Solar Energy
Solar energy is one of the many different types of renewable and alternative energies in the world. It is free and its supplies are unlimited. Also, it is radiant energy that is produced by the sun. The sun radiates more energy in one second than people have used since the beginning of time. It can be converted into other forms of energy, such as heat and electricity. Solar energy is very beneficial to the crisis we have today.
Solar energy significantly reduces the financial and environmental costs of generating and using today’s electricity. Also, solar electric power is clean, dependable, and abundant. Since the beginning of time, civilization has sought to use the solar power and energy that comes from the sun. In recent years, solar technology has made great strides in helping people use this incredible solar power.
Solar energy can be converted into heat and be used to heat water for something like a swimming pool or to heat water in your home, and even heat spaces like homes and buildings. It can be converted into electricity in two ways. The first way is photovoltaic, which are solar cells that change sunlight directly into electricity and are found in calculators and other things. The second way is by solar power plants. These plants generate electricity from solar thermal collectors use thermal collectors that are used to heat a fluid which produces steam that is used to power generator. Depending on where you live, and how much water you use, a solar water heater is the perfect system for a solar powered home.
There are some houses in America that use the sun to rid of the cold by bringing in heat. Also, there are two different types of systems when using solar energy two heat homes. The two systems are active and passive. The passive solar powered homes are created to take full advantage of the sun and are built with very large windows pointing towards the sun (which rises from the south) in order to receive the most light during the day. Also, passive houses do not use any special mechanical equipment such as ducts, fans, pipes, or pumps to transfer the heat that the house collects on sunny days. On the other hand, active solar powered houses directly collect the sun's energy and turn it into electricity. Unlike passive houses, active houses use mechanical equipment, such as blowers and pumps, and an outside source of energy to help heat the house when solar energy is not enough. There are even hybrid systems that are a combination of both passive and active systems. The hybrid system is mainly used for cars like Ford, Mercury, and others. Either one of these special and beneficial systems are very useful in saving money and keeping the environment clean.
In order to heat your home, you have to have solar panels. Solar panels are used for many different things. According to Northern Arizona Wind and Sun Inc., a solar electric panel, often called a PV panel is basically a set of treated silicon cells arranged in a series string that produces electric power when exposed to light. There are three common types of solar panels manufactured. They are monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous. Monocrystalline is made from a single large crystal, cut from ingots, polycrystalline cast blocks of silicon which may contain many small crystals, and amorphous is a thin film that has silicon that spreads directly on large plates, usually of something like stainless steel.
In Michigan, there are over a thousand solar energy businesses. One business in Michigan is The Green Panel. This company specializes in engineering and installing solar systems. They have product types such as photovoltaic module mounting systems, photovoltaic cells, photovoltaic systems, photovoltaic modules, and this company is found in Brighton, MI. Another company in Michigan is called Uni-Solar/ United Solar Ovonic. This company is the world’s leader in thin film solar technologies and the manufacture of thin film solar electric modules and laminates. This company is found in Auburn Hills and has products such as photovoltaic modules (PV modules, solar panels), photovoltaic roofing systems, flexible photovoltaic modules, thin-film amorphous silicon PV modules.
In conclusion, there are many benefits to using solar energy. It is a money saver, it’s clean, safe, and can last for a very long time. Anyone can choose a solar powered system like a home, car, or even something as small as a calculator, which can save you the trouble of continuously buying batteries. For the money crisis that we have today, the use of solar energy, or other alternative energies, are a great way to save money and rebuild our country.

Advocate For After School Programs

A’sha Hutchins
Comp 106

Advocate For After School Programs

The one topic that I knew I could be a great advocate for is after school programs for kids in the Detroit community. This particular topic is what helps kids from elementary school all the way to high school, or even college, to achieve certain skills and abilities outside of the classroom. The reason why I chose this topic is because I am a student athlete that has always been in after school programs since I was in elementary school. I have participated in clubs, sports, and even tutoring sessions. They have all helped me to get to where I am today and I can personally relate and explain to kids, or even to their parents, the great affects of being in after school programs. Now, Detroit is not the only community that needs or has after school programs for kids. Every state, city, town, and community needs after school programs for their children to have a bright future. Not only will the programs help kids to have a bright future, but they can keep kids out of trouble, away from danger and gang violence. To prove that after school programs are very useful, I decided to make a video that would have me interviewing people to see if they agree with having after school activities and to explain why the programs are useful. Also, it would show kids doing a certain activity that they love and will continue to do. Lastly, the video would show where kids could possibly end up if they stay in after school programs, and me explaining how after school programs have helped me.
The one activity that I knew I could videotape kids (young adults) doing is playing basketball. By my time schedule being very full, I decided to go back to my high school in Detroit and interview some of the athletes and videotape them in action. The name of my high school is Communication and Media Arts, the mascot is Pharaohs, and it is a college prep school. To make the video interesting, I decided to videotape the male students of CMA in basketball practice and to interview the two captains of the CMA Lady Pharaohs. The two young ladies have been playing basketball for several years and plan to make a career out of it. Behind the scenes, the young ladies told me that they had a basketball game the very next day and that they wanted me to tape them competing against another team. The name of the high school they were competing against is called Charles E. Chadsey. Before I went to the game, I figured I would interview one of my teammates from the University of Michigan-Dearborn Lady Wolves basketball team. Next, I would give the viewers a tour of the gym and show the UMD boys basketball team practicing on one court, and the UMD girls’ volleyball team practicing on another court. Then, I was off to the game. After the game, I decided to interview my former Chemistry teacher and the head coach of the CMA Pharaohs boys’ basketball team. Lastly, I chose to interview myself because I think that I am a very good example of how getting into after school programs will help kids achieve skills for the future.
In conclusion, having after school programs all over the Detroit community, and even the whole world, will help kids learn and achieve skills for the near future. Whether a child likes to play sports, likes computer, or likes to be in clubs, they are all useful to child’s learning outside of the classroom. I recommend that parents should put their children in after school programs because if the plan for their child does not work out, they can have another plan to ready when they need it.