Chapter 19: Saving Energy and Energy Conservation

But many of the other forms of energy we use in our homes and cars are not being replenished. Fossil fuels took millions of years to create. They cannot be made over night.

And there are finite or limited amounts of these non-renewable energy sources. That means they cannot be renewed or replenished. Once they are gone they cannot be used again. So, we must all do our part in saving as much energy as we can.

In your home, you can save energy by turning off appliances, TVs and radios that are not being used, watched or listened to.

You can turn off lights when no one is in the room.

By putting insulation in walls and attics, we can reduce the amount of energy it takes to heat or cool our homes.

Insulating a home is like putting on a sweater or jacket when we're cold...instead of turning up the heat.

The outer layers trap the heat inside, keeping it nice and warm.

New space-age materials are being developed that insulate even better. This person's fingers are protected by Aerogel Insulation Material created by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The person cannot even feel the flame!

Recycling

Recycling these items -- grinding them up and reusing the material again -- uses less energy than it takes to make them from brand new, raw material.

So, we must all recycle as much as we can.

We can also save energy in our cars and trucks.

Make sure the tires are properly inflated.

A car that is tuned up, has clean air and oil filters, and is running right will use less gasoline.

Don't over-load a car. For every extra 100 pounds, you cut your mileage by one mile per gallon.

When your parents buy a new car, tell them to compare the fuel efficiency of different models and buy a car that gets higher miles per gallon.

You can also save energy in your school.

Each week you can choose an energy monitor who will make sure energy is being used properly.

The energy monitor will turn off the lights during recess and after class.

You can make "Turn It Off" signs for hanging above the light switches to remind yourself.

Also check out our on-line pages on Saving Energy.

You can make sure your classmates recycle all aluminum cans and plastic bottles, and make sure the library is recycling the newspapers and the school is recycling its paper.