Energy, Climate, and You (Rhode Island Edition) Intermediate/Secondary Student Guide by NEED Project

Energy, Climate, and You

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Student Guide

INTERMEDIATE AND SECONDARY

Energy Forms and Sources What is Energy? We all use the word energy daily. We have energy drinks and energy shots, we pay our energy bills, and politicians discuss energy security. However, what energy actually is can be a difficult concept to explain precisely. Our bodies and objects all around us are using energy all the time. Energy allows us to do the things we need to do. Energy allows us to do work, and to affect change. It provides the ability to function, whether we can visibly see what is happening or on a microscopic level.

U.S. Consumption of Energy by Source, 2018

88.81%

Nonrenewable Sources

11.20%

Renewable Sources

FORMS OF ENERGY Energy exists in two basic forms. Stored energy to use later is called potential energy, while energy in motion is called kinetic energy. Each of these two, broad categories can be broken down further into nine different forms of energy. Potential energy can be gravitational energy, which is energy stored by position. A child at the top of a slide or water behind a dam both have gravitational energy. Elastic energy is energy that is stored by applying a force. When you wind up a toy car, you are storing energy in the spring inside of it. If you pull back on a rubber band, you are storing elastic energy in it. Nuclear energy is the energy within the nucleus of atoms. Very small changes in the nucleus of an atom can release tremendous amounts of energy. The most commonly used form of potential energy is chemical energy. It is the energy in the bonds between atoms of all the substances in the world. The food you eat, the fuel in the car you drive, the wood your campfire burns are all examples of chemical energy. Anything moving has kinetic energy. It can be broken down into five forms. When large-scale things are moving, they have motion or mechanical energy. A child on a bike, water moving through a stream, and the wind all have motion energy. Thermal energy is the energy that allows atoms and molecules to move around. The more thermal energy in a substance, the faster the molecules move, and the higher its temperature. Sound is a form of energy that we often overlook – because a sound is a vibration, it is an energy form. Radiant energy is energy that moves through space in transverse waves. Sunlight and radio waves are examples of radiant energy, as are microwaves and x-rays. Electrical energy is the energy of moving electrons. Electricity is the most common example of electrical energy, but small static electricity jolts and lightning strikes are also examples of electrical energy. A solar water heater works a lot like solar space heating. In our hemisphere, a solar collector is often mounted on the south side of a roof where it can capture sunlight. The sunlight heats water and stores it in a tank. The hot water is piped to faucets throughout a house, just as it would be with an ordinary water heater.

CONSERVATION OF ENERGY Conservation of energy is not just saving energy. The Law of Conservation of Energy says that energy is neither created nor

destroyed. When we use energy, it doesn’t disappear. We simply change it from one form of energy into another. This is called an energy transformation. A car engine burns gasoline, converting the chemical energy in gasoline into motion energy. Solar cells change radiant energy into electrical energy. Energy changes form, but the total amount of energy in the universe stays the same.

10%

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50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

PERCENTAGE OF UNITED STATES ENERGY USE

Nonrenewable Energy Sources and Percentages of Total Energy Consumption

PETROLEUM 36.53%

Uses: transportation, manufacturing includes propane

NATURAL GAS

COAL

URANIUM

Uses: heating, manufacturing, electricity - includes propane

Uses: electricity, manufacturing

Uses: electricity

30.79%

13.13%

8.36%

PROPANE

Uses: heating, manufacturing *Propane consumption is included in petroleum and natural gas totals.

Renewable Energy Sources and Percentages of Total Energy Consumption

BIOMASS

HYDROPOWER

WIND

SOLAR

GEOTHERMAL

Uses: heating, electricity, transportation

Uses: electricity

Uses: heating, electricity

4.98%

2.64%

2.46%

0.91%

0.21%

**Total does not add up to 100% due to independent rounding. Data: Energy Information Administration

Energy Sources We use many energy sources to meet our needs. All of them have advantages and disadvantages—limitation or reliability of supply, and economic, environmental, or societal impacts. Energy sources are usually classified into two groups—renewable and nonrenewable. In the United States, most of our energy comes from nonrenewable energy sources. Coal, petroleum, natural gas, propane, and uranium are nonrenewable energy sources. They are used to generate electricity, heat homes, move cars, and manufacture all kinds of products from candy bars to tablets. They are called nonrenewable because their supplies are limited, and they cannot be replenished in a short period of time. Petroleum, for example, was formed hundreds of millions of years ago, before dinosaurs lived, from the remains of ancient sea plants and animals. We could run out of economically recoverable nonrenewable resources someday. Renewable energy sources include biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, and wind. They are called renewable because they are replenished in a short time. Day after day the sun shines, the wind blows, and the rivers flow. We use renewable energy sources mainly to make electricity.

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AN OLD WAY OF DOING THINGS What do natural gas, petroleum, coal, and propane have in common? They’re all nonrenewable energy sources with origins in prehistoric life. Natural gas, petroleum, and the propane extracted from them originated as marine plants and animals long before the first dinosaurs appeared. Coal began as ferns and other herbaceous plants in swampy areas hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of years ago. In all cases, the organisms died, were buried, and compressed over time. All that time, pressure, and heat from within the earth combined to produce the natural gas, petroleum (crude oil), and coal we use today. Because they all originated as life forms ages ago, they are referred to as fossil fuels. One of the benefits of fossil fuels is that they have a very high energy density. This means that a lot of chemical energy is stored in a relatively small volume. The energy density of petroleum and coal is higher than wood, and is why society shifted from using wood as a primary fuel source to petroleum products and coal. Without this high energy density, the Industrial Revolution probably would not have been possible.

found mixed in petroleum, and they all can be deadly. Coal must be broken into small pieces to bring it out of the Earth. When it is broken, some of the coal is pulverized to a powder. The pulverized coal, or coal dust, can accumulate in the lungs of those who breathe it, causing black lung disease and other respiratory illnesses. Mining for coal and drilling for oil are jobs full of inherent danger, requiring a high level of safety and alertness. We burn fossil fuels to release the energy trapped in their bonds. Doing so also produces carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Climate scientists agree that man-made carbon dioxide emissions are largely responsible for the effects of climate change we are seeing today, including increases in drought and severe weather events, disappearance of land and sea ice, and rising sea levels.

Fossil fuels are also relatively easy to find, gather, and use. The first oil wells were built where petroleum was already seeping out of the ground. Coal seams could be seen where soil had been washed away. Natural gas could be seen bubbling up through swamps and inland bodies of water. A relatively small amount of effort is all it took to begin extracting these natural resources and using them for the energy they stored.

Burning petroleum and coal release more than just carbon dioxide. There are several byproducts of their combustion, depending on the specific composition of the crude or coal sample. Petroleum composition varies greatly according to where it originated. Coal composition varies by location as well as by the relative age of the coal; older coal has less sulfur and other undesirable elements. Burning petroleum products or coal can release sulfur oxides into the air, resulting in acidified water vapor (acid rain). The high temperatures of petroleum and coal combustion allow atmospheric nitrogen to react with excess oxygen present in the reaction mixture, creating nitrogen oxides (NOx), This NOx would be most recognizable as smog, or as the orangish brown haze prevalent in most large cities.

However, with the good comes the bad. Petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds, some of which are toxic and/or hazardous. Kerosene, benzene, gasoline, and diesel fuel are all

People living near major highways and railway lines or coalburning power plants and industrial sites have an increased risk of respiratory problems because the air quality around their homes is

How Coal Was Formed

Millions of years ago, dead plant matter fell into swampy water and over time, a thick layer of dead plants lay decaying at the bottom of the swamps. Over time, the surface and climate of the Earth changed, and more water and dirt washed in, halting the decay process, forming peat. The weight of the top layers of water and dirt packed down the lower layers of plant matter. Under heat and pressure, this plant matter underwent chemical and physical changes, pushing out oxygen and leaving rich hydrocarbon deposits. What once had been plants gradually turned into coal. Coal can be found deep underground (as shown in this graphic), or it can be found near the surface.

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Efficiency of a Thermal Power Plant

The Carbon Cycle

Most thermal power plants are about 35 percent efficient. Of the 100 units of energy that go into a plant, 65 units are lost as one form of energy is converted to other forms. The remaining 35 units of energy leave the plant to do usable work.

ATMOSPHERE PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION

FUEL SUPPLY

OCEAN-ATMOSPHERE EXCHANGE

FOSSIL FUEL COMBUSTION

LIT

100 units of energy go in

OCEAN CIRCULATION

SURFACE OCEAN BIOSPHERE

LAND USE CHANGES

FUEL BURNING

ELECTRICITY GENERATION

STEAM LINE

ELECTRICAL ENERGY

GENERATOR

BOILER

TURBINE

CHEMICAL ENERGY

RIVER RUNOFF

SWITCHYARD

FEED WATER CONDENSER

35 units of energy come out

MOTION ENERGY

EP EPN DEEAN E SINKING DA C PARTICLES OCE O

RE PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION

ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION

THERMAL ENERGY

Fuel Sources

H SP

Petroleum

O DR HY

Coal

Natural Gas

Biomass

Uranium

How a Thermal Power Plant Works 1. Fuel is fed into a boiler, where it is burned to release thermal energy. Nuclear plants are thermal plants but the fuel is not burned, however, and undergoes a nuclear fission reaction to heat water. 2. Water is piped into the boiler and heated, turning it into steam. 3. The steam travels at high pressure through a steam line.

adversely impacted by the soot, sulfur, and nitrogen emitted when petroleum and coal are burned. Most of these facilities are located near or just outside of population centers. The neighborhoods they are often located in or around are populated by people without the financial means to move to another home farther away. These negative aspects of using fossil fuels are why many people are pursuing increased energy production from uranium and renewable resources. Nuclear power, hydropower, wind, solar power, and geothermal energy do not release air pollution when used.

5. Inside the generator, the shaft spins a ring of magnets inside coils of copper wire. This creates an electric field, producing electricity. 6. Electricity is sent to a switchyard, where a transformer increases the voltage, allowing it to travel through the electric grid.

U.S. Electricity Production, 2018 RENEWABLES

URANIUM

16.84%

19.39%

Energy Sources and Electricity In the United States, nine of the ten energy sources are used to generate electricity; the only source that is not commonly used for electricity generation is propane. Natural gas is the leading source for electricity, followed by coal and then uranium. Hydropower is the leading renewable energy source for electricity generation. The most common way to generate electricity is by using thermal energy to boil water into pressurized steam, which turns a steam turbine. Turbines change linear motion into rotational motion; in this case, the linear movement of the steam is changed to a rotation to turn a generator. The generator houses a large magnet surrounded by coiled copper wire. The blades spin the magnet rapidly, rotating the magnet inside the coil, producing an electric current. Wind and hydropower use a flowing fluid, air or water, respectively, to turn the turbine. Because no heat energy is lost, wind and water are more efficient sources of energy for generating electricity.

4. The high pressure steam turns a turbine, which spins a shaft.

HYDROPOWER, 6.89% WIND, 6.55%

NATURAL GAS

35.29%

BIOMASS, 1.49% Other

COAL

27.54%

0.32%

Petroleum

0.61%

Data: Energy Information Administration *Total does not equal 100% due to independent rounding

SOLAR, 1.53% GEOTHERMAL, 0.38%

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Energy Efficiency and Conservation Earlier we referenced the Law of Energy Conservation, in which we describe how energy can change form but cannot be created or destroyed. When we talk about energy conservation with respect to how we use energy, however, that is not what we are referring to. An easier way to look at efficiency and conservation is in how we manage our energy use. Energy efficiency is related to the equipment or machinery we use that consume energy. Devices designed to do the same work while using less energy are considered energy efficient. When we talk about energy management, energy efficiency is referring to what we are using that requires energy. Generally speaking, upgrading devices to those that are more energy efficient is often more expensive. There are exceptions to this rule; light bulbs are the most common. LED bulbs, the most efficient type of lighting, are about the same cost as CFL and halogen-incandescent bulbs. We will discuss lighting later. Energy conservation is how we refer to our behaviors when using energy. We conserve energy, or save it, by altering our behavior. Most of the time, these behaviors do not have a cost associated with them, but rather require us to alter our habits. It is important to remember that our energy conservation efforts cannot overrule others’ need to use energy. In other words, if your sibling is still in the room, don’t turn the light off when you leave.

U.S. Primary Energy Consumption by Sector, 2018 RESIDENTIAL 6.84%

TRANSPORTATION

28.13%

Top Residential Sources:

Petroleum  Biomass  Natural Gas



ELECTRIC POWER 37.81% INDUSTRIAL 22.72% Top Electric Power Sources: Top Industrial Sources: COMMERCIAL 4.74% Coal Natural Gas 



Petroleum  Propane 

Top Commercial Sources:



Natural Gas  Petroleum  Propane

Data: Energy Information Administration *Total does not equal 100% due to independent rounding.

U.S. Total Energy Consumption by Sector, 2018 INDUSTRIAL 32.53%

The U.S. Department of Energy divides the way we use energy into categories—residential, commercial, industrial, electric power, and transportation. These are called sectors of the economy. The way these sectors use energy can be described two ways: Primary energy consumption, and total energy consumption.



Top Industrial Sources:

Natural Gas  Petroleum  Propane

COMMERCIAL 18.28% Top Commercial Sources:

Natural Gas  Petroleum  Propane 

TRANSPORTATION 28.21% Top Transportation Sources:

Petroleum Biomass  Natural Gas  

RESIDENTIAL 21.22% Top Residential Sources:

Natural Gas Biomass  Petroleum  

This graph depicts sector energy consumption with electricity included. Data: Energy Information Administration *Total does not equal 100% due to independent rounding.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Sector, 2018 ELECTRICITY

34.82%

INDUSTRIAL SECTOR The United States is a highly industrialized society. We use a lot of energy. Industry consumed 22.72 percent of the energy in 2018, but U.S. industry produces about 20 percent of the world’s manufacturing output. Advanced technologies have allowed industry to do more with less. Industry has also been a leader in developing cogeneration technology. Cogenerators produce electricity and use the waste heat for manufacturing, increasing overall energy efficiency by 35 percent. ©2020 The NEED Project

Naturals Gas Uranium

The residential, commercial, and industrial sectors use electricity. This graph depicts their energy consumption outside of electricity.

Energy Users

Primary energy consumption measures how much energy is used directly by each sector, rather than being changed to another form and then delivered to other users. The electric power sector uses the most energy out of all five sectors, almost 38 percent of the energy used in the United States in 2018. However, the electric power sector isn’t consuming that energy for themselves; power plants use the energy stored in natural gas, uranium, or moving water to generate electricity for the rest of us to use at home or at work or school. When we evaluate how energy is used by the end users – total energy – the greatest amount of energy is consumed by the residential and commercial sectors.

Natural Gas Biomass  Petroleum 

Top Transportation Sources:

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TRANSPORTATION

35.73%

INDUSTRIAL 16.82% RESIDENTIAL 6.67% COMMERCIAL 5.13%

Data: Environmental Protection Agency

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TRANSPORTATION SECTOR The transportation sector refers to energy consumption by cars, buses, trucks, trains, ships, and airplanes. In 2018, the transportation sector accounted for 28.21 percent of total consumption. 91.68 percent of this energy was from petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. All of those petroleum-based fuels lead to a lot of carbon dioxide emissions, which is contributing to climate change. The transportation sector produces more carbon dioxide than any other sector, and more than the Industrial, Residential, and Commercial sectors combined. The efficiency of a car or truck is measured by its fuel mileage, in miles per gallon. In 1975, the average fuel efficiency of a passenger vehicle was only 13.5 miles per gallon. Today, new vehicles have an average efficiency of 30.8 miles per gallon. The improved efficiency has been driven primarily by the cost of gasoline. In 1973, the average price for a gallon of gasoline was only 51 cents ($1.98 in 2015 dollars). However, in 1980 that price jumped to $1.19 ($2.95 in 2015 dollars) and people could no longer afford big, heavy, gas-guzzling vehicles. Today’s cars are smaller, lighter, and use much less fuel. Fuel efficiency depends on regular maintenance and driving habits. People who must sit in traffic for long periods of time will use more gasoline than those who can flex their work schedules to avoid heavy rush-hour traffic. Oil changes, clean air and fuel filters, and properly inflated tires also contribute greatly to keeping a vehicle running its best. Sometimes people cannot afford a new vehicle, and struggle just to pay for the gasoline their older vehicle requires. Older vehicles need more maintenance, which is expensive, too, and all of these extra expenses add up, leading to reduced fuel efficiency.

Commercial Energy Consumption Space heating

25.22%

Cooling

9.45%

Ventilation

9.59%

Water heating Lighting Cooking

7.28% 10.40% 7.42%

Refrigeration Office Equipment

9.62%

2.47%

Computing

5.82%

Other

12.32%

Data: EIA CBECS

School Energy Consumption Space heating Cooling

35.51% 10.81%

Ventilation

8.08%

Water heating

8.08%

Lighting

9.40%

Cooking

1.78%

A well-tuned engine also keeps nitrogen oxides and other air pollutants down to a minimum. Older vehicles will burn engine oil in the engine along with the gasoline, and the poor timing may cause them to “run rough” and produce more air pollution. The result is that people living near population centers with more traffic and people living in neighborhoods where older vehicles are prevalent may experience higher levels of air pollution as vehicles travel to and from work every day, and more.

Office Equipment

2.49%

Computing

9.26%

A BREATH OF … EXHAUST?

Data: EIA CBECS

Vehicles are largely responsible for the elevated concentration of pollutants in the air in large cities. Some cities, like Phoenix and Los Angeles, are more prone to air quality issues because of their geography. Vehicles burning petroleum products, mostly diesel fuel and gasoline, release nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and carbon monoxide on top of the carbon dioxide produced by complete combustion. Additionally, fumes from chemicals used in everyday activities, as well as emissions from power plants burning natural gas and coal, contribute to the dirty, brown air found in many urban areas. People who live in large cities breathe this air daily. There are some days, during the hottest, most humid parts of the summer, when air quality advisories are issued and people with respiratory problems are advised to stay indoors. However, many people who live in such areas are unable to simply call in sick; they either do not have paid time off, cannot afford to stay home, or are considered essential workers.

Refrigeration

Other

4.75%

9.98%

Home Energy Consumption Space heating

29.26%

Space Cooling

14.28%

Water heating Lighting Refrigeration

15.95% 7.92%

5.55%

Other

27.05%

Computers and electronics, cooking, wet cleaning, other and adjustments

9.26% Data: EIA CBECS

9.98%

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There are a few things that can be done to improve the air quality in urban neighborhoods, but all of them involve financial investments. Public transportation vehicles using electric or natural gas have alleviated air pollution in several cities. Some tree species are known to remove pollutants from air. Higher octane fuel, though more expensive, burns hotter and therefore eliminates some of the byproducts of incomplete combustion. Of course, not needing to use vehicles in the first place will greatly reduce the air pollution from vehicles. If cities are re-designed to be more pedestrian or bicycle friendly, such that people can reasonably live close to their workplace, many vehicles become all but obsolete.

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL SECTOR The residential and commercial sector—homes and buildings— consumes 11.57 percent of the primary energy used in the United States today. We use energy to heat and cool our homes and buildings, to light them, and to operate appliances and office machines. In the last 40 years, Americans have significantly reduced the amount of energy we use to perform these tasks, mostly through technological improvements in the systems we use, as well as in the manufacturing processes to make those systems.

Heating and Cooling More energy is used for climate control in a home or commercial building than for any other use. Keeping our living and working spaces at comfortable temperatures provides a healthier environment, but uses a lot of energy. Forty-three percent of the average home’s energy consumption is for heating and cooling rooms. The three fuels used most often for heating are natural gas, electricity, and heating oil. Today, about half of the nation’s homes are heated by natural gas, a trend that will continue, at least in the near future. Most natural gas furnaces used in the 1970s and 1980s were about 60 percent efficient—they converted 60 percent of the energy in the natural gas into usable heat. Some of these furnaces might still be in use today, especially in homes that are rented by tenants or owned by people who cannot afford to replace them. Depending on maintenance and homeowner use, these furnaces could last for over 20 years. New furnaces manufactured today can reach efficiency ratings of 98 percent, since they are designed to capture heat that used to be lost up the chimney. These furnaces are more complex and costly, but they save significant amounts of energy. Electricity is the second leading source of energy for home heating and provides almost all of the energy used for air conditioning. The efficiency of air conditioners and heat pumps has increased 50 percent in the last 35 years. In the 1970s, air conditioners and heat pumps had an average Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER, of 7.0. Today, the new units must have a SEER of 13, and highefficiency units are available with SEER ratings as high as 18. These highly-rated units are more expensive to buy, but the money saved by lower energy bills covers that higher cost within 3 to 5 years.

Lighting Lighting is essential to a modern society. Lights have revolutionized the way we live, work, and play. Lighting accounts for a little more than seven percent of the average home’s total energy bills, but for stores, schools, and businesses, the figure is slightly higher. On average, the commercial sector uses about 10 percent of its energy for lighting. ©2020 The NEED Project

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Four major types of lighting are used in homes, with a fifth being used in commercial buildings. Incandescent lights are the original style of lamp perfected by Thomas Edison in 1879. These bulbs emit light because the filament inside gets so hot that it glows, or incandesces. Incandescent bulbs are extremely inefficient, with 90 percent of the energy used being released as heat rather than light. Most common incandescent bulbs have been phased out since 2014, but appliance bulbs, some vehicle lights, and many other specialty bulbs are still sold as incandescent lights. A more efficient style of light is the halogen-incandescent bulb. This bulb still works the same way as traditional incandescent, but the filament is encapsulated and surrounded by a gas that makes the bulb more efficient. While the old-style incandescent bulbs produced only 14 lumens per watt, halogen bulbs produce 22 lumens per watt. Around the turn of the twenty-first century, compact fluorescent light bulbs began appearing in stores. A smaller version of the large fluorescent tube lights you see in schools and businesses, these bulbs, called CFLs, resemble soft-serve ice cream cones with their distinctive spiral. CFL bulbs produce up to 70 lumens per watt. Their high efficiency and longer life made them very popular through the 2010s. Today, however, most people prefer LED bulbs.

INCANDESCENT BULB

HALOGEN BULB

CFL BULB

LED BULB

LEDs offer better light quality than incandescent bulbs and halogens, last 25 times as long, and use even less energy than CFLs. LEDs now have a wide array of uses because technology has improved and costs have decreased. CFL use has greatly decreased as LED prices have reached similiar prices as other bulbs.

How Do Bulbs Measure Up? Talk to your parents and you’ll learn that they used to shop for bulbs by the wattage, or power, that each bulb used. Only one type of light bulb was available, so the higher the wattage, the brighter the bulb. When incandescent bulbs were phased out, people needed a good way to compare bulbs and purchase the correct brightness for the lighting application. Fortunately, physics always had a good unit available – the lumen. Lumens measure the intensity of the light leaving a light source; the higher the lumen rating, the brighter the bulb. Using lumens to shop light bulbs is a better way of comparing light bulbs since different technologies produce different numbers of lumens per watt of power used.

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A light-emitting diode, or LED, is the most efficient form of lighting available. Producing 100 lumens per watt, they can significantly reduce the amount of electricity that a family uses for lighting. Because they last about 25,000 hours, an LED bulb can be installed and left in place for years without needing replacement. LED bulbs were once extremely expensive, but today they are no more expensive than CFL or halogen-incandescent bulbs. Many schools and commercial buildings with large spaces to light, such as a gymnasium or warehouse, use metal halide lighting. These large bulbs use 350-400 watts each and require 10-20 minutes to reach their full brightness. Because they use so much power, many schools and businesses are choosing to change these lights for LED fixtures of equivalent brightness. Metal halide lights are generally not found in homes because they are so bright and get very hot.

Appliances and Other Plug Loads You may be wondering what a plug load is. Anything that has a cord, and plugs into an electrical outlet, is a plug load. In electricity, a “load” is any device that uses power. Light bulbs, motors, computers, and your video game system are all loads. Refrigerators and window air conditioners have compressors in them that use the principles of pressure and temperature to cool a space, whether it’s the interior of a freezer or a room. Washing machines and dishwashers have motors and pumps that run the appliances through their respective cycles. Blenders, food processors, hair dryers, and fans have motors that change the electricity into motion and spin the blades. And let us not forget the dozens and dozens of electronic devices that keep us connected to the outside world. Over 15 percent of a family’s electricity is used to power large appliances, small appliances, and electronic devices. As technology has improved, so has the efficiency of appliances, both large and small. For example, the way refrigerators function has not changed much in the last 50 years, but the efficiency of refrigerators has changed significantly. Today’s models keep food colder longer while using less energy. Some models are even Wi-Fi connected to let you know what’s inside when away from home. The Environmental Protection Agency created the ENERGY STAR® program to identify the appliances and devices that use less energy than others doing the same job. ENERGY STAR® rated devices are some of the top-rated machines in their class and will help keep energy bills low. However, all that efficiency comes with a price tag, as more efficient models are often more expensive. The energy savings will eventually offset the higher purchase price. However, a family desperate to replace a broken refrigerator may be shopping with one number in mind – price – and may be unable to afford a new, efficient model that keeps food fresh while using less electricity.

ELECTRICAL POWER SECTOR As discussed earlier, most electricity is generated by natural gas, coal, uranium, and hydropower. All of these sources along with wind and geothermal energy use a turbine to change the linear motion of steam, flowing water, or wind into rotational motion for a generator. The generator in turn changes the rotational motion of the turbine into electrical energy that we use daily. Generating electricity uses more energy than any other use in the United States. Electricity generation carries with it a big carbon footprint, which is a way of describing how much an activity contributes to carbon dioxide emissions. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that for every kilowatt-hour of electricity generated, 1.6 pounds of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere. The average family uses 914 kilowatt-hours of electricity every year.

Electricity Generation and Transmission Electricity is passed through a system of transformers and wires known as the grid. A transformer is a device that increases or decreases the voltage of the power leaving the power plant. Stepup transformers increase voltage, while step-down transformers decrease voltage. The process of generating electricity can be inefficient. A thermal power plant, fueled by natural gas, coal, uranium, or geothermal energy, changes only about 35 percent of the energy in those sources to electricity. The other 65 percent is lost to the surrounding environment as waste heat. As electricity is transferred through the grid to homes and businesses, friction in the lines carrying the energy results in more losses.

The Language of Electricity Suppose you met someone from the 16th century. How would you define electricity? What exactly is going on when you flip a switch? Electricity is how we describe energized electrons passing their energy along a conductor to do work. But where did those electrons get their energy? And how do they transfer the energy to do work? Voltage is the way we describe an electron’s potential to do work. Technically, it’s the potential of a charged particle to cross the space between two charged plates. But it’s easier to think of voltage as the strength of the push behind electrons. High voltage, bigger push. Current is the term that tells us how many electrons are moving through a conductor. It is measured in Amperes, or just Amps. Current and voltage combine to describe power, or how much work is being done in a given time period. 100 Watts can be 100 Amps with 1 volt, or 10 Amps with 10 volts, or 1 Amp with 100 volts. Power = Voltage × Current.

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Transporting Electricity Power plant generates electricity

Transmission lines carry electricity long distances

Transformer steps up voltage for transmission

Power Tower

Distributed Generation Because so much energy is lost in transmission from the power plant to the end user, such as a home or school, many people are beginning to focus on a concept known as distributed generation. This type of electrical generation places the source of generation at the site where the power will be used. The most common form of distributed generation is using solar panels to supplement or completely provide the electricity used in a building. Some multi-family buildings in large cities are using solar panels to create their own microgrid of interconnected residences in the building, drawing from a system of solar panels installed on the roof or near the building. The benefit of distributed generation is that it essentially eliminates energy loss through transmission lines, called line losses. And because most distributed generation occurs in the form of a solar system, it reduces the greenhouse gas emissions associated with electricity generation from fossil fuels. However, solar panels and their components can be costly to purchase and install. The good news for solar system owners is that sunlight is free.

Building Science We don’t really think about buildings using energy, but rather the people inside those buildings as being the energy users. However, a wide variation in construction materials and building codes from one time period to another, and one geographical area to another results in big differences among the amount of energy used in different buildings. Even though “Joe Energy” doesn’t change his behavior, he may use very little energy in a new, efficiently designed building, and may use much more energy in an older or less efficient building. Construction materials and techniques make a big difference. There are four main systems in a building that use energy: The building envelope; the HVAC system; the lighting; and the plug loads. You’ve already read about lighting and plug loads.

BUILDING ENVELOPE? How do I fold a building? The short answer is you don’t. The building envelope isn’t a literal envelope. It is the part of the building that envelops the inside – the separation between the interior of the building and the exterior of the building. When we talk about the building envelope, we are referring to the walls, doors, windows, floors, and roof. ©2020 The NEED Project

Energy, Climate, and You Student Guide

Distribution lines carry electricity to houses

Step-down transformer reduces voltage (substation)

Electric Poles

Neighborhood transformer on pole steps down voltage before entering house

All of the components of a building envelope serve to keep the interior climate under control. We want warm homes in the winter and cool homes in the summer. Walls are insulated and the materials used to construct the walls need to block thermal conductivity through them.

Insulation and R-value The earliest homes built in the United States had little or no insulation in them. The walls were made of thick timbers with plaster or canvas applied to the interior and holes plugged with clay. The walls blocked wind and the interior stayed warmer than the harsh winter temperatures outdoors, but a lot of thermal energy was lost through the walls. People often awoke to ice in their wash basins. During the Industrial Revolution, insulation was wrapped around pipes to keep them cool to the touch and avoid any burns. Asbestos was used to insulate those pipes; as a result asbestos insulation around pipes and heat duct work began appearing in homes around the turn of the 20th century. Asbestos was used until its health hazards were known in the 1970s. Many older homes still have asbestos pipe and ductwork insulation in place. Today, houses are usually insulated with fireproofed cellulose, fiberglass, or expandable spray foam. Each of these materials has their own benefits and drawbacks, but if handled correctly they are all safe to use in home construction. Insulation is measured by its R-value, or its resistance (R) to thermal conductivity. In general, materials made from wood, paper, glass, or organic foam have higher R-values. The R-value of insulation depends on the insulation type and its thickness. Building codes set by local authorities dictate the minimum R-value required in new home construction. The U.S. Department of Energy has made recommendations for attic, wall, and floor R-values in new home construction based on geographical climate.

Windows and Doors The best building design for energy efficiency would include walls with no breaks for windows or doors. However, that is both impractical and undesirable. How would you get in and out of the room? How would you know what is happening outside? What about the benefits of natural light? The reality is that putting a window or a door in a wall breaks up the thermal barrier that is the wall. It effectively pokes a hole in the wall

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U.S. Department of Energy Recommended Total R-Values for New Wood-Framed Houses 7 6 4

5 5

4 4 2

3 3 2

All of Alaska is in Zone 7 except for the following boroughs in Zone 8: Bethel Northwest Arctic, Dellingham Southeast Fairbanks, Fairbanks N. Star Wade Hampton, Nome Yukon-Koyukuk, North Slope

2 1

Zone 1 includes Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

WALL INSULATION ZONE

ATTIC

CATHEDRAL CEILING

CAVITY

INSULATION SHEATHING

FLOOR

R30 to R49

R22 to R38

R13 to R15

None

R13

R30 to R60

R22 to R38

R13 to R15

None

R13, R19 to R25

R30 to R60

R22 to R38

R13 to R15

R2.5 to R5

R25

4 5

R38 to R60

R30 to R38

R13 to R15

R2.5 to R6

R25 to R30

R38 to R60

R30 to R60

R13 to R21

R2.5 to R6

R25 to R30

R49 to R60

R30 to R60

R13 to R21

R5 to R6

R25 to R30

R49 to R60

R30 to R60

R13 to R21

R5 to R6

R25 to R30

R49 to R60

R30 to R60

R13 to R21

R5 to R6

R25 to R30

Data: U.S. Department of Energy

and creates a place where heat can flow in or out of the room. But windows and doors are necessary, so it is important to make sure they are installed to minimize thermal energy transfer through them. Windows and doors break thermal barriers two ways. First, windows and most doors have a lower R-value than the insulation in an exterior wall. Second, over time the frames holding the windows and doors can become distorted and not fit in the space well, which allows air to infiltrate around the frames. People can combat the first issue, lower R-values, by purchasing energy-efficient windows and doors when they build their homes, or by upgrading them later. Double- or triple-pane windows are much better insulators than single-pane windows, and wood or vinyl-framed windows have a higher R-value than windows with aluminum frames. A homeowner with enough money can pay to replace the windows with better, more efficient models. However, someone who is struggling to make ends meet and keep their home may not be able to afford to replace those windows. Those people, already with limited income, end up paying higher utility

bills, and it becomes a difficult cycle. People who rent their homes instead of owning them must just use whatever windows are already in place. Some landlords may agree to replace windows, but some others will not. Air infiltration is easier and less expensive to combat. Weatherstripping and caulking are used to fill gaps within and around a window or door. Weatherstripping is usually soft and made of a flexible foam or piece of rubber, and sticks to the window or door, or the inside of the frame, so that when closed the weatherstripping is compressed and fills the gap. Caulking is soft and pliable, and comes in a tube, with a consistency like thick glue. It is applied to the crack on the outside of the frame, smoothed into the crack, and allowed to cure. Homeowners need to check their windows for leaks periodically and replace the weatherstripping or add more caulk to seal leaks. While weatherstripping and caulking are much less expensive than new windows and doors, it still can be an added expense that some people are unable to meet.

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HVAC Systems HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. In commercial buildings, one vent will often be used for all three functions. A central heating system, often a boiler, and a central cooling system, called a chiller, will be used along with air handlers that pull in fresh air from outside that is heated or cooled and distributed to the rooms inside the building. That is how your school is heated or cooled, and how fresh air is brought in to combat all the stale air made by so many people in such a small space.

Relative Humidity

Warm Air

Residences function differently. Many homes have forced-air furnaces with central air conditioners attached that use the same set of duct work for heating and cooling. However, some homes have radiant heat, which means there is a radiator or heating element in each room that gets warm and radiates the thermal energy into the room. Some radiators are heated with hot water from a boiler, and some are heated with steam from a central steam line. Steam radiators in homes are most common in big cities with steam systems or large, multi-family buildings with central heating systems that service all the residences. A home with radiant heat may have central air conditioning, but older homes will more commonly have window air conditioning units in each room being cooled. Residences typically do not have fresh air intakes because there typically aren’t enough people living in a home to make fresh air necessary. As with appliances, newer HVAC systems are typically more energy efficient. Standard, natural gas, forced-air furnaces have an efficiency rating of 80 percent. This means that 80 percent of the heat generated by burning natural gas in the furnace is distributed to the home while 20 percent is lost through the chimney flue. Furnaces that are 95 percent efficient are available but they are more expensive. The energy savings can help offset that higher expense, but a family without the extra money to upgrade to an efficient model cannot realize those energy savings. The efficiency of a HVAC system is dependent upon regular maintenance, especially replacing the air filters on time. When the fan has to work hard to push conditioned air through the ducts, it will not be able to push the air to the rooms farthest away from the furnace. That results in the furnace running more often to try to heat those rooms. Dirty air filters do not allow proper air flow.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND SICK BUILDINGS Homes aren’t nearly as tightly sealed as commercial buildings like schools and office buildings, but indoor air quality is an important issue in both. By law, the air filtration systems in commercial buildings must pull in a minimal amount of fresh air each hour. This is intended to keep carbon dioxide and other indoor air pollutants at low levels. However, no such requirement exists for residential buildings like single-family homes and apartment buildings. Our daily activities at home cause small amounts of pollutants to be put out into the air inside. Cooking, cleaning, painting, new furniture and carpet, motors running on things like fans and appliances, and even perfume and other personal care products cause chemicals to build up in indoor air. Without adequate filtration and ventilation, these contaminants can make people sick. Besides chemical pollutants, moisture can be a problem as it relates to indoor air quality. Think of air as a moisture sponge. Warm air can

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Cool Air

100%

50%

25%

Cool air is like a small sponge—it holds a small amount of water. Warm air is like a larger sponge—it holds more moisture. Warming the air increases the amount of water it can hold, but the relative humidity decreases because no additional moisture is added.

hold more moisture because the atoms and molecules are moving faster and are more spread out. Warm air is like a bigger sponge. Cool air holds less moisture because the particles are spaced closer together. Cool air is like a smaller sponge. Imagine the sponge can increase or decrease in size as the temperature changes. If you add 100 mL of water to a small sponge, it might be completely saturated – it is holding all of the moisture it can hold. If that sponge expands, but no more moisture is added, it is no longer saturated, and is now holding a fraction of the water that it could potentially hold. Air works the same way. Cool air, like the smaller sponge, holds a certain amount of water. If that air is warmed, but no more moisture is added, the relative humidity goes down because it is only holding a fraction of the water that the warm air could potentially hold. In winter, when the temperature is very cold, air holds little water. For the sake of argument, let’s say the cold air outdoors is at 50% relative humidity. That same air is warmed indoors, but no additional moisture is added. The warmer air is now at 18% relative humidity. The amount of moisture hasn’t changed, but the percent saturation – relative humidity – has changed because cold air holds less moisture than warm air. The amount of moisture in the air is very important. Air with too little moisture dries out skin, eyes, noses, and mouths and promotes static electricity buildup. Air with too little moisture also will not retain thermal energy as well, and the heating system needs to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. Too much moisture will cause the pages of books to curl and promotes the growth of mold and mildew, which are

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significant health hazards. During cooling season, air with too much moisture feels muggy and uncomfortable, and the cooling system will need to work harder to keep the room comfortable. The optimal relative humidity level for indoor spaces is 30-60%. Homes with too much moisture can have indoor air quality problems related to mold and mildew growth. Occasionally, the indoor air quality becomes so bad the building is labeled as a sick building. Sick buildings are usually identified when several of the people who use the building all become sick with the same, or very similar, illnesses. Sick Building Syndrome may be temporary, as is the case with an idling truck parked near the fresh air intake of a commercial building’s air handler. These situations are usually quickly and relatively easily remedied. More worrisome, though, are the situations where the building is chronically plagued by poor indoor air quality, and occupying the building is hazardous. Buildings most prone to sick building syndrome are older and not maintained as well as they could be.

Technology Helps Improve Energy Management Advances in technology have helped us use less energy. In 1973, Americans used about 76 quadrillion Btu, or quads, of energy for heating, electricity, transportation, and every other energy need. The population of the United States in 1973 was just under 212 million people. That means every American in 1973 used about 357 million Btu of energy. For reference, one gallon of gasoline has a little over 120,000 Btu. In 2018, the population had increased to more than 327 million people, but energy use only increased to about 101 quads, or 309 million Btu per person. The population and economy of the country both increased significantly, but energy use per person actually went down. How? Improved efficiency in our appliances, our homes, and our vehicles. We also have a lot of technology that helps us use less energy.

Technological Improvements in Energy Efficiency and Its Effect on Energy Management Over Time 1973

2018

101

357

309

212

327

QUADRILLION Btu(QUADS) MILLION Btu PER PERSON MILLION PEOPLE

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES The amount of electricity used for lighting since LED bulbs became commonplace has dropped dramatically. LEDs are the most efficient way to produce light from electricity. But technology like motion-detecting switches and dimmer switches have allowed us to use even less energy to light interior spaces. Motion sensors turn lights off when no one moves in a room, and dimmer switches allow us to adjust the light level according to the task we are performing. Both are energy-saving devices. Most modern appliances are much more energy efficient than models manufactured as few as 25 years ago. Dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, and small appliances like blenders have been improved to do the same work with less energy, and in the case of dishwashers and washing machines, less water. Microwave ovens are smaller, and deliver higher cooking power than the first microwaves. More power for cooking means they run less time and use less electricity in the long run. The only major appliances that haven’t changed much are electric ranges, toasters, and toaster ovens. These all work about the same way that old models did; however, their thermostats and other controls are improved, and the walls of ovens are better insulated, so that the user can better monitor cooking and use less energy as a result.

THE INTERNET OF THINGS Earlier we referenced efficient refrigerators that can be Wi-Fi connected and allow you to know what is in your refrigerator when at the store. These kinds of devices are part of a new, global system called the Internet of Things, or IoT. The IoT refers to internetcapable devices, like appliances, smart phones, security systems, camera systems, thermostats, and other devices that use internet communication to remotely control various energy-using devices. How is the IoT an energy saver? Assume you are away from home, and you wonder if you have left the lights on in a room. A Wi-Fienabled control can allow you to use an app on a smart phone, look and see if the lights are on, and turn them off. Programmable thermostats allow us to set different temperatures for different times of the day, so we can have appropriately conditioned spaces when we are active at home, away, or at home sleeping. If you would like to override that setting while away from home, a smartphone app can help you do so. IoT devices can show you how you use energy throughout a day, week, or month, and give you tips to save energy and reduce energy costs. Engineers are learning more ways to use the IoT to help users save even more money through energy saving. The Internet of Things is a great tool if you are able to take advantage of it. People without Wi-Fi, or who do not have the money necessary to purchase these devices, cannot take advantage of the benefits this technology brings.

Data: EIA

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Climate Change EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE Our Earth is surrounded by layers of gases called the atmosphere. Without these gases in the atmosphere, the Earth would be so cold that almost nothing could live. It would be a frozen planet. Our atmosphere keeps us alive and warm. The atmosphere is made up of many different gases. Most of the atmosphere (99 percent) is comprised of oxygen and nitrogen gases. Less than half of one percent is a mixture of heat-trapping gases. These heat-trapping gases are mostly water vapor mixed with carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and F-gases. These are called greenhouse gases (GHG).

F-gases are synthetically sourced substances, also known as fluorinated gases. This group of chemicals is made of bonded halogen and carbon atoms and depending on the combination, can have a variety of uses, including insecticides, coolants, solvents, propellants, and electricity production. The presence of F-gases in the atmosphere is due to human activities. Certain types of F-gases (CFCs and HCFCs) have been or will be phased out internationally, due to their long atmospheric lifetimes and their role in ozone depletion in the stratosphere.

Albedo

Water vapor (H2O) is produced naturally through evaporation. It is the most abundant and important GHG. Human activities have little influence on the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere. However, a warmer climate increases evaporation and allows the atmosphere to hold higher concentrations of water vapor. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced naturally through plant, animal, and human respiration and volcanic eruptions. Carbon dioxide is mostly produced through human activities such as combustion of fossil fuels and biomass, industrial processes, and deforestation. Methane (CH4) is produced naturally when organic matter decays during wildfires, and from animals. Human activities are responsible for methane emissions from the production and transport of fossil fuels, managing livestock waste, and landfill decay. Nitrous oxide (N2O) comes from the bacterial breakdown of nitrogen in soil and the oceans. Human activities contribute to nitrous oxide emissions through agricultural and industrial activities, the combustion of fossil fuels, and sewage treatment. Tropospheric, or ground-level, ozone (O3) is produced in the atmosphere when chemicals from human activities interact with sunlight. These emissions are from automobiles, power plants, and other industrial sources.

Thin clouds 25% to 30%

Thick clouds 70% to 80%

Snow

Forest

50% to 90%

5% to 10%

Asphalt

5% to 10%

Dark roof

10% to 15%

Light roof 35% to 50%

U.S. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, 2018

Water

5% to 80% (varies with sun angle)

SOURCES CARBON DIOXIDE

82.42%

ELECTRICITY 29.83%

TRANSPORTATION 30.99%

INDUSTRIAL 22.08%

OTHER RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL 16.32% 0.78%

METHANE

MANMADE EMISSIONS

8.90%

ENERGY 40.05%

AGRICULTURAL 30.15%

WASTE MANAGEMENT OTHER 29.79% 0.02%

NITROUS OXIDE

6.11%

AGRICULTURAL 82.14%

ENERGY USE 10.26%

INDUSTRIAL 5.85%

WASTE 1.72%

F-GASES

2.57%

OZONE DEPLETING SUBSTANCES SEMICONDUCTORS 91.80% 2.62% Data: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency *F-gases include HCFCs, PFCs, and SF6, which are used in many different industrial applications, including refrigerants, propellants, and tracer chemicals.

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POWER TRANSMISSION METALS PRODUCTION 2.24% 1.53% HCFC-22 PRODUCTION 1.80%

SUNLIGHT AND THE ATMOSPHERE Rays of sunlight (radiant energy) shine down on the Earth every day. Some of these rays bounce off of molecules in the atmosphere and are reflected back into space. Some rays are absorbed by molecules in the atmosphere and are turned into thermal energy. About half of the radiant energy passes through the atmosphere and reaches the Earth. When the sunlight hits the Earth, most of it is converted into heat. The Earth absorbs some of this heat; the rest flows back out toward the atmosphere. This outward flow of heat keeps the Earth from getting too warm. When this out-flowing heat reaches the atmosphere, most of it is absorbed. It can’t pass through the atmosphere as readily as sunlight. Most of the heat becomes trapped and flows back toward the Earth again. Most people think it is sunlight that heats the Earth, but actually it is this contained heat that provides most of the warmth.

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT We call the trapping of thermal energy by the atmosphere the greenhouse effect. A greenhouse is a building made of clear glass or plastic in which we can grow plants in cold weather. The glass allows the sunlight to pass through, and it turns into heat when it hits objects inside. The heat becomes trapped. The radiant energy can pass through the glass; the thermal energy cannot. What is in the atmosphere that allows radiant energy to pass through but traps thermal energy? It is the presence of greenhouse gases—mostly carbon dioxide and methane. These gases are very good at absorbing heat in the atmosphere, where it can flow back toward Earth. According to studies conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and many other researchers around the world, the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased over 47 percent since the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century. Climate change experts have concluded that this increase is due primarily to the expanding use of fossil fuels. In addition to the increase in the level of carbon dioxide, there has also been a substantial rise in the amount of methane in the atmosphere. While there is much less methane in the atmosphere

SUN

s Atmo DI

p he re

RG Y

HEAT HEAT EARTH

Fluorinated gases are the best GHGs at trapping heat. While their concentrations are very low, they are 140 to 23,900 times more effective at absorbing heat than carbon dioxide. Fluorinated gases have extremely long atmospheric lifetimes, up to 50,000 years. In addition, scientists expect concentrations of fluorinated gases to increase faster than other GHGs.

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE Increased levels of greenhouse gases are trapping more heat in the atmosphere. This phenomenon is called global climate change. According to NASA, the average temperature of the Earth has risen by about 0.95°C (1.71°F) since 1880. This increase in average temperature has been the major cause of a 17 centimeter rise in sea level over that time period, as well as an increase in extreme precipitation events. Sea levels are rising because sea water expands as it warms and land-based ice is melting in the Arctic, Antarctic, and in glaciers. Regions such as the Gulf Coast of the United States and several Pacific Islands have already experienced losses to their coastlines. Recent research has also linked the increased severity of hurricanes and typhoons to global warming. Climate scientists use sophisticated computer models to make predictions about the future effects of climate change. Because of the increased level of carbon dioxide and other GHGs already in the atmosphere, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) forecasts at least another 2.5 degree Fahrenheit temperature increase over the next century. The climate models predict more floods in some places and droughts in others, along with more extreme weather, such as powerful storms and hurricanes. They predict an additional rise in sea level of up to two feet in some areas, which would lead to the loss of low-lying coastal areas. These predictions have led many scientists to call for all countries to act now to lower the amount of carbon dioxide they emit into the atmosphere. Countries around the world are working to determine ways to lower the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, while minimizing negative impacts on the global economy.

HOW CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS PEOPLE We have discussed the effects that climate change is bringing to the planet in terms of increased extreme weather events, stronger storms, longer droughts, loss of land and sea ice, and rising sea levels. But how will those changes affect people?

The Greenhouse Effect

than carbon dioxide, it is 21 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat. However, it does not remain intact as long in the atmosphere, only about 12 years.

The best way to answer that question is to say that it depends on which people you are asking about. Climate change is not going to impact everyone equally. Shorter winters and longer summers sound like a good thing, but many of the plants we rely on for food need specific soil temperatures and moisture levels to thrive. Fruit trees like apples and cherries need an extended period of time below freezing to trigger blossoming. People who live in coastal areas, such as Rhode Island, Florida, and the Gulf Coast, are already experiencing climate change impacts in smaller beaches and increased erosion of beach sand. People who live in areas just a few feet above sea level may not be able to live there in the next 50 years if sea levels continue to rise. Populations in areas prone to hurricanes are also at risk as storms become more severe and increase in frequency. ©2020 The NEED Project Energy, Climate, and You Student Guide

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It’s easy to say that people living in these areas should just move. That’s the most simple solution, right? Just move to a different city or town that is further inland and away from the dangers of storm surge flooding and coastal erosion. Nothing is quite that simple. People who own homes in these areas will need to sell those homes to be able to purchase a new home elsewhere. Who will buy the house? How much will people be willing to pay to live in a threatened area? And what about people who don’t own their homes, cannot afford to move, or must sustain a job or business in the affected area? The impacts that climate change have on people are not limited to living in one place vs. another. Increased drought and longer, hotter summers will force people to use more water and energy to keep cool. People who cannot afford to do so will be at greater risk for heat-related health issues and higher energy and water bills. Climate change will impose an even greater financial burden on a group of people already struggling financially. The health effects of climate change are many, and widely varied. Some of the effects are seemingly mild, like asthma, allergies, foodborne diseases, and nutrition effects; these impacts can lead to long-term, life-threatening conditions if not handled quickly. Developmental effects from climate change will impact unborn or growing, developing children, and the mental health of all individuals can be negatively impacted by the effects climate change brings. More serious health issues arising from climate change include neurological diseases and disorders, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer. Many of these health effects, especially asthma, cardiovascular disease, and stroke, disproportionately impact people of color nation-wide. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, African Americans were almost three times more likely to die from asthma-related causes than white Americans. African American children were four times more likely to be admitted to the hospital for asthma. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that in 2017, 9.5 percent of African Americans were diagnosed with heart disease, lower than the 11.5 percent of non-Hispanic white adults. However, the death rate from heart disease for African Americans is 208 per 100,000 people for African Americans, 23 percent higher than the 168 per 100,000 for non-Hispanic white adults. The impacts of climate change, both from an environmental perspective as well as a health standpoint, disproportionately affect more African Americans than other populations. To ignore the impact that climate change is having right now is to also dismiss as unimportant the high toll it inflicts on minority communities and the people living within them.

URBAN, SUBURBAN, AND RURAL AREA IMPACTS We all know that not every neighborhood is equal to every other neighborhood. There are vast geographical and economical differences among neighborhoods across the country. Some were established centuries ago while others are brand-new and still developing. However, if we break neighborhoods into three types – urban, suburban, and rural – we can more easily see the impacts climate change has on different areas and how those impacts vary.

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The Heat Island Effect Some materials, like concrete and stone, will absorb and hold a lot of thermal energy. These materials are referred to as “heat sinks” because they can be used to store thermal energy and release it later. Some homes use concrete and stone along with direct sunlight as a wintertime heating strategy. Urban areas have a lot of concrete, asphalt, stone, and brick, and not much green space with grass, trees, and soil. As a result, the buildings, sidewalks, and streets absorb and hold excess thermal energy throughout the day, releasing it slowly at night. have only a few blocks considered “downtown.” People who live in these neighborhoods are usually in multi-family buildings where space is a premium. The areas immediately surrounding these downtown areas may include old industrial areas, remnants of when the cities were first established, and neighborhoods of older homes. Urban neighborhoods have characteristics not always found in suburban or rural neighborhoods. First, they are very densely populated. Second, because of the number of people packed into a smaller space, the number of vehicles is higher than suburban or rural areas. This leads to reduced outdoor air quality. Third, they are prone to the heat island effect. Thus temperatures in urban neighborhoods tend to be higher year-round than in the suburban and rural areas nearby. Urban neighborhoods also typically have small amounts of green space with trees, grass, and exposed soil that can counteract the impacts of high population density and vehicle emissions. Trees and other plants absorb sunlight and keep it from being absorbed by sidewalks and streets. As the number of trees in an urban area increases, the heat island effect decreases. Climate change will cause urban neighborhoods to feel the effects of increased global temperatures first. As people demand more energy for cooling, utilities will find it more difficult to meet that demand, straining the grid. Furthermore, a higher energy demand will result in more fossil fuel combustion to generate power, which will compound the effect. Increased temperatures can also exacerbate air quality issues, further affecting the heath of those in urban areas.

Suburban Neighborhoods Suburban neighborhoods are less densely populated and the homes typically have at least a small amount of green space around them. Most of the homes are single-family homes, but multi-family apartment buildings are also common. However, these multi-family buildings tend to be fewer stories high, and are often built close to each other in an apartment complex consisting of driveways, parking areas, green space, and some community facilities like a pool or clubhouse. Many people who live in suburban areas work in the large cities they surround; as a result, suburban neighborhoods tend to be quiet during the week day, with activity increasing in the evenings and on the weekends. Suburban neighborhoods are where you will find neatly manicured lawns that have been watered, fertilized, and well-maintained. There are usually many parks, and areas built for specific sports

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like baseball or soccer fields. All of these green spaces help keep suburban areas cooler, but they require significant energy and water resources to keep them mowed and green.

overcome those challenges. But are those solutions equitable? Can everyone contribute equally to the solutions, and can everyone benefit equally from them?

Climate change will impact suburban neighborhoods by increasing the demand for water for yard maintenance as well as increased energy demand to keep the buildings cool. While the demand will not be as high as in urban areas, suburban areas may become more prone to brownouts or rolling blackouts as the large cities demand more power from utilities.

Energy burden describes the proportion of a household’s income that is used to pay for energy – usually electricity and natural gas, but also fuel for a vehicle. Think about the different types of households in our country. There are some that have more money than they can use in a lifetime, and some that need to make choices between eating and paying for electricity. Who do you think has the higher energy burden? If the average American family pays $2,200 a year for utilities, which households have no problem paying that amount, and which households struggle? Small reductions in energy use can have a dramatic impact on the energy burden of a household with less than average income. But we have seen how the most basic ways of saving energy aren’t always within the grasp of all families. Weatherproofing windows and doors and changing out light bulbs for LED bulbs may prove too costly, even though in the long run they pay for themselves. If a solution costs $20, and a family doesn’t have that $20 to spend, it is not within their reach.

The buildings in suburban areas are typically built from lumber and other building materials with less structural integrity than the concrete and stone buildings in urban areas. Climate change has already increased the severity of storms and will continue to do so. Suburban neighborhoods will be under even greater threat from strong winds generated by severe storms.

Rural Neighborhoods Rural neighborhoods are sparsely populated and are where we find all of our agricultural centers. If you like to eat, thank a rural neighborhood for producing that food for you! Rural areas have wide, open land with acres upon acres of crops or grazing land for livestock. Some rural areas in the northern parts of the country have large, unpopulated forests that are a resource for the timber industry. One of the challenges of rural life is the availability of resources people in urban or suburban areas might take for granted. Many rural areas may have spotty internet and cell phone coverage, and some don’t even have access to cable television or natural gas lines. Many rural homes rely on satellite dishes and portable energy sources like propane and wood to meet their energy needs. Rural homes are typically located the farthest from power plants. If the electric grid is strained or disrupted, rural neighborhoods are usually the first to lose power. As a result, many rural residents own generators that burn gasoline or propane to generate a small amount of power to meet their most basic needs. Climate change may lead to electricity shortages for rural communities at the end of transmission lines. Rural residents are accustomed to being more self-sufficient than urban or suburban residents, but they cannot do without electricity indefinitely. Climate change may also lead to lower crop yields due to drought and storm damage, which will impact us all with food shortages but strike a double blow to rural families who farm for their main source of income.

Combatting Climate Change: Who Benefits? You have read about energy sources, and how using fossil fuels is leading to climate change. You have read about energy efficiency and conservation, and ways to decrease energy use. You have read about buildings and the importance of indoor air quality. You have read about different types of neighborhoods and how climate change will impact them. Each of these sections has presented challenges associated with energy use and some potential ways to

Which households are most impacted by the effects of climate change? The answer is, it depends. Geography plays an important role as we’ve discussed earlier. Financial resources also affect how much of an impact climate change inflicts on a household. Those with a low energy burden can probably afford to pay higher rates or use more energy to stay comfortable. However, people already stretched to the limit financially cannot afford even a slight increase in their energy bills. If a low income family is paying $2,200 for utilities, and that amount is increased to $2,400, it may mean they are unable to purchase other necessities, or may have one of their utility services shut off. Which neighborhoods can fight against climate change the best? Low-income, urban neighborhoods would benefit greatly from planting more trees and having more green spaces. The heat island effect would be reduced, and outdoor air quality would improve. But those who live in such neighborhoods often lack the financial resources to purchase and plant trees and care for green spaces. Those neighborhoods would also benefit most from low-emission vehicles, but the people living there often cannot afford to purchase them, or to have electric charging stations installed. Furthermore, many of the emissions they are exposed to may come from those outside commuting into and around their neighborhood. The people experiencing the deepest impacts of climate change are also the same people least able to combat them. The goal of this section is not to leave you feeling hopeless and helpless. It is to inspire you. How can you solve these problems? How can you make energy use a more equitable, less burdensome reality for people? Where there are problems, what solutions can you find? How can you improve the health and safety of people without increasing greenhouse gas emissions? What would you do? The global climate is changing, and as it changes it will impact some people more than others. The challenge is to find ways to slow its growth and prevent it from being an irreversible human catastrophe.

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Energy In Rhode Island Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the U.S., but when it comes to smart energy decisions, Rhode Islanders make big waves! Rhode Islanders consume less energy per capita than residents of any other state. Additionally, Rhode Island is ranked in the top ten states that use the least amount of energy compared to the size of their economy. The Ocean State has made a commitment to being a leader in energy consumption, energy efficiency, and climate change mitigation through such programs as the Resilient Rhode Island Act, and Executive Order 20-01, which set a target of meeting 100% of the state’s electricity demand with renewable energy by 2030. The road to reducing climate change impacts and meeting 100% renewables is achievable, but it’s important to look at where the state stands presently in order to meet this goal. These charts and graphs will help you take a closer look at energy use in the Ocean State and better understand the state’s focus on energy efficiency and conservation while working towards reducing climate change impacts and strengthening the state’s climate resiliency.

Energy At A Glance – U.S. and Rhode Island, 2018 U.S. Population

327.1 Million

Rhode Island Population

1.1 Million

U.S. Energy Production

95.722 Q

Renewables

11.617 Q

Nonrenewables

75.667 Q

Rhode Island Energy Production 6.6 Trillion Btu Renewables 6.6 Trillion Btu Nonrenewables

0.0 Btu

U.S. Energy Consumption

100.961 Q

Renewables

11.301 Q

Nonrenewables

89.660 Q

Rhode Island Energy Consumption

Energy Infrastructure in Rhode Island

199.1 Trillion Btu

Renewables 10.0 Trillion Btu Nonrenewables

189.1 Trillion Btu

Q = Quad (1015 Btu) Data: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Rhode Island Fast Facts

Rhode Islanders pay the second highest cost per kilowatt-hour of electricity in the U.S. at 23¢. Rhode Islanders use the LEAST amount of energy per person in the U.S. Rhode Island is home to the nation’s first offshore wind farm. Onshore and offshore wind capacity totals 75 MW.

Solar

CO2

Wind Natural Gas Hydropower Map courtesy of EIA

Petroleum

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Rhode Island ranks 49th in U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, emitting around 10 million metric tons. Rhode Island might be the smallest state, but it has nearly 400 miles of coastline with its coves, bays, islands, and beaches.

Rhode Island Energy Consumption by Sector, 2018 INDUSTRIAL 11.68%

TRANSPORTATION 31.47%

Rhode Island Energy Consumption by Source, 2018 NONRENEWABLE, 95.38%

COMMERCIAL 24.37%

RESIDENTIAL 32.49%

Petroleum

42.39%

Uses: transportation, manufacturing - Includes Propane

Data: Energy Information Administration *Total does not equal to 100% due to independent rounding.

Rhode Island Electricity Generation by Source, 2018

RENEWABLE, 4.97%

Biomass

3.67%

Uses: electricity, heating, transportation

Natural Gas 52.99%

Hydropower <0.1%

Coal

0.0%

Wind

0.7%

Uranium

0.0%

Solar

0.60%

Uses: electricity, heating, manufacturing - Includes Propane

Uses: electricity

PERCENTAGE OF THE ELECTRICITY PORTFOLIO 94.29%

Natural Gas

Biomass

2.52%

Wind

1.89%

Petroleum

0.90%

Solar

Uses: electricity, manufacturing

Uses: electricity

0.34%

0.05%

Uses: electricity, heating

*Propane consumption figures are reported as part of petroleum and natural gas totals.

Propane Hydropower

Uses: electricity

Uses: heating, manufacturing Source: Energy Information Administration *Total doesn’t equal 100% due to independent rounding.

Geothermal <0.1% Uses: electricity, heating

Data: Energy Information Administration **Total does not equal 100% due to independent rounding.

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Map of Rhode Island

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Candy Collector ? Question  What happens when energy resources are limited?

 Hypothesis Write a statement describing how you think societies respond when energy resources are limited.

 Materials 1 Straw per person 1 Dish of candies per group 1 Empty container per group 1 Clear cup per group

Procedure Part 1 1. You will work with a partner or in a small group and represent an energy-using community. What name will you give your community? How many people are in your community? 2. Your teacher will supply a dish of candies and an empty container. The candies represent energy sources available to your community. 3. When instructed by your teacher, use the straw only to pick up pieces of candy and deposit them into the empty container. You will have 15 seconds to do this and must not use your hands in any way. 4. One 15-second period represents one year. Count the number of candies you were able to transfer in one “year” and enter that number in the data table. This represents the amount of energy your community needs for the year. How long do you think your energy will last? Discuss as a group. 5. Your teacher will lead you through two more “years”. Enter the number of candies you transferred each year, then calculate the average amount of energy, in numbers of candies, your community uses in a year. Part 2 1. Your teacher will provide a second type of candy, representing renewable energy resources. 2. Repeat the procedure you followed in Part 1, but this time after each “year,” you may return the renewable energy candies to your source bowl. The other candies represent nonrenewable resources and cannot be replaced. Part 3 1. Your teacher will have you reset your candies, and may add to or take away from the candies available to you. Your teacher may also alter the number of renewable candies you have. 2. Repeat the procedure for Part 2, again paying attention to the candy types when finishing a year and resetting for the next.

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 Data and Observations Community Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Community Members: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

PART

YEAR 1

YEAR 2

YEAR 3

AVERAGE

PERCENT RENEWABLE

1 2 3 Calculate the per capita energy use for your community. Take the average number of candies used in part 1, and divide it by the number of people in your community.

Calculate the percent renewable energy used in your community in Parts 2 and 3. Take the number of renewable resources (second candy type) and divide it by the average number of candies used in each part.

 Conclusion 1. How much energy (number of candies) did your community use per year, on average, in Part 1? How does this compare to other communities of a similar size in your class?

2. What is the per capita energy use for your class? Per capita means for each person. Add the average number of candies for each community from Part 1, and divide it by the total number of people in class. How does your community compare to the class average?

3. What percentage of your energy consumption was represented by renewable resources in Part 2? How does that compare with the actual energy consumption of the United States (refer back to the informational text, page 2)?

4. What was the advantage to using renewable energy sources in Parts 2 and 3? Were they more difficult to acquire, or about the same?

5. What happened to your available energy resources in Part 3? Was every community allotted the same amount of candies? How does this represent energy resource distribution across the country and around the world?

6. What if you had to buy the candies before starting the activity? Would that change how you use energy? Explain your answer.

7. If you had to buy the candies before starting the activity, and not every community had the same amount of money to use, how would that feel? What would that change about the way you approach the activity?

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Today in Energy ? Question  How do the energy using choices we make every day impact climate change?

 Hypothesis Write a statement describing how you think energy use impacts climate change.

 ! Caution Do not look directly at the sun or its reflection; doing so can be harmful to your eyesight.

 Materials for each group 1 set of Today in Energy cards, provided by your teacher OR 1 set of Today in Energy cards, made by you and your partner

Procedure Pre-printed cards 1. Study the cards your teacher provided you. Each represents a different activity you might engage during a typical day. Look at the two choices, and turn the card so that the choice you would make is facing up. 2. Your teacher will provide energy buck prices for each choice you have made. Add up the cost of your day’s activities. 3. Think about your day and use a blank card to make a Today in Energy card for an activity you do almost daily that is not represented by the pre-printed cards your teacher gave you. Indicate an energy conserving choice for that activity, and an energy hogging choice for that activity. Assign each an energy buck price. 4. Discuss with your class the choices you made and how those choices might impact climate change. Making your own cards 1. Your teacher will give you some cardstock or some 3x5 cards. 2. Think about your typical day, and on a piece of scrap paper list the activities you do every day. List at least ten. 3. Think of two ways you can accomplish each activity in your list. One choice should be an energy conserving choice and the other should be more of an energy hogging choice. Write one on one side of a card and one on the other side of the same card. 4. On a separate page, assign energy price values for each choice within each activity. 5. Trade card sets with a partner, and decide how you would structure that person’s day given those activities. 6. Have your partner evaluate your energy bill based on the choices you made. 7. As a class, discuss the activities you included in your day and the choices you selected. Discuss the changes you each could make to help fight climate change.

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 Data and Obeservations Fill in the data table below with the choices you made during the activity. Put a star or check-mark in the box containing the option you selected. Add the energy buck prices for each option, and record your score.

ACTIVITY

OPTION A WITH ENERGY BUCK PRICE

OPTION B WITH ENERGY BUCK PRICE

YOUR SCORE

 Conclusions 1. What principles were behind the decisions that you made?

2. Would you say your choices would reduce climate change, or promote it? Explain your answer.

3. Sometimes it is not possible to make conservation choices and we are forced into a choice that uses more energy. Cite an example of this from one of the cards in your deck or another person’s card deck and explain what factors might force someone into the option that uses more energy.

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Student Energy Audit ? Question  How do schools use energy?

 Hypothesis Write a statement explaining at least five ways you think your school uses energy.

 Materials Energy Audit Tools Thermometer Hygrometer Light meter Kill A Watt® meter Pencil or Pen Student Energy Audit Form Recommended Light Levels list

Procedure 1. Your teacher will assign your small group to a specific room, or area in the building, to measure. Record each of these spaces on its own individual Student Energy Audit Form. 2. On the day you are assigned, quietly and politely go to your first assigned room or space. If there are others using the space, stand in a corner and quietly make your observations or take your measurements. Make sure to record all items on the audit form. 3. As a class, discuss the information you gathered. Are there some rooms that are too warm or too cool? Summer temperatures should be around 75 °F and winter temperatures should be around 72 °F. 4. Compare the light meter readings with the Recommended Light Levels list. Are there any areas that are too bright or not bright enough? 5. Discuss objects that are plugged in and running or in “sleep mode.” Are these being used, or soon to be used, by students or teachers? Could any of these be turned off? 6. Make a list of recommendations for the entire school community to implement that can help your school use less energy using the data table. Prepare a presentation for your principal or school district leaders with your findings and recommendations. 7. Develop and implement a school-wide energy saving campaign, if time allows. 8. After an energy saving campaign has been implemented and running for awhile, return to your assigned space(s) and measure energy use again.

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 Data and Observations Use the Student Energy Audit Form to record your data for each individual room or space in the school that you audit. Use this space to record generalizations that you and your class agree upon. List rooms that are too warm:

List rooms that are too cool:

List rooms that are too bright:

List rooms that are too dim:

List devices that are being left on while no one is using them:

List any other ways in which energy is not being used wisely:

 Conclusions 1. Would you say your school is using energy wisely? Why or why not? Cite evidence from your own observations, as well as those from the rest of your class, to support your answer.

2. What recommendations for saving energy would you, or did you, make to your school leaders?

3. How does what you learned about your school translate to the way you use energy at home? List at least 3 differences and 3 similarities.

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Can I Really Fry An Egg On The Sidewalk? ? Question  Which surface(s) outside are the hottest on sunny days?

 Hypothesis Write a statement explaining which surfaces you think are hottest on sunny days, and why.

 Materials IR thermometer Access to outdoors Sunny day

Procedure 1. Your teacher will demonstrate the proper use of the infrared (IR) thermometer. 2. Use a weather app on your phone or an Internet source to get the outdoor temperature. If your school has an outdoor thermometer, use that instead. 3. When instructed, go outdoors and locate objects within the specified temperature range using the IR thermometer. Record them in the data table.

 Data Outdoor temperature: _________________________

TEMPERATURE RANGE

OBJECTS(S) FOUND IN SUNLIGHT

OBJECT(S) FOUND IN SHADE

0-10 °C (only in cool or cold months) 11-15 °C 16-20 °C 21-25 °C 26-30 °C 31-35 °C 36-40 °C

 Conclusion 1. 2. 3. 4.

Which surfaces were the hottest? What are those surfaces made of? Which surfaces were coolest? What are those surfaces made of? Look at the objects in the hottest temperature ranges on your list. What do they have in common? List at least three similarities. Using the data you collected, estimate the temperature each of the objects below would have if they had been outside with you on the day you recorded your data. Explain your reasoning. a. Black recliner b. Red toy wagon made of steel c. White beach umbrella d. Stone statue of Katherine Johnson e. Bronze statue of Marie Curie

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Plug Loads ? Question  How much energy do all the plug-in devices in school use? How much does this electricity cost?

 Materials Computer with a spreadsheet program, like Microsoft Excel Kill A Watt® meter Stopwatches or timers (optional)

Procedure 1. In your science notebook, make a list of every single plug-in device in your classroom, regardless of whether it is currently being used. Do not include overhead lighting turned on with a wall switch. List duplicate devices only once, noting how many are present. For example, if there are three computers, just list “computer” and then note that there are three present. 2. Using the Kill A Watt® meter, determine the power load of the device when it is running. Also determine whether the device has a phantom load by observing the meter when the device is powered off. Phantom loads show as power used on the meter even when the device is off. If you are unable to plug the device into the meter, use the UL label to determine the maximum power the machine uses. The UL label is located on the back or in another inconspicuous area. 3. Estimate how many hours per day each device is used. You might do this in a small group or as a class, as instructed by your teacher. You can also time how long a device is used, and then estimate the number of times per day it is used and multiply by this time. For example, shredders do not run all the time, and are usually only used a few times a day. You would time how long it takes to shred a sheet of paper, then multiply by the number of times a sheet is shredded. 4. Most devices run all of the time, but some do not. For example, the compressor on a mini-fridge only runs about 1/3 the time (33%) even though it is plugged in all day, every day. This is called its cycle time. Note the devices that have a cycle time of less than 100%. Develop a quick procedure for determining the cycle time of refrigerators, air conditioners, space heaters, etc. Devices that stay plugged in but only run intermittently, like pencil sharpeners, should only be calculated based on the actual number of minutes per day they are used. They do not have a cycle time. 5. Devices with multiple operating modes, like printers and copiers, should be checked with the meter in each mode, and the number of minutes the device runs in each mode should be estimated. 6. Determine the number of days per year that the devices are used. Many things in a school are turned off over weekends and breaks, but not all are. For example, refrigerators are usually left plugged in all day, every day. Computers might be in sleep mode overnight and on weekends, but are powered completely off over long breaks. 7. Create a spreadsheet or use the one your teacher provides to calculate the total kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity used by the device in one year, and to calculate the cost to run this device. If more than one is present, multiply by the number of devices of this type in your classroom.

 Data If you are setting up a spreadsheet of your own, construct it in a way that makes sense to you but also makes the information your teacher is looking for easy to find. Make sure you include places to record or calculate the watts, kilowatt-hours, cycle time, mode, and cost to run for a year. Intermediate calculations that are helpful, but not required, are number of each device, watts to kilowatts, cost of operation for a day, number of days used in one year (up to 365), and annual kWh.

 Conclusion 1. Which devices are the biggest energy users in your classroom? Which devices use the least amount of energy? 2. Were you surprised by any devices that used more or less energy than you originally expected? 3. Identify three action items your class can take to reduce energy consumption, and calculate how much money can be saved by implementing them.

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Greenhouse in a Beaker ? Question  What affect does adding carbon dioxide to the air have on the air’s temperature during the day and during the night?

 Hypothesis Write a statement explaining how you think carbon dioxide affects air temperature during the day and night.

 Materials 2 600 mL Beakers 1 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask 1 Rubber stopper with hole 1 Piece of vinyl tubing, 3/16” diameter 1 Clip light 1 1000-1100 lumen Bulb (equivalent to 75-watt incandescent) 1 Ruler 2 Digital thermometers Small piece of masking tape 4 Alka-Seltzer® tablets Safety glasses 240 mL Water (room temperature)

Procedure Part 1—Day 1. Set up the light source 15 cm in front of the two beakers. The beakers should be receiving equal light. 2. Insert the tubing through the hole in the 250 mL flask, making sure to keep the tubing from reaching the bottom of the flask. Place the other end of the tubing near the bottom of one of the beakers. Secure the tubing inside this beaker with a small piece of masking tape. 3. Add 120 mL of water to the flask. Be sure the tubing is not in the water. 4. Turn on the clip light. Wait for the temperature in each beaker to stabilize. The temperatures in the beakers should be similar, but they do not have to be exactly the same. 5. Record the stable temperature of each beaker in the data table. 6. Break two Alka-Seltzer® tablets in half and drop the pieces into the flask. Secure the rubber stopper into the flask and make sure the tubing still leads from the flask to the beaker. 7. Record the temperature of each beaker every 30 seconds for three minutes. Part 2—Night 1. After you have data to model temperatures during the day, empty out your beakers and flask. Refill the flask with 120 mL water. Resecure the tubing inside one of the beakers. 2. Turn on the clip light. Wait for the temperature to stabilize. The temperatures in the beakers should be similar, but they do not have to be exactly the same. 3. Record the stable temperature of each beaker in the data table. 4. Break two more Alka-Seltzer® tablets in half and drop the pieces into the flask. Secure the rubber stopper as done before. 5. Turn off the light. 6. Record the temperature of each beaker every 30 seconds for three minutes.

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 Data Simulated Day Data

RANGE

BEAKER 1 (WITHOUT CO2)

BEAKER 2 (WITH CO2)

BEAKER 1 (WITHOUT CO2)

BEAKER 2 (WITH CO2)

Beginning Temperature 30 seconds 1 minute 1 minute, 30 seconds 2 minutes 2 minutes, 30 seconds 3 minutes Simulated Night Data

RANGE Beginning Temperature 30 seconds 1 minute 1 minute, 30 seconds 2 minutes 2 minutes, 30 seconds 3 minutes

Create a graph displaying both the day and night temperatures for both beakers.

 Conclusion 1. Do you accept or reject your hypothesis? What were the results of your investigation? Use data to explain what happened.

2. Why do you think this happened?

3. How does this demonstration relate to climate change?

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Carbon In My Life Informational Text Carbon is one of the most common elements in the world and is in nearly everything. Carbon dioxide is also often released as a byproduct in the manufacturing, transportation, and use of products, food, individual transportation, and daily energy consumption. Remember that our “carbon footprint” is the total amount of carbon dioxide contributed by all of the things we do and all of the things we use, at home or at school. You can probably think of a few ways to reduce your carbon footprint, including walking instead of driving, switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs or LED bulbs, and recycling. Today, people are looking closely at new ways to reduce their carbon footprint, or the carbon in their lives. In this activity, you’ll learn how to investigate the carbon impacts of the products you use, the foods you eat, the energy and water you use, and of the different forms of transportation you use. You will select items to study and develop strategies to reduce your carbon footprint at school. Later, you can apply some of the same strategies at home.

Products

on supplies like cups and straws because their customers use reusable ones, it often leads to discounts for those customers.

Foods The foods you eat also have an impact on the amount of carbon in your life. Where does most of your food come from? There are many places our food and food products can come from. Some people eat foods that they have grown and produced themselves. Many people buy all of their foods at the grocery store or local market. Does all of the food we eat get produced locally? In many cases, the items we eat are shipped in from all over the country, and sometimes the world! Not all foods can be grown year-round, or in all climates, but we eat them anyway to supplement our diets. If it is cold and wintry where you live, the produce you buy at the store is probably not produced locally, it is shipped in from other areas. Some foods like animal products, or foods with multiple ingredients, require more energy to produce and keep them healthy for those who eat them. Items that must be transported long distances or require more energy to produce will have a much greater carbon impact.

To determine the carbon impact for any product we buy or use, we have to look at the “life cycle” for that product. The product life cycle includes everything that had to happen to make that item, deliver it to you, and what happens to it when you’re done. Thinking about a product’s life cycle can tell us a lot about its carbon impact.

Some foods use a lot of packaging. This packaging has a carbon footprint all its own and is different for plastic wrapping, paper boxes, or foam containers. Usually, the less packaging any product has, the lower its carbon footprint. What do we do with the packaging? Is it recycled?

It is also important to think about whether a product is disposable or not. Disposable products can include everyday items like bottles, plates, silverware, and drinking straws. Diapers, writing utensils, contact lenses, and even items like gift cards are considered disposable. If you receive a gift card or give a gift card as a present, what do you do with it? Many people use a gift card and when the value has been used completely, they throw it away. These gift cards often come with different types of packaging around them, and we often go even further and wrap them more decoratively. Some gift cards can be reloaded with value added to them. Many disposable products can even be used twice or several times. There are also many reusable alternatives to disposable products. Whether you use disposable or reusable products, either option involves the mining, extraction, refining, manufacture, and shipping of parts and packaging, often including plastics. Each of these individual steps involves energy use and carbon impacts. Many disposable products can be made from recycled materials, which means less energy and carbon were involved in their manufacture. Try to use products made from recycled content as much as possible. When recyclable or reusable alternatives to disposable products are used, they can reduce your carbon impact by a significant amount. If you purchase a reusable cup and straw you will have created far less waste and reduced your carbon footprint. Purchasing online “e”-gift cards or using appbased payment can save on waste and impacts as well. Some businesses even reward customers for using reusable products or for environmentally-friendly purchases. If stores can cut costs

Like products, leftover food has a life after we’re done with it. Are we sending leftover food items down the drain, into a landfill, or are we sending them to a compost pile to be turned into rich soil for a garden?

Think about the life cycle for every plastic fork or disposable plate you might use in one year. Would it be better to use plates and utensils that are used over and over again, or would it require too much water and energy to clean and dry them? Compostable utensils and containers are now readily available and common. How would these be better for the environment than disposable utensils? How many different ways is carbon involved in the refrigeration, preparation, handling, and transportation of food at your school or home?

GIFT CARD

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Energy

CFL LIGHT BULB

LED BULB

We all use many forms of energy at school and at home, including our lights and computers, heating and cooling rooms, running our refrigerators and phones, and more. There are two main ways to reduce the carbon footprint of the energy we use. The easiest way to reduce our energy use is by conservation. Conservation is simply saving by changing our behaviors—to remember to turn off lights and other electrical devices when not in use and to set thermostats to use less energy to heat and cool rooms. Look around your classroom to see how many different items are plugged in and using electricity. Another way to use less energy is by energy efficiency or using better equipment. Switching light bulbs to compact fluorescents (CFLs) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs and buying ENERGY STAR® appliances, as well as insulating and weather-stripping our homes are examples of energy efficiency at work. The second way to reduce the carbon footprint of the energy we use is in using renewable resources or less carbon-rich forms of energy. Coal is a nonrenewable resource that makes a large percentage of our electricity, but has a significant carbon footprint. Electricity can come from using renewable resources—wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric power. These sources create no CO2 during energy production and are called “carbon neutral.” While nuclear energy is nonrenewable, there are no emissions associated with electricity generation, so electricity generated from nuclear power is also carbon neutral.

WIND TURBINES

Some utility companies give customers the opportunity to request that most or all of their electricity comes from carbon neutral sources or purchase these credits on their bill. Some schools and homes are equipped with solar photovoltaic systems or wind turbines that generate as much electricity throughout the year as the buildings use. There are many ways to decrease your energy carbon footprint.

Water

WATER FAUCET

You might not think that the water we use can add to our carbon footprint, but it does. The processes of finding, purifying, treating, and transporting water involve energy and have a carbon footprint. When we are done with the water it goes to a sewage or water treatment plant and these steps add to water’s carbon footprint. So, using less water reduces your carbon footprint on the input side and on the output side of your use. It takes energy to heat our water, and this process creates carbon dioxide. If the water heater settings are too high, lowering the setting can lower your carbon footprint. The two greatest ways we can reduce the carbon footprint of the water we use are to use less and to manage the water we’re using differently. There are many ideas for using less water: take short showers instead of baths, don’t let the water run while you brush your teeth or wash dishes, and be sure that your sprinkler systems are not wasting water. Installing low-flow toilets and showerheads will save a lot of water and lower your carbon footprint.

created. Whenever you can, don’t send water down the drain; use it to water plants or trees instead.

When our wastewater leaves our house or school, it goes to a treatment plant that uses energy and where more carbon dioxide is

Think of all the places water is used at your school and try to think of ways to take action to reduce your carbon footprint.

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Transportation

NATURAL GAS BUS

For Americans, transportation choices make up a large part of our carbon footprint. Over long distances we can travel by car, by bus, by train, or by plane. Train travel tends to have the lowest carbon impact and air travel has the highest. Most of us need to use some form of transportation every day. The choices for most people are to use a car, a bus, a local rapid transit, a bicycle, or to walk. Some ways to reduce our carbon footprint include driving less by combining errands into fewer trips, driving slower on the highway, and carpooling. Four people carpooling to school or work in one car use a fraction of the energy of four people in separate cars. Whenever possible, walk, bike, or use public transportation. When we have to use a car, we should remember that some cars, like hybrids, are much more efficient than others, and maintaining proper tire pressure and keeping the car tuned-up leads to better fuel economy and reduced carbon emissions.

Image courtesy of United States Environmental Protection Agency

PAPER BAG

PLASTIC BAG

At school, we can encourage students to walk or bike, or find ways for students to carpool. Some schools have a “no-idling” rule when students are being picked up after school, which cuts down on the amount of fuel burned and the amount of emissions released. What are the different ways students and teachers use transportation at your school? What are some ways you can reduce your carbon footprint in the ways you use transportation?

Comparing Carbon Footprints Paper or Plastic Shopping Bags?

Which product do you think uses less energy and has a lower carbon footprint? Both have impacts in their manufacture, transportation, and disposal, but a life cycle analysis shows that neither is perfect. Paper bags are made of a renewable resource, wood, and they are recyclable. Plastic bags are made of nonrenewable petroleum, but use less energy in their manufacture and transportation. They don’t decompose well in a landfill, but they are recyclable too. It actually takes more than four times the energy to make a paper bag and, because they take up more space, it takes more energy to transport them in bulk. Recycling paper and plastic bags will help decrease your carbon footprint, but the very best choice is to use a reusable shopping bag made of canvas or recycled plastic. These are becoming widely available at stores and are, by far, more environmentally friendly than any disposable bag.

Foam or Paper Drinking Cups?

Foam, or Styrofoam™, has many uses including drinking cups. Foam cups are recyclable, but they are not biodegradable. If foam is not properly disposed of and ends up in the environment, it can remain there for hundreds of years. Paper cups are often recyclable and will break down in the environment more quickly than foam, but in landfills both take up space and will not readily decompose. Studies show that it actually takes more energy to produce paper cups, so the carbon footprint for these is greater than for foam cups. A third type of cup becoming available is compostable drinking cups. These can be made of organic materials like cornstarch, and they break down harmlessly when composted with plant

REUSABLE GROCERY BAG

and vegetable materials. Other compostable eating utensils are available, like forks and knives, but they can be more expensive to purchase. As we found with shopping bags, an alternative to disposable cups is to use washable glass, plastic, ceramic, or metal drinking containers. When we wash them we use some energy and water, but we do not have to make them over and over and we create less of a problem with waste. As you study the carbon footprint for any of the items in your everyday life, remember that there are misconceptions about what choices are better for the environment. New products and ideas are being created every day, and it’s important to do a little research to be sure that you make the best choices.

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Aluminum Can Life Cycle Comparison Several steps are needed to create a new product. When we use recycled materials we eliminate several steps, and the reduction of processes and transportation means less energy is used during the life cycle. This also results in fewer emissions of carbon dioxide due to electricity use and transportation.

Non-Recycled Aluminum Can Life Cycle CO2 from smelting aluminum

CO2 from mining/refining process

CO2 from transport

Mining and Refining

CO2 from transport

Smelter

Can Factory

CO2 from transport

Bottling Plant

CO2 from transport

School Vending Machine

Landfill ELECTRICITY Fossil Fuel Power Plant

CO2 from generating electricity

Recycled Aluminum Can Life Cycle CO2 from reprocessing aluminum

CO2 from transport

Aluminum Reclamation Plant

ALUMINUM FACTS

Bottling Plant

School Vending Machine Recycling Facility

ELECTRICITY Fossil Fuel Power Plant

CO2 from generating electricity

CO2 from transport

In the U.S., 100 billion aluminum beverage cans are produced annually; a little more than half of those are returned for recycling. The energy used to make one aluminum beverage can is about 7,000 Btu. Recycling saves 95 percent of the energy it would take to make new metal from ore. It takes about 60 days for aluminum beverage containers to be recycled and reappear on store shelves. Data: Alcoa

Every product you use has a life cycle and associated carbon dioxide impacts before and after its use. With a little research you can find out where the energy use and CO2 emissions occur. Try to draw a life cycle chart like the one above for some other items you use at home or at school. Ask yourself where the product, or water, or energy comes from. Then think about where the product, or water, or energy goes when you are done using it.

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Carbon In My Life Survey Discuss the items below. Are these occurrences happening at your school? Do you think that CO2 emissions are involved (yes or no)? Brainstorm additional items observed at your school that you think can be improved upon. OBSERVED ITEM TO STUDY

NEVER

SOMETIMES

OFTEN

CO2 EMISSIONS

Cans and bottles are being used, then thrown in the trash. Paper and cardboard recycling occurs at school. Parents’ cars are seen idling in morning and afternoon. Buses are often idling for a long time. Sprinklers are watering areas without grass and running too long. Lights in the gym are left on all day. Computers are left on when not being used. Students are encouraged to bike and walk to school. The cafeteria uses disposable plates, cups, and utensils. Classrooms are too cold on hot days, too warm in the winter. Schools distribute lots of paper handouts. Classrooms and offices are equipped with occupancy sensors. Vending machines are using energy, creating trash. Science class goes through a lot of disposable batteries. Students bring their lunch in disposable bags and containers. Waste material that could be composted is sent to a landfill. Other: Other: Other: Other:

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Carbon In My Life Study Items Think about all of the ways carbon cycles in and out of your life. What products do you use on a daily basis? What do you eat? What types of energy (electrical or natural gas) and water uses do you have? How do you travel? List a few items in each column. CONSUMABLE PRODUCTS I USE

FOODS I EAT

ENERGY AND WATER I USE

TRANSPORTATION I USE

OTHER

Your team should discuss each of these items and try to identify opportunities to implement changes in their use that might lower the carbon footprint.

? Critical Questions  1. Does this item apply at school, at home, or at both?

2. Does taking action require individual action or group cooperation?

3. What obstacles might be encountered in taking action to lower the carbon footprint of this item?

4. Select four or five items, one from each category above, to study using the Item Analysis Organizer on page 36.

5. Develop an action plan for one or more items studied using the Questionnaire, page 37, and Action Planner, page 38.

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Carbon In My Life Item Analysis Organizer Answer the questions in this organizer to find opportunities to reduce your carbon footprint. Item: _______________________________________________________________________________________ What purpose does this item serve? ____________________________________________________________

Can you do without this item?

YES

NO If item is essential, is there a better, less carbon intensive way to meet the same need?

YES

Item is not essential: Explain how not using it will save energy or lower your energy carbon footprint.

Describe an alternative way to meet this need and how it will lower your carbon footprint.

NO Is there a better source for this item, a renewable, more local, or more efficient source?

YES

Describe the alternative source and how it will lower your carbon footprint.

YES

Explain your plan to use less of this item and how it will lower your carbon footprint.

YES

Describe your suggestion for proper disposal and how it will lower your carbon footprint.

NO Can you use less of this item?

NO Is this item being wasted or disposed of carelessly?

NO If you answered "NO" to every question, select a different item to study until you can answer “YES” to one of the questions. Once you’ve identified items that offer an opportunity to conserve energy or reduce your carbon footprint, complete pages 37 and 38 to develop an Action Plan.

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Carbon In My Life Questionnaire You can lower your carbon footprint if you learn to ask these questions of every thing you use: Is it essential, do I have to use it or can I live without it? What purpose does it serve, what need does it fill? Can I fill that need in a different way? If I have to use it, can I use less of it or use it more wisely? Where does it come from, and is there a better or more local source for it? When I’m done with this item, where does it go, is it recycled or reused? Choose one item from each category on page 34. Use this questionnaire to analyze your use of the product and think about what steps you might take in order to lessen your own carbon footprint. Compose detailed answers on a separate piece of paper. Item description: ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Need met: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Item’s current energy use impact: __________________________________________________________________________________ Item’s current CO2 impact: ________________________________________________________________________________________ Complete as many of the questions below as apply to the item being studied: This item comes from (what materials, where): ___________________________________________________________________________ An alternate source is: ____________________________________________________________________________________________ The energy needed would be lower because: _________________________________________________________________________ The CO2 impact would be lower because: ____________________________________________________________________________ Other ways I could meet the same need include: _________________________________________________________________________ The energy needed would be lower because: _________________________________________________________________________ The CO2 impact would be lower because: ____________________________________________________________________________ Ways to use less of this item include: ___________________________________________________________________________________ The energy needed would be lower because: _________________________________________________________________________ The CO2 impact would be lower because: ____________________________________________________________________________ Where this item goes after it’s used is: __________________________________________________________________________________ An alternative for this item after it is used: ___________________________________________________________________________ Energy is saved because: _________________________________________________________________________________________ The CO2 impact might be lower because: ____________________________________________________________________________ Actions I can take include: ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Actions others can take include: _______________________________________________________________________________________ If you are unable to find ways to lower energy use or the CO2 impact, select another item to analyze. When you’ve found ways to lower energy use or CO2 impact, complete the Action Planner on the next page.

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Carbon In My Life Action Planner Select one of the items analyzed that offers an opportunity for you to reduce your personal carbon footprint or the carbon footprint of your school. Use this planner to plan and execute your carbon reduction strategy. Compose detailed answers on a separate piece of paper.

Item Description: __________________________________________________________________________ Problem Description: _______________________________________________________________________ How is energy related to this item? How is CO2 related to this item? How are behaviors and choices related to this item? The action you plan to take: What do you need to learn before you can take action? Who might need to give permission for you to take this action? Who can help you make this action successful? List any difficulties you might encounter: What will determine “success” for your action and when will success be met? Explain how this action might save money, cost money, or have no financial impact. Does action on this item give you ideas for other items to study? List these below. Describe how you could encourage others to take similar actions. Develop a timeline for each step you plan to take. Take notes and document your progress in your science notebook.

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Climate Systems  Concepts Each of the components listed below affects the atmosphere, which in turn affects the other components of the climate system.

Some Components of the Climate System Animals Atmosphere Coal Coal Plants Crops Economy Energy Efficiency/Conservation

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Mining Natural Earth Events Nuclear Plant Oceans People Petroleum

Refineries Soil Solar Energy Transportation Trees

Procedure Atmosphere has been filled in for you. Select five (5) other components from the list above and write them in the bubbles on the right. On the lines between the bubbles, write how the atmosphere affects the climate system component, and how the component affects the atmosphere, using the arrows as a guide.

ATMOSPHERE

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Mini Heat Island ? Question  How do building and construction materials on and around a building affect the temperature inside and around it?

 Hypothesis Write a statement representing how you think different materials may affect the temperature in and around a building.

 Materials Infrared (IR) thermometer Digital thermometer Box Clear tape or paper (transparency film) Box knife or sharp scissors Ruler Masking or packaging tape to seal the box Roofing materials Cladding materials Surface materials Baking sheet or tray

Procedure Building 1. Use the box to build a flat-roofed building that has at least one door, 10x20 cm, and two windows, 10x10 cm. The door must open, and the windows must be transparent. Seal the roof closed as if you were packing the box. 2. Your teacher may assign materials to you, or you may be permitted to choose the materials that will cover your building. Whichever is the case, cover the roof with the roofing material and the sides with the cladding material. 3. Place your building on the tray. 4. Surround your building with materials you have chosen or have been assigned. These materials may be representative of asphalt, concrete, or grass and soil. Testing 1. Turn on the digital thermometer, set it to read degrees Celsius (°C) and insert it in the crack between the top of the doorway and the door, leaving the door closed. Wait for the temperature to equilibrate and record it in your data table. 2. When directed to do so by your teacher, place the tray with your building under the light fixture. Use the infrared (IR) thermometer to measure the temperature of the roof and walls of your building and the surfaces surrounding it. Record this in the data table. 3. Turn the light on and wait for 5 minutes. Measure the roof, walls, and surfaces again and record the temperatures in your data table. Read the digital thermometer in the doorway and record the temperature inside your building in the data table. 4. To simulate evening or night time, turn off the light. Copy your initial temperatures from the day time. Wait another 5 minutes and measure again. Calculate the total change in temperature. 5. Wait 5 minutes. Record temperatures inside and outside of the building. 6. Wait another 5 minutes and measure again. Calculate the total change in temperature.

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 Data and Observations Make a diagram of your building, identifying the materials you have used. Alternatively, take a photo of your building, print it, and paste it below. Temperature Data - Daytime

MATERIAL COVERING

INITIAL TEMPERATURE

AFTER 5 MINUTES

AFTER 10 MINUTES

TOTAL CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE

INITIAL TEMPERATURE

AFTER 5 MINUTES

AFTER 10 MINUTES

TOTAL CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE

Interior Roof Outer Walls Surface in front of building Surface in back of building Temperature Data - Nighttime

MATERIAL COVERING Interior Roof Outer Walls Surface in front of building Surface in back of building

 Conclusion 1. What materials were used on the roof, walls, and surfaces surrounding your building, and what materials do they represent?

2. Explain the results you observed using data from your experiment.

3. Describe how you could relate your results to a real-world building or community.

Energy, Climate, and You Student Guide

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Climate, Energy, and Society: What Can I Do? Introduction Throughout this curriculum unit, you are learning about energy, its association with climate change, how you can save energy, and how all of these things affect different people living in different kinds of neighborhoods. It will start to become apparent to you that not all energy saving programs meet the needs of all people, and that the way we look at energy use overall may not always factor in the disproportionate impacts that climate change and energy use have on people living in underserved areas and/or people of color. The purpose of this project is to help you become more aware of the things you can do to change these often systemic issues. You will first create a map of an assigned location, then include things like energy infrastructure, population density, average income, cancer diagnoses per capita, energy costs, and any other indicators your teacher wants you to learn about. As you learn more about your specifically-assigned area, you will start to recognize problems that require solutions. Some of them may be within your grasp and understanding to solve, while others may not. You may start to feel very passionately about some of the issues facing your assigned area, and others may not impact you as much. Refer back to the purpose of the project above. No one can solve all problems, but all people can solve some problems. Find one about which you feel particularly passionate and adopt it. Research solutions and develop a proposal to solve it. The only constraint is that your identified area for improvement must be energy, climate, or healthrelated. It might be specific only to your assigned area, or it might be universal; either meets the constraints of this assignment. The issue may be impacting thousands of people or only a few dozen. The most important factor is that you feel strongly about solving this issue and improving the lives of people living in your assigned area.

The Neighborhood Describe your assigned area:

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Draw a map of your assigned area. Emphasize major highways and include neighborhood streets but don’t feel compelled to label all of them. Make it large enough to remain legible as you add things to the map. As you move through this unit, your teacher will have you add things to this map. You may also create digital maps. Use the space below for sketching if creating a digital map.

Energy, Climate, and You Student Guide

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The Issues I See Now that you have added all of the things your teacher has instructed you to add to your map, it is time to identify some issues you have learned about. Make a list of some things you see that need to be solved in the space below. Just brainstorm – don’t disregard any issue, no matter how small or large.

Look at your list, and cross out any issues about which you do not feel a strong pull. If you aren’t passionate or very interested in them, you won’t be motivated to solve them. Look at the issues that remain after crossing some out. Put a star beside the two about which you feel strongest. List the two starred issues below. Do some research to identify things that can be done to solve each. Disregard cost or scope of solution – just write down every idea you encounter. Then do the same elimination process for the solutions that you did for the issues, crossing off the ones that you don’t feel strongly about. Keep the one solution that seems most viable. Issue #1

Issue #2

State the Issue

Research Solutions

The Issues I’ll Solve Write the issue you are proposing to solve:

Write an outline of the solution below:

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The Proposal Write a proposal for your solution. Your teacher will give you parameters and types of proposals that are acceptable. Use your excellent communication skills and creativity to solve it.

Energy, Climate, and You Student Guide

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Glossary air infiltration

non-conditioned air permeating a conditioned space; outdoor air leaking through a window, wall, or door and penetrating an indoor space

cogeneration

using thermal energy from a thermal power plant to heat an interior space

compact fluorescent light (CFL)

lamp style that is a narrow, coiled glass tube containing mercury vapor and coated with substances that combine to emit visible light

current

the number of electrons moving past a point every second in an electrical circuit

distributed generation

generating electricity at the site of use, such as with a wind turbine, solar panels, or small generator using gasoline or propane

electricity

a form of energy characterized by the presence and motion of elementary charged particles generated by friction, induction, or chemical change; electricity is electrons in motion

energy burden

the proportion of a household’s income that is spent on energy

energy conservation

behaviors that limit or reduce energy consumption

energy density

the amount of energy contained in a volume of an energy source or on site, such as a wind farm or solar array

energy efficiency

technology that limits or reduces energy consumption

fossil fuel

energy source made from remains of plants or animals that died long ago

generator

device that changes motion energy into electrical energy

global climate change

the description given to a set of phenomena marked by increasing average global temperatures and increased greenhouse gas levels

greenhouse effect

trapping thermal energy beneath a barrier; in a greenhouse the barrier is glass; on earth the barrier is the atmosphere

greenhouse gas

a gas that absorbs and retains thermal energy

halogen-incandescent lamp style that has a filament encased by a capsule with halogen glass heat island effect

increased local temperatures due to the increased presence of materials, such as concrete and asphalt, that absorb and retain thermal energy

incandescent

lamp style that has a filament inside that heats until it glows

insulation

material that impedes thermal energy transfer

internet of things

collection of devices that connect to the Internet and can be controlled remotely or programmed to operate together

light-emitting diode (LED)

lamp style containing a tiny chip that changes electrical energy into visible light

line losses

electricity changed into thermal energy that is not usable as the electricity moves through transmission lines

lumen

unit for measuring the intensity of a light source; one candela of light emitting in all directions evenly is 12.57 lumens

metal halide

lamp style containing a capsule with mercury vapor as well as halogens (bromine, iodine, etc) that emit light via electrical arc

nonrenewable

unable to be replenished quickly or easily

power

amount of work done per unit of time; the combination of voltage and current is electric power

quad (Q)

quadrillion Btu; 1015 or 1,000,000,000,000,000 Btu

relative humidity

the amount of moisture contained in air as compared to (relative to) the maximum amount of moisture that air could hold

renewable

able to be replenished quickly or easily

R-value

number designating how resistant a material is to thermal energy transfer; higher R-values indicate better thermal insulators

sector

portion of the economy with specific characteristics; residential, commercial, industrial, transportation, or electric power sectors are how our economy are divided

transformer

device which changes the voltage using electric induction; a step-up transformer increases the voltage (but decreases the current) and a step-down transformer decreases the voltage (but increases the current) along transmission lines

turbine

device which changes linear motion to rotational or circular motion

voltage

potential of a charged particle to cross the space between two charged plates; an electron’s potential to do work is its voltage

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Energy, Climate, and You (Rhode Island Edition) Intermediate/Secondary Student Guide

Articles inside

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