Diaper Power?!?
A baby with potential energy. http://www.sassweb.ca/3bb3/crazy/bottoms-up-the-great-diaper-debate-gains-energyWhat do elders and babies have in common. They both have potential alternative energy. Diapers first introduced in the 1940's is now filling land fills. Disgusting right, but Canadian researchers have found a way to turn these diapers into oil and char that can be used for fuel. The process these Canadians use is called Pyrolysis where they put the diapers in a tank that gets heated to 400 degrees celsius! A Canadian company called Amec is using pyrolysis to make fuel. Canada isn't the only country doing this Japan is also getting into diaper power. Japan found out that in 2030 25% of the population will be older than 85. This means there will be a big need for adult diapers. Japan also doesn't have a lot of energy, so Japan's super faith company is researching using diapers for energy. Japan is taking a different approach than Canada. Japan is planning to pulverise the used diapers into pellets that contains 5,000 kcal that can be used to heat enrgy plants. When life gives you used diapers you make alternative energy.
I looked up on the internet weird alternative energy, and this is what I find. I found this pretty funny, and saw it's relevance. I think this would be a great way to get energy it would cut down on trash, and help the enrgy crisis.
1. Why do you think there is energy in used diapers?
2. Do you think U.S.A should research diaper power? Why?
3. Would diaper power be renewable or nonrenewable? Why?
I am actually not very surprised by this article. Modern scientists are always finding out cool and unexpected ways to use alternate energy. I also thought it was funny that Dylan included the adult diapers, but if that much of the population is old enough to need diapers, then I guess it would be useful to include them as well.
ReplyDeleteAs an answer to number 2, I definitely think the US should invet in diaper energy. There are so many babies being born in the US alone each day, that if the US could harness that energy, then it would be in much better shape in the world where nonrenewable energy is depleting so fast.
Reflection: I think that this alternative way of power can be really useful and reduce the carbon dioxide there is in the air. Im also glad that when it becomes 2030 I won't be really needing adult diapers because I will probably be in my 30 - 40's.
ReplyDeleteI will be anwsering question 3 and I think that diaper power would be nonrenewable because we would be taking all of the nutrients or chemical in the feces. Since diaper power being not renewable what would happen to all the diapers in the process? Would they all just go in the garbage and have piles and piles of them that could pollute the earth. If the diaper power includes using the actual diapers it might be really good.
This may be a good idea to get alternative energy. Burning items for heat to make energy is a common way to create electricity, so burning diapers is just another way to make energy. Along with diapers, I am sure we could burn many other trash items. At my house we burn things like our newspapers for the fire, but that doesn't really create energy, it is just reusing something for a different purpose, which is what they are doing with those diapers. To answer question 2, I agree with Luke that there are a lot of babies being born and that we would have an abundance of diapers. Our population is constantly growing and with more babies, more diapers will be on this earth. By using the diapers the US would be cutting down on the amount of trash that is in our landfills.
ReplyDeleteThis is a pretty unique idea. Personally, I would of never thought of it. Im glad that countries are finding alternitive ways to create energy. Hopefully in the years to come we wont have to use as much fossil fules as we are now, and could save them for when they are needed most. Im the oldest in my family, and when my siblings were babies, I never really thought about how many dipers our family went through in about a month. Now that I look back, its alot haha. About one a day I recall. If every family in the U.S goes through a ton of dipers in their childs early years, then all that "waste" adds up in land fills. If this becomes popular in the U.S then we will have enough energy for who knows how long. To answer number 1, I think there is used energy in dipers because there is human waste in dipers. Just like how we use horse poop to fertilize our gardens, human waste may have simalier qualties. All we have to do is keep testing untill we find the best outcome for our waste products.
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