectric power is that once built a hydroelectric plant produces no direct waste and a considerable lower level of carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide is only produced during the construction stage and none is produced by the actual functioning plant.
• Hydroelectric power stations have very low running costs as there is no need to buy fuel. This means when fossil fuel prices skyrocket, hydroelectric plants are unaffected. It also means that the price of electricity for consumers is constant.
• Hydroelectric plants last for a lot longer that fossil fuel powered stations. They are easy to maintain and safe to work in.
• Hydroelectric plants can be added to existing dams meaning that there is no need to build a new dam and potentially cause more damage to the river system.
• Hydroelectricity is a highly reliable source of renewable energy and can increase to full power very quickly.
• Hydroelectric dams can be used for water sports and to irrigate farms. These dams can be used to prevent large scale flooding.

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What is Genetically Modified Food?
Genetically modified food is food that has been altered at the DNA level. This is done by very precise genetic engineering techniques developed by scientists. In general the aim of genetically modifying food is simple, either to make the food more marketable or make it easier to produce. Most food that is genetically modified are plant products or vegetables such as soybeans, corn and tomatoes. The genetic modification of crops happened prior to scientific engineering via breeding and cross pollination. This method is still used to create crops that are more resistant to pests or to produce plants that yield bigger harvests. Scientific genetic engineering allows for a specific gene to be taken from one organism and transplanted into another. The gene responsible for making a plant resistant to pests can be quickly and efficiently transplanted into another plant allowing it to gain this resistant property.

Disadvantages of Genetically Modified Food

• There have been numerous criticisms leveled at genetically modified produce and it is important that we as the consumer are informed about the possible drawbacks of a product.
• Changing plants may have lasting effects on other organisms in the ecosystem. The change in a plant may cause it to be toxic to an insect or animal that uses it as its main food source.
• Due to the widespread use of insect resistant genes in crops the insects may become resistant to the genetic modifications. This would cause a widespread loss of crops and plants that have the natural immunity leading to a loss in biodiversity.
• Breeding and cross pollination across unintended species could occur resulting in things such as insect resistant weeds.
• Cross pollination can also occur across crops that are not genetically modified leading to lawsuits about who owns the GM technology and seed. The same thing can happen between organic crops and genetically modified crops making it difficult to maintain an organic status.
• A huge concern is that genetic modification could cause allergies in humans due to gene modification of plants. People may find that they are now allergic to other food products – people because they contain a gene from the allergen they have. One example is the use of a Brazilian nut gene in corn.
• Some studies have shown that it may affect the human digestive system in a number of ways. The incorporation of substances that may interact badly with one another in food or in fact be poisonous to people may happen. The modification of certain genes may make some plant substances difficult to digest at all.
• A major economical concern is that the control of world food sources may be limited to large companies because they own the GM seeds and have the money to start and finish the accreditation process.
• Genetic modification can also make it difficult to know what you are eating, as a plant could contain animals products via genetic engineering. This could cause issues for those with dietary restrictions and religious commitments.

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Advantages of Coal Power

• The biggest advantage of coal fired power is that it is cheap. This is a great thing as if it is cheap for the companies to produce than electricity bills are cheaper for us to pay, but what are some of the other advantages of coal fired power?
• Coal is highly combustible meaning that when it burns it releases a lot of energy and creates a lot of heat. This is a big plus as you can use smaller amounts of coal to heat larger amount of water.
• Another advantage to coal fired power is that enormous amounts of electricity can be produced in one place inexpensively. This means that instead of having five power plants you may only need one.
• Coal is an inexpensive resource because it is easy to find a supply and it not expensive to extract and mine from coal deposits.
• Coal is easy to access. There is a lot of coal worldwide and estimates suggest that coal supplies will last for at least another 200 years.
• Coal fired Power is generally considered safer than nuclear power, as a failure at the plant is not likely to cause a catastrophic event like a nuclear meltdown would.
• Coal is a less dangerous fuel source than uranium and it is simpler to train people to work at the plant.

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Disadvantages of Nuclear Power

What are the Disadvantages of Nuclear Power?

Due to many countries looking to find more environmentally friendly ways of producing power the advantages of nuclear power have been widely publicized. It is important, however to understand the disadvantages of this type of power usage as well. Understanding both sides of nuclear power is important especially in the light of the most recent nuclear disaster in Japan at Fukushima I.

Radioactive waste
The production of nuclear power produced a lot of waste material. This waste material is extremely hazardous and difficult to dispose of safely. Most radioactive waste produced by a nuclear power plant is keep on site or is buried underground in huge concrete pits. This waste has to be carefully looked after for many thousands of years.

High risks associated with accidents
While the chance of a nuclear accident happening are relatively low the risks associated are extremely high. Even small radiation leaks can cause devastating effects on the surrounding environment and people. A cataclysmic accident can cause widespread radiation poisoning across many countries as the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster proved.

Terrorist Targets
Due to the wide spread damage a reactor breach could cause, nuclear power plants could become favoured terrorist targets. Some nuclear reactions also produce plutonium in large quantities which could be used in nuclear weaponry.

Not renewable
Nuclear power is not a renewable source of energy. Uranium is a metal that is mined from the ground in much the same way as coal is mined. It is a scarce metal and the supply of uranium will one day run out making all the nuclear power plants obsolete. Nuclear power is not a long term solution to finding a renewable, environmentally friendly energy source.

Time and Money
It takes a long time to plan and build a nuclear power plant that is safe and effective. Nuclear power is therefore to a quick solution to the world’s energy issues. In addition to the time it take to effectively plan and build a nuclear power plant, a lot of money has to be spent to make sure that the plant is safe. Unsafe plants mean that there are more likely to be accidents.

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Advantages (Pros) of Genetically Modified (GM) Foods:

• Saves the use of toxic chemicals. GM crops can be made resistant to pests, so pesticides do not need to be sprayed on them. This is also better on the environment!
• Prevents wasted crops. If pests cannot eat the crops, nothing goes to waste. Therefore, farmers make more money!
• It could potentially solve hunger. Many people agree that there is not enough food in the world to feed everybody. As genetically modified foods increase the yields of crops, more food is produced by farmers. Of course, others argue that there is enough food to feed everyone, but it is unequally distributed. Others argue the GM crops do not produce higher yields.
• We can begin to grow foods in different conditions. For instance, strawberries can be genetically engineered to grow in frosts. Other foods that grow in cold climates could be engineered to grow in hot climates (such as Africa where much of the continent does not have enough food).
• Some foods can be genetically modifies to contain higher amounts of important vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A deficiencies cause blindness. In Africa, 500,000 go blind each year. If rice can be modified to contain more vitamin A, the amount of people going blind will decrease.
• As more research is done the technology is bound to improve. Scientists are already considering genetic modification to make fish, nuts and plants grow faster.

Despite these advantages, many people refuse to eat genetically modified foods over concerns that it could be dangerous to their health. There is still no detailed study about the long term effects of eating genetically modified foods. There are also issues such as whether scientists should play God and whether biotechnology companies (the people that made the GM seeds) should have control over food supply (they could choose not to sell the seeds to certain people or countries).

Other Pros/Cons Topics:

Advantages of Biofuels

Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power

Advantages (Pros):

• Nuclear power plants are more efficient than ever before. New technology has made them more reliable (they break down less often) and safer. People for nuclear power argue that this is evidenced by more and more nations (such as China) building nuclear power plants.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is a contentious issue. Proponents of nuclear power argue that, as no coal or fossil fuels are burnt, no carbon dioxide is released into the air. However, uranium has to be mined and transported to the nuclear plant. Both these activities require burning of fuels, so carbon dioxide is released. Also, producing nuclear fuel from the uranium requires a lot of energy, which also contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases.
• Although the initial cost of building nuclear plants is high, the running costs are relatively low.
• One reason the costs are low is that nuclear plants need only a small amount of uranium to produce a lot of energy. In fact, if the cost of uranium doubled, costs would only be increased by 7%. 1 truck of uranium produces as much energy as 1000 trucks of coal!
• Reduces dependence on foreign oils and natural gas (like biofuels). America, for instance, imports a lot of oil and natural gas from other countries. The price of these products is volatile, and change very quickly. If the price increases quickly, consumers have to pay more for their electricity (which they may not be able to afford). Building more nuclear power plants means that Americans will not be susceptible to price rises in oil and gas. President Barack Obama supports this idea of ‘energy independence’.
• Nuclear wastes can be safely stored underground (another debated issue).

Other Environmental Topics:

Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power

True Facts about Global Warming

• They are very addictive! Many children cannot handle the hits of sugar and caffeine (from coke for instance) that they eat and drink.
• Fast foods are very high in carbohydrates, very low in fiber and very high in fat. This is why people who eat a lot of fast foods usually put on a lot of weight. Child obesity has increased considerably in the past 10 years.
• Studies show that improved diets, with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and lots of grains, improves general health and moods in both children and adults.
• Many fast foods have lots and lots of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. None of these are very good for your health. They are even worse for children as their bodies cannot handle all the chemicals.
• High fructose corn syrup, an addictive that is put in soda, has been associated with increased risks of Type II diabetes and heart diseases.
• Fast foods have been linked to cholesterol levels rising and raising of blood pressure (due to the high sodium content). Therefore, the risk of strokes is much higher.
• Some people argue that eating chickens that have been pumped with hormones is dangerous, and may lead to an earlier onset of puberty. However, it is illegal to sell chicken that has been given hormones in the United States and Australia (and probably other countries as well)
• There are many concerns from animal rights activists (PETA, for instance) who argue that raising and killing chickens for food is inhumane.
• Ever seen Super Size Me? One guy ate McDonalds every day for one month. He gained 20 pounds and experienced sever liver problems. The liver doctor begged him to pull out after 20 days!
• Fast foods have very little good nutritional value. You are much better off cooking at home. It is not hard! Try our easy tortilla soup recipes and the best beef stew recipe.

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