Wasting Energy at Home
People use energy in all aspects of their lives—for cooking, lighting and entertainment. Much of this energy use takes place in buildings, such as our homes. To save money and reduce the impact on our environment, many people are reducing their energy use. One way is to hire engineers to perform home energy audits to understand the ways we use energy and identify ways we can conserve energy. In this activity, students act as energy conservation engineers and identify the ways energy is conserved or wasted. They also learn many ways to personally conserve energy everyday.
Students explore how to conserve energy in our everyday lives.Copyright 30 free image resources (about.com) http://f.tqn.com/y/lighting/1/W/a/0/-/-/200526811-001.jpg
Engineers perform energy audits to better understand how people use energy and identify ways people can conserve energy. Businesses and homeowners engage these engineers to help reduce their utility bills and help the environment. Recommendations often include using compact fluorescent light bulbs, lowering the thermostat temperature in the winter when the building is unoccupied, planting trees for shade, and improving insulation to reduce heat loss/gain.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain that there are many ways to conserve energy in our everyday lives.
- Use comprehensive skills in analyzing a situation.
- Describe several activities in which energy is used.
- Describe alternative ways to conserve energy for everyday energy-using activities