It’s Easy Being Green Exploring Simple Ways to Reduce Energy Usage

Questions to consider:  1. How would your life be affected by a 24- hour blackout? (consider the electrical devices you rely on in your daily lives)  Share & list with the class  2. Considering your list, which of the items we listed are essential?  a. Which would need to remain plugged in to operate properly?  b. Which items are least necessary?

Power to the People!  3. What item in your house do you think uses the most power?  Air conditioners are the biggest factor in energy increases. As the heat increases, more power is used  In 1978, 50% of American households had air conditioning. By 2001, it was 77% & increasing.  Since peak temperatures are increasing, air conditioners are being used more hours  Overall, people are building bigger houses so it requires more power to cool; in addition, all of the electronics in the house increase power usage

 4. List suggestions that the families (try to) implement to reduce waste  Mom-Swap-Video Mom-Swap-Video  5. What role can/do celebrities play in environmental awareness?  a-roberts-oprah-the-earth-day-s_people a-roberts-oprah-the-earth-day-s_people  Discuss – are you surprised by these “most green” celebs? Nc Nc

 6. What are some steps you & your family could realistically do to “go green?”  7. Where does your trash go?  BTg BTg  8. What is the impact of trash on the ocean?  hzw hzw  20 year old invents device to clean ocean 

Go Green?!  9. How might the desire for personal comfort influence your willingness to conserve energy at home?  10. What might be long-term repercussions of increased energy demand?  11. Is it cheaper or more expensive to “go green?” think short-term vs. long-term  Consider “ready light” products like stereo, TV, DVR, game systems that are always plugged in cost $3 billion/year

Environmental Sustainability  12. What does it mean to be environmentally sustainable?  Sustainability is the ability to continue a defined behavior indefinitely. Thus, environmental sustainability is: Sustainability  1. For renewable resources, the rate of harvest should not exceed the rate of regeneration (sustainable yield);  2. [For pollution] The rates of waste generation from projects should not exceed the assimilative capacity of the environment (sustainable waste disposal); and  3. For nonrenewable resources the depletion of the nonrenewable resources should require comparable development of renewable substitutes for that resource.  Is this realistic? What would it look like?

Discuss  Would you use this?   What would be some other inventions or ways we could conserve space, water, energy, etc.?  What have electric companies, appliance companies, cities, &/or the government done to encourage energy efficiency?  To what degree should individuals be responsible for conserving energy?  What role – if any – should the government play in enforcing conservation regulation for businesses?

Optional Assignment  1. As a team, select a site (it should be something with which you are relatively familiar)  2. How have you observed energy being wasted or used unnecessarily/excessively at this site?  3. Brainstorm 5 suggestions for reducing energy that would work well at your site  4. Narrow your list to the most simple, but effective suggestion for decreasing energy use.  5. Create an advertisement/poster with an eye- catching, colorful, creative, detailed, & concise of the suggestion for reducing energy