So what does this mean?

Question

okay this might sound like a really stupid question but i dont care. How does energy from appliances like hairdryers and microwaves effect the air and pollute the air, why does using them less or using them more help and hurt the environment? I honestly have no clue about the process

Answer 1

I think because hairdryers use a lot of electricity. I think so because when the hairdryer is on, the whole light in the bathroom kinda dims. When you switch it back off, the light gets brighter again.

This may not be true...but...just some things I experienced.

Answer 2

Power stations are run on coal.  They are load sensitive, meaning that when there is a shortage of electricity in the grid they fire up, burn more coal and create more electricity.

This applies when ever we turn on any electrical appliance.  You can buy electricity from "green providers".  These companies are obliged to have sufficient alternative energy sources to produce the same amount of electricity that you use.

Carbon dioxide is the main product of burning fossil fuels.  There is a good section on this in my website.  It is known to trap heat.  Clearly the more there is in the atmosphere the greater the effect will be.

I can't understand how some people can say that adding lots of CO2 to the atmosphere will have no effect.  Everything has an effect.

Answer 3

Any electric appliance that makes heat uses more electricity in general, than things that don't.

No one is telling you you can't use these things.  All anyone is saying is that we should start paying attention to energy conservation wherever we can.

Answer 4

EXACTLY!! How does using a hairdryer cause Global Warming? It simply does not. Energy can come from wind, water, oil etc. Simply using a hair dryer won't cause the world to end. Just don't tell that to Al Gore, he has invested millions into this Global Warming "problem". And if he is correct (which he is NOT!) then he stands to gain a ton of money from people just giving him their pin #'s because they feel guilty about drying their hair. Don't believe the hype!!!!!

Answer 5

If you're getting your power from clean green sources (like solar, wind, hydro), then the hair dryer is not a problem at all.

That's what makes renewables so great, and is why we should be putting pressure on governments to switch from coal power stations to renewables. If your house is getting green energy, or you're producing your own green energy, then you're having NO impacts from appliance use.

Transport/meat/etc is another matter...

Hope that helps :O)

Answer 6

The electricity you use is most likely produced by coal burning plants or possibly nuclear plants which produce nuclear waste.  The appliance itself does not produce the pollutants until they are disposed of.