1. ENERGY Energy is the ability to do work. Oil, coal, natural gas, wind, water – just to name a few - provide us the energy we need in our daily lives. For example, we use oil to produce gasoline for our cars. We use natural gas, coal, solar and wind power to generate electricity that makes the computer you are using work! There are two forms of energy: renewable energy and non-renewable energy.

2. Where does energy come from? Energy comes from different sources such as oil, coal, wind, the sun, water, natural gas and even manure.

3. Why do we need energy? Energy is very important in today’s world. For example, we use different energy sources to generate the electricity we need for our homes, schools, businesses and factories. Electricity “powers” our TVs, computers, air conditioners, cell phones and washing machines - just to mention a few. We also use energy to run cars, planes, trains, buses and motorcycles.

4. What is renewable energy? Renewable energy is a source of energy that can never be exhausted. We can obtain renewable energy from the sun (solar energy), from the water (hydropower), from the wind (windmills), from hot dry rocks, magma, hot water springs (geothermal) and even from firewood, animal manure, crop residues and waste (Biomass).solar energyhydropowerwindmillsgeothermalBiomass

5. What is non-renewable energy? Non-renewable energy comes from sources that can’t be replenished in a short period of time. We get most of our energy from nonrenewable energy sources, which include fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, coal and from nuclear energy. Fossil fuels are thought to have been formed from the buried remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago.oilnatural gas coalnuclear energy

6. Why is it important to conserve energy? All of us use energy every day – for entertainment, cooking, transportation, lighting, heating and cooling homes, manufacturing, etc. We consume a lot of energy. The United States consumes about one fourth of the world’s energy resources. When energy is produced from non-renewable fuels, to heat our homes or power our cars for example, pollutants are released into the air contaminating the air we breathe and water too. The more energy we use or miles we drive in our cars, the more energy power plants must produce or gasoline our cars burn, releasing more pollutants into the air.

7. CONSERVING ENERGY By conserving energy we can lower the amount of pollutants we release into the air and water and thereby help to keep our environment clean. Additionally, if we use less energy we can save money on our electric bill or reduce the amount of money we spend on gasoline. So you can help the environment and save money at the same time! Additionally, we can use energy sources that are clean and efficient. For example, wind and solar energy generate electricity without polluting the air. Another example is soybeans, which we can use to produce biodiesel. Biodiesel can be blended with regular diesel fuel or used all by itself to fuel tractors, buses and trucks. These types of energy are friendly to our environment and help us reduce our dependence on fossil fuels such as oil and coal, which cannot be replenished.

8. How can we conserve energy? When you enter a room and turn on the light, To help you see in the dark of night, Do you ever stop to think and ponder, What will happen if we continue to squander? Not all our energy is the renewable kind, So ways to save it, you must keep in mind, For if we don't, one day there will be, No energy left for you or for me! What can we do? What must we change? What habits should we rearrange? There's lots to be done, changes big and small, And most take almost no effort at all!

9. TURN IT OFF! When you leave a room, turn off the light, There's no need to leave it burning all night, The same goes for radios and the TV, That's pretty simple, don't you agree? But you can do more in your quest to preserve, Compact florescent bulbs will help you conserve, They're more efficient than the regular kind, They last longer, too, keep that in mind!

10. Copyright © 2005 - All Rights Reserved Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection