Going Green
Global Energies
There are many forms of green energy, the most important of which is the Sun. The Sun is our ultimate energy source; it provides heat and light. Without the Sun, plants and animals could not survive. In addition, many of the green energies you will learn about begin with energy from the Sun. We meet our energy needs with the sources listed below. However, most of the world's energy comes f…
Greenhouse Gases
Greenhouse gases are gases in the Earth's atmosphere. They keep some of the Sun's energy from escaping into space. Greenhouse gases keep Earth warm enough for life to exist. Some of the most powerful and plentiful greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone. The gases occur naturally, and some are created by human activities. Many people are concerned about …
Solar Power
Solar power is a good alternative energy. Solar power plants produce electricity with the Sun's heat. The power plants collect sunlight with the help of big reflective mirrors. The mirrors direct sunlight to a fluid, which gets very hot. The hot fluid heats water and produces steam without producing carbon dioxide. Then, as in conventional power plants, the steam spins a turbine, which pow…
Wind Power
Tornados and hurricanes show us how destructive wind is, but wind is also productive. People long ago knew the benefits of wind. They used it to move their sailboats and to spin their windmills. Windmills are machines that do mechanical work for us; everything from crushing grain, to pumping water, to milling wood. No electricity is required, only the power of the wind! Windmills still operate in…
Water Works!
Hydropower uses the flow of water to do work. When we convert hydropower to electricity, we call it hydroelectric power. The Grand Coulee Dam in Washington is a hydroelectric power plant. In fact, it is the largest power plant of any kind in the United States. The dam is 5,223 feet (1,586 meters) long. It holds water from the Columbia River in a reservoir named Franklin Delano Roosevelt Lake. The…
Hydrogen Power
The Sun, our most powerful energy source, is made up of mostly hydrogen. In fact, all stars consist of hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe. Hydrogen occurs on Earth, but rarely in its pure form. It is a light gas, which rises in the atmosphere unless it combines with other elements. For example, hydrogen and carbon combine to form hydrocarbons in fossil fuels. Hydrogen also binds …
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy comes from deep inside the Earth. It begins in the Earth's core where the temperature is about 12,632 degrees Fahrenheit (7,000 degrees Celsius). The extreme temperature heats rock and water below the surface. Some heat escapes in the form of steam and water through hot springs and geysers. Heat also escapes during volcanic eruptions. Many countries use geothermal energy …
Biomass
Biomass is plant matter and dried animal waste. Plant biomass, such as wood, corn, and sugar cane, is renewable because we can grow it. Animal waste is renewable because, well, animals do what comes naturally. We burn some biomass and fossil fuels for heat energy. Biomass and fossil fuels have something else in common. Fossil fuels came from plants and animals too. However, those plants and anima…
Conserving Electricity
Electricity makes life easier and more comfortable. We use it to power our lights, televisions, computers, and so much more. Conserving electricity is one of the most important things individuals can do to reduce greenhouse gases. Conserving electricity and reducing greenhouse gases is easy. One of the best and easiest ways is to turn off unused lights and appliances. Taking advantage…
The Three R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Do you need help going green? Start by practicing the three R's. No, not Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic—but Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle! …
Glossary
agriculture (AG-ruh-KUL-chur): business of producing crops and raising animals atmosphere (AT-muhs-fear): a mix of gases that surround a planet efficient (uh-FISH-uhnt): working without wasting energy ethanol (ETH-uh-nol): an alcohol fuel made from some grains, corn, and sugar cane fossil fuels (FOSS-uhl-FYOO-uhl): coal, oil, and natural gas formed from plants and animals that lived millions of y…