AWD 3302: Project Files

Title: Producing Annotated Bibliographies, a Problem-Seeking Project

Author: Matt Parlon

Date:

Northeastern University advertises itself as one of the most “green” schools in the country. Meanwhile, this school continues to utilize energy produced at fossil fuel burning facilities. I plan to explore the major arguments against fossil fuels burning energy generation facilities while providing an economical alternative. The argument against burning fossil fuels for energy production is to include the unfair burden of the externalities associated with the electricity we all benefit from as well as the continuation of the cyclical expansion of income inequality. While providing a healthy alternative, I will utilize incentives brought to light by various solar developers. Northeastern University, as an institution of higher learning has a responsibility to show Boston how we can help those less fortunate than us. Not only will running Northeastern University, at least partially, off of solar energy save money, it will help to combat the stigma that for each environmental gain, there is an equal and opposite economic loss.

World Health Organization. (2014, March 25). 7 million premature deaths annually linked to air pollution . Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2014/air-pollution/en/

The World Health Organization was established in 1948 and is now the leading international source of public health information. This particular piece by the WHO is valuable to many as it is an update to a previous, popular study on the health effects associated with air pollution. While this article remains broad in the exact location of its studies, it uses advanced technological tools such as satellite data, ground-level monitoring measurements and data on pollution emissions from key sources to pinpoint the dispersion of airborne pollutants. This update to a study conducted in 2012 on the relationship between air pollutants and various diseases shows that the current situation is worse than previously thought. In particular, this study outlines how the most voulnerable^[i.n.] groups to air pollution, children and the elderly, are the most exposed to it due to their more stagnant lifestyle. While the statistics in this study generally speak for themselves, it is worth pointing out that the sources of the pollutants do not effect all people equally. For this reason, it is important to understand the actual externality dispersion so that our portions of the burden are put into perspective. There are many application of this article. First and foremost, it is to be used to set the groundwork for any argument regarding public health as it related to air pollution. No argument can be formed without first establishing the concrete relationship between airbourne pollutants and public health issues. The fact that this article represents an update to a study should only provide more reader confidence in the World Health Organization. Although the original statement made in 2012 had to be updated, the fact that they are on an ever expanding search for information makes their input paramount to any legitimate claim on the current state of worldwide air quality.^[i.n.]

Israel, B. (2012, November 16). Coal plants smothering communities of color, report finds . The Daily Climate . Retrieved from http://www.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2012/11/coal-power-injustice

The Daily Climate was founded in 2007 and has, to this day, provided readers with a one-stop media outlet that aggregates all climate change news in simple language. This article explores the communities most affected by the pollutants put into the air by coal-fired power plants. In this piece, The Daily Climate breaks down a report conducted by the NAACP that focused on the communities surrounding all 378 coal fired power plants in the United States of America in 2012. The report focused heavily on the layout of minorities and people of color within three miles of the coal-fired power plants. Although there was a slight correlation found between minorities and vicinity to these plants, the stronger relationship can be found between poverty-stricken communities and vicinity to these plants. These people who are the least able to afford medical care are the most exposed to airborne health dangers. Facts stated by this article must be taken into consideration by anyone evaluating the demographics associated with diseases related to air pollution. Although the study evaluated by this piece was racially driven, the numbers associated with it can be utilized to obtain conclusions not explicitly stated by The Daily Climate.

Wilson, J. (2015, May 31). Why cities make people stupid: Air pollution significantly reduces children's IQ, study finds . Natural News. Retrieved from http://www.naturalnews.com/049903_air_pollution_city_life_intelligence.html

Natural News is a media outlet focused on the quality of life people are achieving and how it is related to manmade changed in their environment. In 2015, Natural News published this article relaying the findings of a study conducted by Colombia University on the mental effects of air pollution on young children. This article points to several examples of decreased IQs in groups that were subject to increased exposure to air pollutants during their primary developmental stages of life. Generally speaking, this article only points out that, of the groups studied, there was a linear relationship found between ones exposure to air pollutants in their early stages of life and their IQ later in life. There was, however, no explicit proof of causation. The unfortunate truth that this article outlines is that we outsource the externalities of energy generation so that the wealthy can utilize the benefits without having to endure any of the downsides. This piece is the final building block to the argument that the cycle of wealth inequality is being continued by the forced exposure to pollutants that would decrease ones ability to gain the means to escape said situation. While this cannot be used to prove direct causation, it will be helpful to point out the correlation between decreased developmental yields in children and their levels of exposure to pollutants in the air.

BlueWave Capital. (2016, January 21). BlueWave, Partners with Massachusetts’ Avidia Bank to Deliver Premium Home Solar Loan Product . Retrieved from http://bluewave-capital.com/?p=2742

BlueWave Capital is a solar developer based in Boston founded by John DeVillars. Mr. DeVillars has been a lifelong advocate for environmental protection. BlueWave published this article themselves and can therefore be held accountable for all economic claims made within it. This source makes clear the economic benefit behind solar energy that is currently available in Massachusetts. BlueWave was sure to mention the launch of its Home Solar Loan, a product that offers residents the opportunity to reduce their electricity bills by up to 50%+ with a rooftop solar installation. By installing solar on one’s roof, one may reduce their yearly electricity bill greatly. BlueWave also offers a community Solar program that allows people to purchase their electricity from a large scale solar array at a discount of approximately 10%. This article makes clear that utilizing renewable energy sources does not necessarily require a large investment. In other terms, economic and environmental benefits do not have an inverse correlation. By observing the economic benefits associated with solar energy, the argument for local fossil fuels benefiting the American economy can be disregarded. BlueWave does not put out press releases without completion of their objective. For this reason, all sources from their site can be useful tools when looking for examples of economic viability in green energy.

SunEdison .(2016, March 22). Why Solar Works for Colleges . Retrieved from http://www.sunedison.com/blog/why-solar-works-colleges

SunEdison is a solar developer that has been in business since the beginning of the solar boom. They have been through many ups and downs as a company but their experience cannot be overstated. This piece found on SunEdison’s blog takes the lessons learned from past experience and takes out case-specific events to generate the overarching benefits solar has to college campuses. SunEdison primarily focuses on the social and economic incentives to adopt solar as a university. They outline how young adults are getting more and more interested in renewable energy and sustainability. By providing a school with a means to incur increased applications, SunEdison has appealed to schools capitalistic side, which is normally the most difficult and important aspect of persuasion in the solar market. As far as convincing Northeastern to accept this proposed change, this source should prove vital in the explanation of an all-encompassing approach.