To Build Or Not To Build? That Is The Question

 

To Build Or Not To Build? That Is The Question

        

               The train industry is an important part of transportation in Japan and around the world. However, with the ever-increasing rise in environmental consciousness, how does Japan's trains match up to the new standards. In this article I will discuss how Japan's bullet train has set an example of how it matches up in the environmentally sustainable world. Moreover, Japan has developed trains which reduce noise pollution, fuel consumption, and runs on electricity. This bullet train is an excellent example of the potential the world has to be environmentally conscious in the transportation industry

Solar Energy

       

          After the Fukushima nuclear crisis on March 11, 2011, Japan has been damaged in many ways. One of the aspects I will focus on is the effect of solar energy on the economy. Japan has lost billions of US dollars after the earthquake with 9.0 magnitude and a tsunami took place simultaneously. Japan depended on nuclear power mostly. However, the disaster damaged all the nuclear plants which caused Japan to have no power for many months. The government decided that there is no point to rebuild the nuclear plants since they lay on the faulty lines. Therefore the government decided to look for a clean alternative energy source. The government was already in debt. So, they did not want to spend more money buying resources from other countries. Instead, the government invested money on solar panels and is continuing to do so. Currently, Japan is one of the top countries using solar energy. I will research how the economy has sustained due to the use of solar energy.

Nuclear power plant

For this project, I will be mainly focusing on the nuclear power plants in Japan. Nuclear power is a clean way to generate electricity that does not emit greenhouse gases that cause global warming and acid rain during the power generation processes. Nuclear power plants are also efficient. In early 2011, nuclear energy accounted for almost 30% of the country's total electricity production.  However, there are risks of processing the nuclear plants. Natural disasters such as earthquakes or hurricanes can damage the plants. Damaged plants might release radioactive materials that are extremely harmful to human health. Although Japan has had a disaster, nuclear power is still a clean way to generate electricity.

Water

Warming in Japan

Japan is basically an island, it is surrounded by bodies of water around it. Any piece of land that has such large amounts of water has definitely endured climate change. Japan is definitely a great representation of this. Japan is getting warmer every year and that is from many extraneous sources that we will be describing in future posts. 

Kurobe Dam 

Another large role that water plays in Japan's environment is the hydro power that they collect from the rice irrigation systems.They are looking for many new innovative methods of collecting energy for the nation. Japan is one of the largest hydroelectric nations in the world. They are continuously opening hydro power plants that appear as water dams.

Pollution

One main concern in modern day Japan is pollution. How pollution started and when the government finally realized that pollution was a huge problem. How pollution's consequences like acid rain, climate changes, and diseases effect the environment and the animals. Also how the government is trying to stop and control the production of pollution to sustain the environment. The different environmental laws that they passed and its effect, if it was useful or not.