Connected to the Grid (Energy)

Lesson Objectives:

At the end of the workshop, students will be able to:

• How is electricity created and distributed in communities?

• How does electricity usage at home relate to climate change?

• What are the benefits and disadvantages of common energy sources?

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Background Information

Generating electricity largely relies on the burning of fossil fuels. This releases greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere, creating a thick layer of heat-trapping gasses and contributing to climate change. Carbon dioxide makes up the majority of the greenhouse gasses that are emitted.

The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by more than 1/3 since the Industrial Revolution. The burning of fossil fuels also causes air and water pollution that is damaging not only to surrounding ecosystems, but to human health. Furthermore, fossil fuels are a finite resource, taking tens of million of years to form. With our rate of energy consumption and growing population, there will eventually be no fossil fuels available to generate electricity.

To reduce our impact on the planet, we can use energy-efficient LED light bulbs and energy- saving appliances. We can also make sure that heating systems, which use a lot of energy, are set to lower temperatures and used only when necessary. The renewable energy market is the future of the energy industry; the widening solar energy market has created 250,000 jobs in the U.S. In order for future generations to have the same access to energy as currently available, the pressure is on us to make the switch to renewable energy.