Why Is Biofuel Better than Other Renewable Energy Sources? by Leticia

First off, what is biofuel?
Well, it comes from biomass, which is actually something that has been recently living, such as animal waste, carcasses, etc, etc. Biofuel isn't known very well in the world for powering our lives. In fact, it's used mostly in developing countries to get electricity. But is it better than:
Wind power
Hydroelectric power
Solar power
Geothermal power?
Well, we'll see.
First, biofuel is renewable. We're not sucking up coal, natural gas, and oil for electrical power. Instead of using up all of our resources, we're making the most of our surroundings. Since the beginning of time, animals have been around - and with them, their waste and carcasses later on, which we can use to transform for electricity. But we're not blocking rivers and stopping the trout reproduction, like hydro power. With coal and natural gas, we're using up all we have fast, and it's not reliable. Eventually, we'll run out of this nonrenewable fuel and we'll find ourselves stunned and lost. Instead, biofuel is renewable and will continue being around forever. It's constantly available and we have no fear of running out, whereas with nonrenewable energy sources, it will eventually run out.
Biofuel is also reliable. For solar and wind power, it depends on the weather, so we can't rely on our power sources. Who says it'll be rainy one day, windless and dry the next, or sunny and windless the other? Weather is unpredictable, and we can't rely on it for power. True, solar and wind power is efficient, but we don't know when we can use it or not. Biofuel, on the other hand, doesn't rely on much. We'll have this source for a long time, and not much will be able to wipe it out. It's very reliable.
Next, biofuel is also cheap. Geothermal power, solar power, wind power, and hydro power is very expensive to gather and create. A dam is very expensive, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to create. Solar power is just as costly. Let's not even think about geothermal power, drilling holes into thinner surfaces of the Earth. It could cost millions of dollars! Instead, we can just go to the nearest farm and collect animal dung for biofuel. A farmer might not even charge for that unpleasant task! It's simple to collect, but it's still pretty hard to make. Turning animal waste into fuel! That's a true transformation, but it's only a hint of human brilliance.
Biofuels also help the environment. Plants create oxygen and clean our air, which is now filled with pollution! We can grow so many crops intended for biofuel and clean our air at the same time! That's very effective. Especially because we're ensuring childrens' futures. Eventually, they'll grow into adults, and kids wouldn't want to grow into a desert that was once a beautiful forest, or a run-down town that was once a big city. By using biofuel, we are reducing pollution and protecting the environment that has been our home for thousands of years.
Countries are beginning to use biofuel more often now. Biodiesel - "a diesel-like fuel commonly made from palm oil" (National Geographic) is used more often in Europe now.
But biofuel also has a downside. It takes a lot of chemicals to purify animal waste and carcasses into fuel. We end up throwing in lots of chemicals to process it, and lots of it ends up polluting the environment, so it's not perfect. And, if we're using biodiesel more, palm plantations are actually wiping out corn, wheat, potato, and other vegetable plantations. That means farmers are getting less to eat and fuel is becoming more important than food. Palm oil makes a lot more money than, say, potatoes, so people will naturally plant palm trees and abandon potato crops. However, biodiesel is renewable and we're making the most of our surroundings.
But, with coal and natural gas available, we don't need to worry about those things yet, do we? But those problems will eventually come. Electricity makes things so much more easier for us, but we've become dependent on technology, and if it's not available, we'll be lost. Utterly lost.
What do you think? Is biofuel better than other renewable energy sources?

Copyright © 2013 schoolgirlworldreviews.blogspot.ca

Book Review: Main Street Series by Ann M. Martin

Main Street Series
(Photo is book #8)


Main Street Series

10 books
Type: Community life and friendship.
Style: Family-friendly, close-knit community, showing close friendship and community, not very descriptive or richly written.
Length: Fairly short - about 190-200 pages, print is fairly large. Better for younger children that can read well.
Age rating: 8-12
A series that shows a community helping others get over tragedy, forming relationships and bonds, close-knit friends and neighbors, etc. It's not a very rich book - just a bit of fun or amusement to take a break from deeper subjects. May be tedious for older readers, but amusing and entertaining for younger children and tweens.
Overall grade:  to 

A cute series, showing how friendship and community life can help you get over tragedies and overcoming problems and challenges. It's nicely paced, taking a somewhat sleepy, boring town into something more exciting. Overall, a pretty good read.

Copyright © 2013 schoolgirlworldreviews.blogspot.ca

Book Review: Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze by Elizabeth Foreman Lewis

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze

Award-winning
306 pages
Type: Historical fiction
Style: Fairly descriptive, intensely involves life lessons and old sayings, old-fashioned speech.
Length: Solid read, a bit long for younger readers but nicely sized for older readers.
Age rating: 11-20. Highly recommended for older readers who can follow along easily.
A well-written novel, a door into times, very accurate and capturing the old-fashioned Chinese times. Young Fu is a complicated, interesting character and his story is as well. It has a lot of life lessons that can be valuable to young readers.
Overall grade:

A good novel, some beautifully written sentences, good morals, solidly written, and portraying the main character, Young Fu, quite well. A good book to be enjoyed, but may be hard to read for some people. Overall, a good read.

Copyright © 2013 schoolgirlworldreviews.blogspot.ca

Book Review: The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien Jones

The Owl Keeper



306 pages
Type: Adventure/fantasy
Style: Descriptive, third person point of view.
Length: A nice size, fairly long for a younger child.
Age rating: 9-15. Highly, highly recommended for children 8-12 years (an excellent reading for very good readers ages 8-13)
A fascinating, elegantly and expertly written novel ideal for good readers, a perfect amount of descriptions, very well written. Not inappropriate at all, good use of language, but may be hard to grasp for slower readers, demonstrates a love for nature and to maintain the importance of the environment and fighting against government propaganda and dictatorship.
Overall grade:

A very skilfully written novel, portrayed very well, fast-paced, suspenseful, and demonstrates the importance of thinking for yourself, the environment and animals, and friendship. However, it may be too quick and hard to read for some readers, but overall, excellent.

Copyright © 2013 schoolgirlworldreviews.blogspot.ca

Book Review: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Hatchet

186 pages
Type: Adventure, fiction, survival-type
Style: Not elaborately descriptive but portrays feelings and characters quite well.
Length: Well-sized, a little too short for fast readers, long enough for slower readers.
Age rating: 9/10-14
A book that grasps the survival/adventure story, describing in depth the main characters feelings and how humans can adapt to their surroundings to survive. Not inappropriate at all, although some more sensitive readers might cry in some parts. Easy to understand and follow.

Overall grade:

A well-written book, demonstrating human brilliance, adaptations, and intelligence. A relatively simple plot turned into an interesting story. Quite well-written, an excellent reading. An excellent book, highly recommended for children, shows how we depend on nature and its beauty. Overall, a very good reading.

Copyright © 2013 schoolgirlworldreviews.blogspot.ca

Book Review - A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron

A Dog's Journey

336 pages
Type: Fiction, animal point of view, tearjerker.
Style: Fairly descriptive, first person point of view, deftly written.
Length: A nice size and length, excellent reading.
Age rating: 12+ (mature read)
Kissing, bulemia, a troubled adolescent lifestyle, a rocky relationship between mother and child, and may trouble younger readers, but not a depressive book. Just shows some different lifestyles.
Overall grade: 

A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron is a touching, heartfelt book beautifully crafted and showing the loyalty of a dog and its owner. It has a good amount of descriptions - not too flowery or heavy, just sketching a quick picture of the characters. Good plot, demonstrating literary ability and very sentimental and emotional. Shows life, loyalty, navigating through the maze of life, rejecting unhealthy influences and deciding what is best for yourself. Overall, a great read.

Copyright © 2013 schoolgirlworldreviews.blogspot.ca