Why switching to Renewables is so difficult (Blog 15)

 At one of the last classes of Environmental Studies, Dr Redick wrote a paper for an upcoming conference he has after the semester ends. One of the main parts that stuck out to me was how we are all pushing for renewable energies, but the process of actually creating them is still extremely social, economic, and politically difficult. After listening to the paper, I wanted to dive deeper into why this is, and what measures could be taken. In one outside source I read, there are a couple resource reserves that are partly the reason why its so difficult to switch. Lithium, which we all commonly know inside of batteries and electric cars, is a very water-intensive mining practice. As we all know, this excessive use of water ruins the supply for those around and erodes the environment near it. Cobalt is one of the most politically and social diffcult ones. In the DRC, where it primarlily is primarily mined, child labor is very common, which makes it both cheaper and more dangerous. The companies that own the labor force are also corrupt, which is why nothing has changed, plus poverty is extremely common, which forces these children to work there.  In order to make the resource extraction more environmentally and socially friendly, there needs to be an entire overhaul of where these resources are coming from, which could take decades before a change happens. 

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