Option 1 Aniyah could install a wind turbine on her property. This would cost her $48,000 to install but would save her about $20,000 per year in electricity costs.
Stephen points out that a wind turbine would not pollute the air like the power plants do to make energy. He also notes that many times wind power plants make rent payments to the farmer or rancher for the use of the land, providing landowners with additional income.
Option 2
Aniyah could replace the irrigation pumps for her fields. This would cost her $24,000 to do but would save her about $6,000 per year in electricity costs.
Stephen explains that about 25 percent of the electrical energy used for Aniyah’s irrigation was being wasted due to poor pump and motor efficiency. By replacing these pumps, Aniyah’s crops could be watered in a much more efficient fashion.
Aniyah wants to save money, but she also wants to make sure that none of the changes she makes will affect the crops she produces and, in turn, the health of her customers. She contacts Siobhan, who is an expert in biotechnology, to help her understand what effects wind turbines or irrigation pumps might have on her crops.
Siobhan looks over Aniyah’s current farming output and after studying some soil samples from Aniyah’s farm, finds that because Aniyah’s irrigation pumps are not working properly, her soil has become eroded. The corn, soybean, and wheat produced do not contain as much potassium as they could if the soil was in better shape. She explains that Aniyah’s customers would have healthier vegetables if she put in new irrigation pumps. Siobhan also estimates that Aniyah’s fields would yield 10 percent more crops if the soil was healthier.
On the other hand, Siobhan discusses how clean wind energy will make the air healthier for her cows and chickens to breathe. Even the grass that the livestock eat would be cleaner if it got its nutrients without absorbing bad gasses put out by the power plants. Healthier animals would cost Aniyah 13 percent less in vet costs. Siobhan says that because Aniyah has free range chickens, their eggs are already healthier than those farmed in traditional chicken houses. The use of wind power would be another way for Aniyah to show her customers that she wants to produce the healthiest dairy products she can for them.
This is a lot of information for Aniyah to think about! Let’s help her make her decision. Draw up a PowerPoint to present Aniyah with these two options. The PowerPoint should include the following content:
A slide for each of Stephen’s options that contrasts how much each option will cost versus what Aniyah will save–on this slide, include how many years it will take for the amount Aniyah saves to equal the amount she has to invest for each option
One slide that shows Aniyah’s current profit and expenses using the profit charts above
A slide that details the health benefits that Siobhan mentioned for each option
A final slide that considers all of the information and chooses either Option 1 or Option 2 as the best choice for Aniyah’s farm
In addition, your presentation should include the following elements:
Three or more pictures
At least one graph