| environ. |
environmental impact of energy Energy and environmental problems are closely related, since it is nearly impossible to produce, transport, or consume energy without significant environmental impact. The environmental problems directly related to energy production and consumption include air pollution, water pollution, thermal pollution, and solid waste disposal. The emission of air pollutants from fossil fuel combustion is the major cause of urban air pollution. Diverse water pollution problems are associated with energy usage. One major problem is oil spills. In all petroleum-handling operations, there is a finite probability of spilling oil either on the earth or in a body of water. Coal mining can also pollute water. Changes in groundwater flow produced by mining operations often bring otherwise unpolluted waters into contact with certain mineral materials which are leached from the soil and produce an acid mine drainage. Solid waste is also a by-product of some forms of energy usage. Coal mining requires the removal of large quantities of earth as well as coal. In general, environmental problems increase with energy use and this combined with the limited energy resource base is the crux of the energy crisis. An energy impact assessment should compare these costs with the benefits to be derived from energy use (能源和环境问题息息相关，因为若要生产、运输或消耗能量而不造成严重的环境冲击是几乎不可能的。环境问题直接与能源的生产和消耗有关，包含空气污染、水污染、热污染和固废弃置。石化燃料燃烧所产生的空气污染物的排放是主要都市空气污染的原因。各样的水污染问题是与能源使用有关联的。 其中主要的问题是石油泄漏。在所有石油的处理操作中，有可能在土地上或水体中发生泄漏。采煤也会污染水体。采矿作业时改变地下水的水流，使得未污染的水与某种矿物(这些矿物是被土壤所过滤出来的)接触而产生酸性的矿物排放水。固体废弃物也是能源使用后的副产产物。) |
