-Assign small groups or pairs of students, one source of
energy (biomass, coal, oil, natural gas, geothermal,
hydropower, solar,wind, nuclear power).
-Students will create a PowerPoint presentation that
includes all of the following information:
1. How or where this source is harvested?, where it comes
from? how do they get it?, how is it made or formed?
What percentage of all energy sources does this
resource account for in the US and/or in the world?
2. Whether the source is renewable, non-renewable or
inexhaustible and why.
3. Environmental problems/benefits that are posed by the
use/production of this source, if any. (advantages and
disadvantages)
4. Economical problems/benefits that are posed by the
use/production of this source, if any. (advantages and
disadvantages)
Rubric
-must have at least 8 slides (20 pts)
-must answer the questions above (40 pts)
-must include pictures, diagrams, or drawings (20 pts)
- each member must present a portion of the material (20
pts)
http://geothermal.marin.org/index.html
http://sf.factmonster.com/ipka/A0907040.html
http://www.nucleartourist.com/basics/why.html
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=coal_home-basics,
http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/
http://www.energy.gov/energysources/index.htm
http://www.webmutations.com/energy/resources.html
R.E.A.C.T.
Renewable Energy Activities –
Choices for Tomorrow
Teacher’s Activity Guide for
Middle Level Grades 6-8
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Education Programs
1617 Cole Blvd.
Golden, Colorado 80401
Tel: (303) 275-3044
Home page: http://www.nrel.gov
WHAT IS ENERGY?
Matter is made up of invisibly small particles, occupies space, has mass, and exhibits gravitational
attraction. Energy, on the other hand, possesses none of these characteristics. Evidence of energy is
everywhere. All you need to do is look for motion, heat, and light.
The nature of energy is very complex, but it is best described by these characteristics:
• energy is the ability to do work,
• work is the application of a force through a distance (e.g., carrying yourself and a loaded back
pack up a mountain trail),
• force is that which can put matter into motion or stop it if it is already moving ( e.g. , you are
stopped at a stop sign and the car behind you doesn't see you stop, and can't stop before
colliding with your rear bumper, pushing you into the intersection), and
• motion is a change in distance or direction with time (e.g., making a right hand turn).
Energy can be possessed by an object in two different ways, as kinetic energy and potential
energy. If this energy is due to the fact that matter is moving or is in use, it is called kinetic energy.
If it is due to the position, structure of matter, or composition, it is called potential energy.
Potential energy is stored energy. Table I provided a comparison of kinetic and potential energy.
Table I. Potential and Kinetic Energies.
Potential Energy Kinetic Energy
Water behind a dam (due to its position) Falling water
Car parked on a hill (due to its position) Car rolls down a hill
Wound clock spring Clock's hands begin to move
Gasoline or sugar (due to their chemical
composition)
Energy appears as movement of the car or
muscles and as engine or body heat
REACT --Page 6
ARE THERE DIFFERENT FORMS OF ENERGY?
Yes. There are seven forms of energy. Just remember the name: MRS CHEN.*
M Mechanical energy (kinetic-energy); its counterpart is stored energy (potential energy)
R Radiant energy or sunlight or solar
S Sound energy
C Chemical energy
H Heat energy
E Electrical energy
N Nuclear energy
*Thanks to Rick Hanophy, Smiley Middle School, for the use of this model.
"M" represents potential and kinetic energy. They exist in several forms. These are described in
Table 2.
Table 2. Energy Forms.
POTENTIAL ENERGY
Energy Form Energy Due To Example
Chemical Kind and arrangement of small particles
Flashlight battery
Nuclear Structure of atom's nucleus Atomic energy
KINETIC ENERGY
Energy Form Energy Due To Example
Heat Random motion of small particles Warmth surrounding a car's engine
Sound Ordered periodic motion of small particles
Sound from a headphone
Radiant Bundles of photons
Sunlight
Mechanical Motion of large pieces of matter
Movement of car's wheels
CAN ONE FORM OF ENERGY BE CHANGED INTO ANOTHER FORM?
Yes, and the most common way to observe this change is as heat. In a flashlight battery, the
chemical energy in the battery is converted into electrical energy and, finally into light and some
heat energy (put your hands over the light source to feel the heat). The First Law of
Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it only changes form.
REACT --Page 7
Other examples of the change of energy into other forms includes:
• When natural gas burns in a home or office furnace, chemical energy stored in the gas is
converted into heat energy
• The Sun's radiant energy is converted by plants into chemical energy (a process called
photosynthesis).
WHAT ARE THE PRACTICAL SOURCES OF ENERGY?
The practical sources of energy include the fossil fuels, natural gas, petroleum (or oil), and coal.
Fossil fuels are referred to as nonrenewable energy sources because, once used, they are gone.
Scientists are exploring the practicality of other sources called renewable energy sources. These
include sun, wind, geothermal, water, and biomass. The renewable energy resources are important
in long range energy planning because they will not be depleted.
Natural Gas
Sometimes natural gas is confused with gasoline, the fuel in cars. They are not the same. Gasoline is
a mixture of liquids, and natural gas is mainly methane and is piped into homes and office buildings
where it is used as an energy source for heating, cooking washing, and drying. It is raw material to
make other chemicals, and is the cleanest bumming fossil fuel. This means it contributes little
environmental pollutants when bummed.
Petroleum or Oil
This is the black, thick liquid pumped from below the earth's surface wherever you see an oil rig. To
make it useful, it is refined. Refining separates the gasoline portion which is used in transportation.
Products from the remaining portions include synthetic rubber, detergents, fertilizers, textiles,
paints, and pharmaceuticals.
Coal
Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel. It is not a widely used energy source due to the cost of mining
and its impurities, which cause pollution (acid rain). There are two ways to mine coal; underground
mining and strip mining. Disadvantage to these methods is the environmental change caused in the
process. New ways of using coal are being explored, such as liquefication, in which a product
similar to oil is produced.
Solar
The sun is 93 million miles away and yet, this ball of hot gases is the primary source of all energy
on earth. In the hi ugh temperature of the sun, small atoms of hydrogen are fused, that is, the
centers of the two atoms are combined. Fusion releases far greater energy than splitting the atom
(fission, see below). Without sunlight, fossil fuels could never have existed. The sun is the supplier
of energy which runs the water cycle. The uneven heating of the earth produces wind energy. Solar
energy can be used to cook food, heat water and generate electricity. It remains the cleanest energy
source an it is renewable. It is the hope for the energy source of the future and scientists at NREL
are actively working on ways for solar energy to supply more our energy needs!
Wind
The unequal heating of the earth's surface by the sun produces wind energy, which can be
converted into mechanical and electrical energy. For a long time, the energy of wind has been to
drive pumps. Today windmills can be connected to electric generators to turn the wind's motion
energy into electrical energy, and wind over 8 miles per hour can be used to generate electricity .It
is a renewable, but unpredictable, energy source.
REACT --Page 8
Wood
Wood provides U .S. homes and industries as much power as nuclear plants. Burning is the major
global source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Worldwide, wood is poor man's oil, providing
50-60% of the people with the barest energy necessities. Roughly half of the earth's forests have
disappeared since 1950. Wood is considered a renewable energy source.
Hydroelectric (Falling Water)
When water is collected behind dams on large rivers, it provides a source of energy for the
production of electricity. The enormous power of falling water is capable of turning giant turbines.
These turbines drive the generators, which produce electricity. The degree of power is determined
by the amount of water and the distance it falls. Hydroelectric power plants do not cause pollution,
but there are fewer and fewer places to build dams. The environmental problem arises because a
dam is typically built on a river creating a lake where land once stood. Water is a renewable energy
source.
Ocean Tides
Ocean tides are very powerful forces. To harness the rising and falling of the tides would be an
expensive process, but it would be a very important future source for Eastern United States. Perhaps
underwater windmills or floating generating stations could utilize this potential energy source to
produce electricity.
Geothermal
Geothermal energy refers to the energy deep within the earth. It shows itself in the fountains of
boiling water and steam known as geysers. Geothermal energy was generated by the decay of
natural radioactive materials within the earth. In addition it is the heat energy remaining within the
earth from gravitational formation of the earth. This energy source is not popular in the United
States, but Yellowstone has some geysers. Geothermal energy is used to heat some homes,
greenhouses, and factories. The actual usable geothermal sites are few, but is considered a
renewable energy source.
Biomass
This is garbage! As bacteria decomposes organic waste such as manure, septic tank sludge, food
scraps, pond- bottom muck, etc., methane is produced. This methane is the same as natural gas from
the ground. There are power plants in the United States, which use methane derived from these
organic wastes (mainly manure). Some cities produce electricity by burning garbage in especially
designed power plants.
Nuclear Fission
This is splitting of the uranium atom. In the 1930's scientists found that splitting the nucleus of an
uranium atom releases a tremendous amount of heat energy. This knowledge was used to make
atom bombs. Today, power companies use the heat produced by nuclear fission to produce
electricity. Some people think nuclear energy should be our main source of future energy. Other
people feel that the dangers are too great from radioactive waste products, meltdowns, and
radiation exposure of workers.
Currently the nonrenewable resources supply the majority of our energy needs because we have
designed ways to transform their energy on a large scale to meet consumer needs. Regardless of the
source of energy, the energy contained in the source is changed into a more useful form -electricity
Electricity is sometimes referred to as a secondary energy source. All the other sources are
primary.
REACT --Page 9
In summary, energy sources can be classified as renewable or nonrenewable:
ENERGY
Renewable Nonrenewable
1. sun 1. coal
2. water 2. natural gas
3. wood 3. petroleum
4. wind 4. nuclear fission
5. biomass
6. geothermal
7. ocean tides
HOW IS ELECTRICITY MADE?
One of the fossil fuels (usually coal) is burned in a power plant to heat water. The hot water turns
into steam and forces a machine called a turbine to turn. The turbine powers a generator into
electricity which is sent through power lines to provide energy for buildings of all types.
In summary, coal -hot water -steam -turbine -generator -electricity.
Electricity can also be made from water behind a dam or by windmills. Falling water or rotating
windmill blades will cause the turbine to generate electricity.
Electricity is the most useful form of energy .We take it for granted because it is such an important
part of our life style. It makes our everyday endeavors convenient and practical. For example,
electricity makes alarm clocks ring in the morning to wake us for school, keeps our food cool in
the refrigerator so that cereal tastes good with milk, operates the blow dryer that styles hair, and
runs the furnace that blows warm air throughout our homes in the winter to keep us warm.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT NOT TO WASTE ELECTRICITY?
The conversion of energy from one form to another is covered by a natural law -the Law of
Conservation of Energy. This law states that energy can be neither created nor destroyed, it can
only be changed from one form to another. This change, however, is one of quantity, not quality
.As energy does work, it changes from higher (more concentrated) form of energy to a lower form
of energy .For example, of the electrical energy that goes into a typical light bulb, 5% becomes
light, the other 95% of the electrical energy is lost as heat. In another example, the chemical energy
of gasoline is converted into heat energy in an automobile. A small portion (10%) is converted into
mechanical energy that moves the car. The remaining portion (90%) is lost to the environment.
You notice this when you stand near an idling car's engine and feel the heat. This concept helps
explain why it is important to save (conserve) energy.
REACT --Page 10
HOW CAN WE SAVE ENERGY?
Energy saved is energy gained for another day! Saving energy will cut down on pollution and help
our fossil fuels last longer, at least, until renewable energy sources become more practical.
Conservation is the least expensive source of energy available today. Every bit of electricity that is
not used to light a room that no one is in, could be used to operate a computer. Power companies
have found that mining this kind of wasted energy is often more profitable than generating more
energy. The amount of energy that a utility can get its users to save can be sold to other users;
incentive programs for saving energy turn out to be profitable to the utility companies. Because of
peak-use problems, the utility must have enough energy available to satisfy the needs of all users at
peak hours. This often means building an entire power plant (or more) just to cover the demand
over a 2-4 hour portion of the day. When everyone conserves energy, the utility can meet peak
demand without a new plant, and the building and maintenance expenses that it would incur.
Finding a way to do more with less, benefits everyone.
Consumers can actively participate in energy conservation through recycling. Some communities
have recycling centers and perhaps your school has a site recycling center. Often recycling centers
provide containers for gathered materials, handle all the pick-up, and even supply educational
materials to boot!
Citizens need to realize that each and every one of us does make a difference. The solution to
energy problems will be solved by individuals. While it may seem nebulous we are the ones who
need to pass laws or quit polluting, it will be us who will write letters to, and cast votes for, the
lawmakers. Likewise it will be individuals who ride the bus or a bike, instead of driving our own
cars. The sum of our individual, daily decisions determines the net outcome of the world’s energy
use. We want to encourage an honest effort.
energy (biomass, coal, oil, natural gas, geothermal,
hydropower, solar,wind, nuclear power).
-Students will create a PowerPoint presentation that
includes all of the following information:
1. How or where this source is harvested?, where it comes
from? how do they get it?, how is it made or formed?
What percentage of all energy sources does this
resource account for in the US and/or in the world?
2. Whether the source is renewable, non-renewable or
inexhaustible and why.
3. Environmental problems/benefits that are posed by the
use/production of this source, if any. (advantages and
disadvantages)
4. Economical problems/benefits that are posed by the
use/production of this source, if any. (advantages and
disadvantages)
Rubric
-must have at least 8 slides (20 pts)
-must answer the questions above (40 pts)
-must include pictures, diagrams, or drawings (20 pts)
- each member must present a portion of the material (20
pts)
http://geothermal.marin.org/index.html
http://sf.factmonster.com/ipka/A0907040.html
http://www.nucleartourist.com/basics/why.html
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=coal_home-basics,
http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/
http://www.energy.gov/energysources/index.htm
http://www.webmutations.com/energy/resources.html
R.E.A.C.T.
Renewable Energy Activities –
Choices for Tomorrow
Teacher’s Activity Guide for
Middle Level Grades 6-8
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Education Programs
1617 Cole Blvd.
Golden, Colorado 80401
Tel: (303) 275-3044
Home page: http://www.nrel.gov
WHAT IS ENERGY?
Matter is made up of invisibly small particles, occupies space, has mass, and exhibits gravitational
attraction. Energy, on the other hand, possesses none of these characteristics. Evidence of energy is
everywhere. All you need to do is look for motion, heat, and light.
The nature of energy is very complex, but it is best described by these characteristics:
• energy is the ability to do work,
• work is the application of a force through a distance (e.g., carrying yourself and a loaded back
pack up a mountain trail),
• force is that which can put matter into motion or stop it if it is already moving ( e.g. , you are
stopped at a stop sign and the car behind you doesn't see you stop, and can't stop before
colliding with your rear bumper, pushing you into the intersection), and
• motion is a change in distance or direction with time (e.g., making a right hand turn).
Energy can be possessed by an object in two different ways, as kinetic energy and potential
energy. If this energy is due to the fact that matter is moving or is in use, it is called kinetic energy.
If it is due to the position, structure of matter, or composition, it is called potential energy.
Potential energy is stored energy. Table I provided a comparison of kinetic and potential energy.
Table I. Potential and Kinetic Energies.
Potential Energy Kinetic Energy
Water behind a dam (due to its position) Falling water
Car parked on a hill (due to its position) Car rolls down a hill
Wound clock spring Clock's hands begin to move
Gasoline or sugar (due to their chemical
composition)
Energy appears as movement of the car or
muscles and as engine or body heat
REACT --Page 6
ARE THERE DIFFERENT FORMS OF ENERGY?
Yes. There are seven forms of energy. Just remember the name: MRS CHEN.*
M Mechanical energy (kinetic-energy); its counterpart is stored energy (potential energy)
R Radiant energy or sunlight or solar
S Sound energy
C Chemical energy
H Heat energy
E Electrical energy
N Nuclear energy
*Thanks to Rick Hanophy, Smiley Middle School, for the use of this model.
"M" represents potential and kinetic energy. They exist in several forms. These are described in
Table 2.
Table 2. Energy Forms.
POTENTIAL ENERGY
Energy Form Energy Due To Example
Chemical Kind and arrangement of small particles
Flashlight battery
Nuclear Structure of atom's nucleus Atomic energy
KINETIC ENERGY
Energy Form Energy Due To Example
Heat Random motion of small particles Warmth surrounding a car's engine
Sound Ordered periodic motion of small particles
Sound from a headphone
Radiant Bundles of photons
Sunlight
Mechanical Motion of large pieces of matter
Movement of car's wheels
CAN ONE FORM OF ENERGY BE CHANGED INTO ANOTHER FORM?
Yes, and the most common way to observe this change is as heat. In a flashlight battery, the
chemical energy in the battery is converted into electrical energy and, finally into light and some
heat energy (put your hands over the light source to feel the heat). The First Law of
Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it only changes form.
REACT --Page 7
Other examples of the change of energy into other forms includes:
• When natural gas burns in a home or office furnace, chemical energy stored in the gas is
converted into heat energy
• The Sun's radiant energy is converted by plants into chemical energy (a process called
photosynthesis).
WHAT ARE THE PRACTICAL SOURCES OF ENERGY?
The practical sources of energy include the fossil fuels, natural gas, petroleum (or oil), and coal.
Fossil fuels are referred to as nonrenewable energy sources because, once used, they are gone.
Scientists are exploring the practicality of other sources called renewable energy sources. These
include sun, wind, geothermal, water, and biomass. The renewable energy resources are important
in long range energy planning because they will not be depleted.
Natural Gas
Sometimes natural gas is confused with gasoline, the fuel in cars. They are not the same. Gasoline is
a mixture of liquids, and natural gas is mainly methane and is piped into homes and office buildings
where it is used as an energy source for heating, cooking washing, and drying. It is raw material to
make other chemicals, and is the cleanest bumming fossil fuel. This means it contributes little
environmental pollutants when bummed.
Petroleum or Oil
This is the black, thick liquid pumped from below the earth's surface wherever you see an oil rig. To
make it useful, it is refined. Refining separates the gasoline portion which is used in transportation.
Products from the remaining portions include synthetic rubber, detergents, fertilizers, textiles,
paints, and pharmaceuticals.
Coal
Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel. It is not a widely used energy source due to the cost of mining
and its impurities, which cause pollution (acid rain). There are two ways to mine coal; underground
mining and strip mining. Disadvantage to these methods is the environmental change caused in the
process. New ways of using coal are being explored, such as liquefication, in which a product
similar to oil is produced.
Solar
The sun is 93 million miles away and yet, this ball of hot gases is the primary source of all energy
on earth. In the hi ugh temperature of the sun, small atoms of hydrogen are fused, that is, the
centers of the two atoms are combined. Fusion releases far greater energy than splitting the atom
(fission, see below). Without sunlight, fossil fuels could never have existed. The sun is the supplier
of energy which runs the water cycle. The uneven heating of the earth produces wind energy. Solar
energy can be used to cook food, heat water and generate electricity. It remains the cleanest energy
source an it is renewable. It is the hope for the energy source of the future and scientists at NREL
are actively working on ways for solar energy to supply more our energy needs!
Wind
The unequal heating of the earth's surface by the sun produces wind energy, which can be
converted into mechanical and electrical energy. For a long time, the energy of wind has been to
drive pumps. Today windmills can be connected to electric generators to turn the wind's motion
energy into electrical energy, and wind over 8 miles per hour can be used to generate electricity .It
is a renewable, but unpredictable, energy source.
REACT --Page 8
Wood
Wood provides U .S. homes and industries as much power as nuclear plants. Burning is the major
global source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Worldwide, wood is poor man's oil, providing
50-60% of the people with the barest energy necessities. Roughly half of the earth's forests have
disappeared since 1950. Wood is considered a renewable energy source.
Hydroelectric (Falling Water)
When water is collected behind dams on large rivers, it provides a source of energy for the
production of electricity. The enormous power of falling water is capable of turning giant turbines.
These turbines drive the generators, which produce electricity. The degree of power is determined
by the amount of water and the distance it falls. Hydroelectric power plants do not cause pollution,
but there are fewer and fewer places to build dams. The environmental problem arises because a
dam is typically built on a river creating a lake where land once stood. Water is a renewable energy
source.
Ocean Tides
Ocean tides are very powerful forces. To harness the rising and falling of the tides would be an
expensive process, but it would be a very important future source for Eastern United States. Perhaps
underwater windmills or floating generating stations could utilize this potential energy source to
produce electricity.
Geothermal
Geothermal energy refers to the energy deep within the earth. It shows itself in the fountains of
boiling water and steam known as geysers. Geothermal energy was generated by the decay of
natural radioactive materials within the earth. In addition it is the heat energy remaining within the
earth from gravitational formation of the earth. This energy source is not popular in the United
States, but Yellowstone has some geysers. Geothermal energy is used to heat some homes,
greenhouses, and factories. The actual usable geothermal sites are few, but is considered a
renewable energy source.
Biomass
This is garbage! As bacteria decomposes organic waste such as manure, septic tank sludge, food
scraps, pond- bottom muck, etc., methane is produced. This methane is the same as natural gas from
the ground. There are power plants in the United States, which use methane derived from these
organic wastes (mainly manure). Some cities produce electricity by burning garbage in especially
designed power plants.
Nuclear Fission
This is splitting of the uranium atom. In the 1930's scientists found that splitting the nucleus of an
uranium atom releases a tremendous amount of heat energy. This knowledge was used to make
atom bombs. Today, power companies use the heat produced by nuclear fission to produce
electricity. Some people think nuclear energy should be our main source of future energy. Other
people feel that the dangers are too great from radioactive waste products, meltdowns, and
radiation exposure of workers.
Currently the nonrenewable resources supply the majority of our energy needs because we have
designed ways to transform their energy on a large scale to meet consumer needs. Regardless of the
source of energy, the energy contained in the source is changed into a more useful form -electricity
Electricity is sometimes referred to as a secondary energy source. All the other sources are
primary.
REACT --Page 9
In summary, energy sources can be classified as renewable or nonrenewable:
ENERGY
Renewable Nonrenewable
1. sun 1. coal
2. water 2. natural gas
3. wood 3. petroleum
4. wind 4. nuclear fission
5. biomass
6. geothermal
7. ocean tides
HOW IS ELECTRICITY MADE?
One of the fossil fuels (usually coal) is burned in a power plant to heat water. The hot water turns
into steam and forces a machine called a turbine to turn. The turbine powers a generator into
electricity which is sent through power lines to provide energy for buildings of all types.
In summary, coal -hot water -steam -turbine -generator -electricity.
Electricity can also be made from water behind a dam or by windmills. Falling water or rotating
windmill blades will cause the turbine to generate electricity.
Electricity is the most useful form of energy .We take it for granted because it is such an important
part of our life style. It makes our everyday endeavors convenient and practical. For example,
electricity makes alarm clocks ring in the morning to wake us for school, keeps our food cool in
the refrigerator so that cereal tastes good with milk, operates the blow dryer that styles hair, and
runs the furnace that blows warm air throughout our homes in the winter to keep us warm.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT NOT TO WASTE ELECTRICITY?
The conversion of energy from one form to another is covered by a natural law -the Law of
Conservation of Energy. This law states that energy can be neither created nor destroyed, it can
only be changed from one form to another. This change, however, is one of quantity, not quality
.As energy does work, it changes from higher (more concentrated) form of energy to a lower form
of energy .For example, of the electrical energy that goes into a typical light bulb, 5% becomes
light, the other 95% of the electrical energy is lost as heat. In another example, the chemical energy
of gasoline is converted into heat energy in an automobile. A small portion (10%) is converted into
mechanical energy that moves the car. The remaining portion (90%) is lost to the environment.
You notice this when you stand near an idling car's engine and feel the heat. This concept helps
explain why it is important to save (conserve) energy.
REACT --Page 10
HOW CAN WE SAVE ENERGY?
Energy saved is energy gained for another day! Saving energy will cut down on pollution and help
our fossil fuels last longer, at least, until renewable energy sources become more practical.
Conservation is the least expensive source of energy available today. Every bit of electricity that is
not used to light a room that no one is in, could be used to operate a computer. Power companies
have found that mining this kind of wasted energy is often more profitable than generating more
energy. The amount of energy that a utility can get its users to save can be sold to other users;
incentive programs for saving energy turn out to be profitable to the utility companies. Because of
peak-use problems, the utility must have enough energy available to satisfy the needs of all users at
peak hours. This often means building an entire power plant (or more) just to cover the demand
over a 2-4 hour portion of the day. When everyone conserves energy, the utility can meet peak
demand without a new plant, and the building and maintenance expenses that it would incur.
Finding a way to do more with less, benefits everyone.
Consumers can actively participate in energy conservation through recycling. Some communities
have recycling centers and perhaps your school has a site recycling center. Often recycling centers
provide containers for gathered materials, handle all the pick-up, and even supply educational
materials to boot!
Citizens need to realize that each and every one of us does make a difference. The solution to
energy problems will be solved by individuals. While it may seem nebulous we are the ones who
need to pass laws or quit polluting, it will be us who will write letters to, and cast votes for, the
lawmakers. Likewise it will be individuals who ride the bus or a bike, instead of driving our own
cars. The sum of our individual, daily decisions determines the net outcome of the world’s energy
use. We want to encourage an honest effort.