Weekly Essay

 

The Ethics of solar panels

While I do believe that most people would say that we need to change over from fossil fuels to green energy just so we don’t run out the finite fuels that our planet has.  I would say though that we are ethically bound to do so in a way that does not harm the environment, which is not the case with today’s version of solar panels which have become synonymous with green energy.  The current production for solar panels creates greenhouse gases which goes against the reason against why we made them to begin with.  Also, the way they measure the environmental impact the production of solar panels has on the planet is reliant on the companies supplying the data.   

            Then there is the problem with what to do with solar panels after they break, because the simple fact is solar panels are not recycle friendly.  As a matter of fact, this green solution is considered hazardous by many governments, including California.  Another problem is that you can’t toss them into any old landfill because the toxic materials inside the product could break and leach into the soil.  Then there is problem of replacing broken solar panels as recycling them doesn’t cover the cost of purchasing new solar panels either.  You also have to consider what is inside these solar panels as well.  While, I will admit that solar panel companies do use less lead than others in the production of their product, they do contain cadmium telluride which is hazardous containment.  Although the George Washington University released a study that said that solar panels are safe under normal conditions, but as the saying goes “no plan survives contact with the enemy” you can’t expect normal conditions all the time in life so the question how much damage would these containments do to the environment if they did leak out.