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Zachary Windsor

Brownlee

College Level Composition

Argumentative Essay

13th of December 2016

Nuclear Necessity

The effects of climate change are becoming more and more apparent. As each year passes, our ability to limit the damage diminishes. A major contributor to climate change are electric generation sources. According to the World Nuclear Association, in Comparison of Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Various Electricity Generation Sources, over one third of greenhouse gases are emitted by electric generation sources, and the demand for electricity is to increase by more than forty percent over the next two decades (2). This demand creates a challenge for any government official looking to reduce the United State’s own greenhouse gas emissions. The immediate response of many environmental activist groups is to turn to renewable energy. Aptly, they cry for wind and solar, and these sources appear promising. Rather than dirty coal and oil, why not settle for the fresh, clean power of nature itself? As it turns out, there is a major gap between dreaming of a reusable energy future and actually meeting the United State’s energy demands. Just as the average Joe could not predict the weather tomorrow, and for the reason motors replaced sails, we can not rely on these intermittent and deficient energy sources to meet the United States energy needs. There must be another source of energy that can fill the gap and still stop climate change. That source is nuclear fission. The government should provide greater support for Nuclear Energy, as it is necessary to stop climate change.

Nuclear energy provides the most reliable clean alternative to fossil fuels. Wind, solar, and nuclear energy sources are all capable of providing electricity without the major release of greenhouse gases. Rogner, H.-Holger,  Section head of the Planning and Economic Studies Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Nuclear Power and Sustainable Development analyzed the greenhouse gases produced by energy sources in the entirety of their life cycle chains - a lifecycle being their construction, operation, resource mining, and decommission - and concludes: “Life cycle emissions from the nuclear power chain are comparable with the best renewable energy chains and at least one order of magnitude lower than fossil fuel chains” (151). Nuclear fission, wind power, and solar power are all capable of providing energy without causing climate change. The decision on which is best suited for the task must be decided on their capability to meet the United States energy needs in the absence of fossil fuels. The greatest challenge to wind and solar in doing this is the changing and diverse weather of the United States. Benjamin K. Sovacool, director of the Danish Center for Energy Technology, in The intermittency of wind, solar, and renewable electricity generators: Technical barrier or rhetorical excuse?  Puts it as: “The output of solar photovoltaic systems will vary with the season, time of day, and presence of clouds and rainfall. Wind systems must also deal with the constant vagaries of weather and climate.” (1). Nuclear energy, on the other hand, does not rely on these factors and will more reliably and consistently provide the grid’s needs. Nuclear energy is capable replacing greenhouse gas emitters. It is only a question of whether or not it can be done soon enough.

Nuclear energy provides the most time efficient method to combat climate change. Swift action must be taken to replace fossil fuels. Although a nuclear facility takes more time to build than other clean energy alternatives, it beats wind and solar through sheer size and capability. The U.S Energy Information Administration in their June 2016 Cost and Performance Characteristics of New Generating Technologies, Annual Energy Outlook  lists the lead time for an advanced nuclear facility to be fully operational at six years, while wind and solar thermal facilities are both at three, and wind offshore is at four. The listed size of an Advanced Nuclear facility is 2,234 MW, while wind and solar thermal both are both at 100 MW, and wind offshore is at 400 MW (2). The math is strongly in favor of nuclear. In just twice the time it takes to build a wind or solar facility, a nuclear power plant gives far greater capability to replace the energy fossil fuels provide. Even with these benefits, there are drawbacks of nuclear energy that must be considered.

Nuclear energy provides it’s own specific risks. The most serious of them may be nuclear meltdown occurrences or other operational malfunctions. The worst case scenario for a nuclear power plant could spell disaster for the surrounding area. In 1986, due to design flaws and procedural failures, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant experienced an explosion and fire that released radioactive material into the surrounding area. Thirty one persons perished as an immediate result of this incident. More than two decades after this event, in 2011, an earthquake triggered the emergency shutdown of the Fukushima nuclear power plant’s cores. The subsequent tsunami destroyed the emergency generators used to cool the cores, causing nuclear meltdown. Radiation was released into the surrounding area, increasing health risks of inhabitants. No deaths occurred as an immediate result of this incident. These two events can be distinguished by the circumstances and technical aspects of them. The Chernobyl catastrophe was caused by design flaws and procedural failures. In Fukushima, safety implementations were in place, but were not prepared for such a devastating tsunami. These two incidences, despite both of them being disasters, still show the improvement of safety systems as time progresses.  Rogner, H.-Holger,  Section head of the Planning and Economic Studies Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Nuclear Power and Sustainable Development states: “There is strong empirical evidence that learning from prior nuclear power plant operating experience has led, and will continue to lead, to improvements in plant safety.” (154) As time passes, safety procedures have and will become more capable at limiting the minute risk of malfunction. Even so, these risks must be weighed against the benefits of Nuclear energy.

The longer the world puts off eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, the more catastrophic climate change will become. The United States continues to do little to change how their energy is produced. Being the second largest consumer of electricity in the world, the challenge of replacing fossil fuels is daunting. This challenge is even more dismaying if the only solutions considered are only wind and solar. They are simply too unreliable and feeble to provide the United States energy demands. Nuclear energy is the alternative. The benefits and potential outweigh the risks. It has shown to be as ozone friendly as wind and solar, while being more capable at replacing fossil fuels and meeting the United State’s energy needs. While the risks do exist, they do not compare to the looming danger of climate change, and it’s far more catastrophic effects. The government must provide their utmost support for the use of nuclear energy, no matter the form this support takes.

Works Cited

Rogner, H.-Holger. "Nuclear Power And Sustainable Development." Journal Of International Affairs 64.1 (2010): 137-163. Academic Search Elite. Web. 6 Dec. 2016.

Sovacool, Benjamin K. "The Intermittency of Wind, Solar, and Renewable Electricity Generators: Technical Barrier or Rhetorical Excuse?" Utilities Policy 17.3-4 (2009): 288-96. Web. 6 Dec. 2016

“Comparison of Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Various Electricity Generation Sources”  World Nuclear Association Web. y Dec. 2016

“Cost and Performance Characteristics of New Generating Technologies, Annual Energy Outlook 2016” U.S Energy Information Administration (2016) Web. 6 Dec. 2016

Zachary Windsor

College Level Composition

Brownlee

Process Analysis

First of December 2016

How To Eat at a Buffet

“All you can eat” sounds very enticing. But don’t be fooled. The human stomach can only hold about two litters, and the buffet assumes that you will eat that much. That’s why they set their prices similarly to a meal at a sit down restaurant.They expect you to only have what you can eat. But if you want the best value, take all you could eat. So plan on staying all day to stretch the entree fee as long as possible. Here in America, we all share two gods: tasty food and good value. If you intend on properly worshipping them, you have to be prepared. Pinching pennies at a buffet is no small task. It’s a massive undertaking that takes both mental fortitude and physical persistence. So get yourself ready. The goal is food. The game is food. The enemy is food.

Before heading out on your cuisine crusade, make some plans beforehand. The weekends are usually the busiest, so pick a weekday. Tuesday or wednesday tend to have the smallest crowds. Next, pick a buffet that offers a cheap buffet to begin with. A major decrease in quality is worth the slight decrease in cost. Staying all day will require a clear schedule, so call of work and cancel any appointments; you have a higher calling.  Consider eating less the day before. Humans can last three weeks before starving to death, so a day is probably fine. The goal is food. You must be willing to make these sacrifices. When the day comes, arrive as soon as they open.

As soon as you enter, dive in! If some gets in your way, shove them to the side. If there is a line for the last piece of cake, cut in front and take it. The game is food, don’t let anyone stop you. You are on a mission. Grab as many different entrees as you can carry them back to your table. Set them down one by one into a neat grid pattern. To begin, pick one at at random, and eat one or two bites of it. Then move on to the next dish, nibbling on it as well. Repeat with each plate of food. By only sampling, you can get a taste of everything. Once you have a teetering wall of barely eaten dishes and no more to taste, return to the buffet line and collect the dishes you haven’t tried. Continue to repeat this process until there is nothing more to sample. You will have eaten much more than the buffet ever expected.

If you maintain your self control and resolve, you will have tasted every dish in four hours or less. But this is only the beginning. The restaurant is open for another six hours, and the job you called off has probably fired you. So Down a tall glass of water, empty your digestive system, and take a short nap. Once you wake up, you are ready for seconds. Consider which of the dishes you sampled were your favorite, and grab several plates of them. Now gorge yourself. Devour every scrap of food on your plates, and lick them to a polish. Ignore the stares of strangers, they are only jealous of your money-saving tactics. Eventually, you will begin to feel full. You could leave, but the buffet is still open. The enemy is food, defeat it by eating more. Stay dedicated. The stomach can be stretched to three liters or more, so intend on breaking some personal records.

When you do leave, leave. Do not stick around to to thank the staff for a satisfying experience. Do not clean up your one hundred or more used plates, and do not leave a tip for the staff forced to deal with the pounds of wasted food. Instead, just leave. Get up quickly, get out the door, and drive away. You can not give the staff the chance to bill you extra for the made to order omellete or the entire pan of brownies you dropped on the floor. As you drive home, consider your accomplishments. You will see you have consumed thousands of calories for less than fifteen dollars. A mission success. Come back every other week for the greatest effect. Make yourself a regular. The buffet must shiver at the mere thought of your presence.

Zachary Windsor

College Level Composition

Brownlee

College Essay

4th of December 2016

A Halloween Job

Monsters drifted through the crowd. They had hunger in their eyes and blood dripping from their mouths. Some victims screamed with terror and hid behind their friends. Others stood petrified. Most members of the crowd stood calmly, laughing at the despair of others. I slipped tediously between the victims and monsters, on a hunt of my own. I found my prey, and lashed out with my broom and dustpan. Despite the vampires, zombies, and evil clowns, to some, I face the greatest nightmare of all.

Liquid seeped from the shredded remains despite the bag’s best efforts to contain it. I swifty tossed it into the dumpster before the juice can drench me. The next bag was a bit heavier, but I disposed of it accordingly. Eventually all of the evidence was disposed of. I transitioned to the next job: cleaning the restroom. With gloves on, a spray bottle in one hand and towels in the other, I was ready fight. I leapt in to decimate any mess. When my enemies were vanquished, it was on to facing down the litter in the midways. The work is tedious, repetitive, and sometimes gag-inducing, but my job isn’t supposed to be glamorous. Most try to ignore what is going on and act like it doesn’t exist.  Still, the dirty work has to be taken care of. I work swiftly. Carefully. Thoroughly.

Then a restroom flooded. I rushed to direct the crowd to another restroom, only to find it was flooding as well. I frantically called for plumbers, only to find out there was only one to fix them both. While one was being fixed, I  directed the crowd to a third restroom, and quickly cleaned up the mess. I wondered how I was able to stay calm and professional despite the storm.  I heard my manager explain his reasoning. “We do a job that not many people are willing to do, and I take pride in that.”  This helped me answer my question.  I realized my motivation was also intrinsic. I had turned my simple duties into an artform. I had moved from one task to another without any hesitation or aversion to how difficult it may be. I always had been willing to vanquish any foe, to give the best experience to any client, and know the best way to work with my partners-in-cleaning to be even more efficient. Not because I had been told to, but because I had wanted to. I had gained immense satisfaction from doing the most quality job possible in the least amount of time. My manager chose the perfect word to describe this grand feeling: pride.

Eventually, the plumber got to both restrooms, and I had time to take a step back and admire my surroundings. Roller coasters towered above me. Carnival rides flashed bright lights of red, yellow, and blue. The sweet smell of funnel cakes danced through the air. Families laughed and teenagers screamed. I noticed their joy, and realized the true reason I had chose to continue working there.  People require our services to have the time of their lives, and I’m there to provide it. I may just be just a drudge, but I am also an imperative gear in our entertainment organization. It’s amazing to see how far we go to exceed beyond our guest’s expectations.  I’ve found what truly inspires me to continue working there: the contagious happiness from guests having worlds of fun. Perhaps my job is not so nightmarish after all.

Zachary Windsor

College Level Composition

Brownlee

Narrative

4th of December 2016

Disney

I sat on the edge of my seat, wondering where the next one would come from. It was too dark to see where the track was leading us. Suddenly, another green ghost appeared before me, and I rapidly shot my mounted laser weapon at it, before another one appeared and was vanquished by my siblings. The track took us around a corner, and everything suddenly went bright. The end of the ride. We stepped off. “Alright guys, we only have time for one more” our parents explained. It was last day of the trip, and we pondered what should be the last Disney attraction we visited. We decided on the It’s a Small World ride, to, as my brother put it, “balance out how scary fighting off ghosts was”. We were loaded into a boat on tracks, and set off through a more brightly lit tunnel. Slightly creepy child-like figures were dancing to the song It’s a Small World After All played endlessly in different languages. As it the song changed languages, we came across different paper-like decorations showing the various countries of the world. There was the tower of london for Great britain, with soldiers in bearskin hats, and the Taj Mahal for India, with dancers in colorful costumes. It was silly, childish, and pretty corny. But it at least did the trick of balancing out my paranoia from the ghost ride. On the downside, the annoying song got stuck in my head. It wasn’t the highest note to leave on, but we flew home the next day nonetheless.

I recently re-listened to this song, to see if I would remember any of the lyrics. I was emotionally affected by how deep it is. Its main lyrics are: “It's a world of laughter, a world of tears, it's a world of hope and a world of fears, there's so much that we share, that it's time we're aware, it's a small world after all.” It is awestrucking how this corny kid’s song celebrates human nature, in protest of geographical and cultural divides. Though,  I did not recognize this complicated meaning when I was eight. The ride was too babyish to me, and a bit too repetitive, so I didn’t pay attention much to what the ride was saying. Still Disney was the happiest experience of my life. I have never been more excited than when I saw spider man in the flesh, or more amazed than when I saw a live show of how cars are modified for action movies, or more full of pure bliss than when I was eating a micky mouse shaped ice cream treat. Nowadays, I would likely think the same things are dull. Now when I’m visiting amusement parks, and I see the kiddie rides and people in costumes, I don’t get the point.  I wonder if anyone, even a child, really thinks those attractions are entertaining. But I remind myself of Disney World. When I was eight, I enjoyed those things. So what has changed? Am I truly so lost in my preconceptions that I can never again enjoy things genuinely?

I wish to feel the same awe and wonder. Though I doubt I could. It seems ability to experience the same joy has been lost. Only a child can truly enjoy these attractions. They don’t see them as nothing more than ways for the park to make money, and don’t know there is much faster rides and more interesting shows available, like older people do. Still, I want to go back to disney world. I want to better understand why children think they are so fun. I want to see how much of the place I remember. I want to see if the It’s A Small World ride is just as silly, corny and annoying as I remember it. I want to know if I ever can experience true joy again.