Sol Long Mr. Sun

Arrays of solar panels will only contribute to the depletion of the sun's energy.

Solar panels are already draining our sun of vital energy. As more panels are set up, more solar energy is removed from future generations. Without realizing it, the lifetime of our life-giving star is being threatened by the careless absorption of precious solar radiation. And if every Joe American lined his roof with solar panels, we'd suck the energy out of the sun faster than college freshmen on a free beer keg.

That energy model just isn't sustainable.

And it's getting worse. Automobile producers are already developing hybrid vehicles that will capture the sun's rays to power our cars, trucks, and SUVs. Scientists and researchers continue to find new ways to harness the sun's rays and improve the efficiency of solar-powered cells. But what thought is being put into the long-term effects of this excessive solar power use?

Every day, solar energy is frittered away on solar-powered flashlights, solar-powered garden lanterns, and even solar-powered tanning machines--and we presume that there is a limitless supply of sunshine to power these devices. But at the present rate of consumption, solar energy reserves will most certainly be depleted a couple billion years sooner than expected, and then we'll all be sitting in the dark, wondering how we're going to run our stereos, hairdryers, and Vitamix machines.

Unfortunately, there aren't any solar conservation movements to communicate the necessity to protect and ration the burning of the sun's not-so-everlasting power. The heat should be on to find other viable sources of energy, or at the very least, slow down our solar energy consumption so that our sun can continue to grow our food, light our planet, and heat our pools for many years to come.

Solar energy is a clean alternative to oil, coal, and natural gas, but we must realize that there are limits. If we tap into the sun's radiation with our eyes closed, we risk the untimely depletion of its reserves, and then we'll all be sorry.

This story about solar energy conservation and solar power is brought to you by The Toque,
the world leader in solar energy parody, solar energy satire, and other solar powered humour.