Energy Efficiency
Humans today are using much more electricity than we need to in our houses and this is impacting our world more then we realise. Although electricity is a huge advantage to humans it has the complete opposite effects on our environment. By using more electricity, we are using more of the earth’s resources and if we keep going down this road then we are going to run out. The solution for this mass overuse of energy is to build houses which are more energy efficient. Features like LED lightbulbs, insulating and even positioning your house in the correct position for natural airflow instead of using air conditioning are all ways we can help improve this problem.
What does energy efficiency mean?
“Energy efficiency means using less energy to provide the same service.” An example of this is where a LED lightbulb uses less electrical energy than a traditional incandescent lightbulb to produce the same amount of light. The phrase 'energy efficiency' can also be described as any kind of energy-saving measure. (1)
How is electricity made?
In 1831, scientist Michael Farday discovered the first form of electricity. He found that when a magnet moved inside a copper coil it created what is known as an electric current. This invention is known as a turbine generator. Even today, in full sized power stations this simple invention is still used and works very effectively. These power stations create mass amounts of energy to turn the turbines. Most of the time the energy is made from the heat, for example when coal is burned. More environmentally friendly power stations use wind or flowing water to turn these turbines. This is known as renewable energy because it will not run out, unlike when oil and coal are used.(3)
How does the use of electricity impact our world?
Environmental Affects
Although humans use electricity for almost everything we do, we don’t realise that this is harming our environment in many ways. The production of electricity is causing a major loss of the earth’s natural resources such as:
- Loss of coal and natural gases
- Deforestation for mining (loss of trees)
- Loss of habitat for rare and threatened species
Another environmental issue resulting from the production of electricity
Energy is an important part of life producing the power of movement, heat, and production of electricity in many different ways. Therefore, choosing the correct source of energy is important for the environment and humans. Renewable energy that produces electricity never runs out, causing a lower environmental impact. Solar, Biomass, Wind, Geothermal, and Hydropower energy should be used globally to produce electricity. On the other hand, producing electricity from nonrenewable energy sources can be very harmful to humans and the environment. Humans can easily be dependent on it, which may not be the best option when it comes to finance, efficiency, sustainability and more. Approximately 52% of the US electricity comes from polluting sources like natural gas, oil, nuclear, and hydropower that have a lot of disadvantages effecting the environment in a negative way.
As the global population increases exponentially, having passed six billion in 1999, the world population is expected to be 8.9 billion by the year 2050. The worlds energy consumption will increase by an estimated 54 percent by 2025. Energy demand in the industrialized world is projected to grow 1.2 percent per year. Energy is a critical component of sustained economic growth and improved standards of living. One of the major requirements for sustaining human progress is an adequate source of energy. As the world’s technological enhancements and standards of living improve, so too does their appetite for electricity.
For one thing, simple lifestyle changes can save kilowatts of electricity. One of these involves turning off the lights and electrical appliances when leaving a room. Shutting off computers can save watts – turning them off at night, and having them hibernate during the day if not in use is a good way to save energy
Although many of us are aware of just how much money an energy-efficient can save, making the necessary changes always seems to end up last on our lists. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s time to get busy. Reducing your home’s energy costs will not only save you money for as long as you live there, it
Efficiency refers to how well an alternative energy system creates usable energy. Because many alternative energy systems rely on the physical location of certain devices and thus are capable of being less efficient in certain physical locations, location is an integral part of efficiency.
Looking for apartments and being on my own for the first time brought to my attention how expensive energy bills can be. I was determined to research a way to save on energy and cut down my bills. While looking through the solutions I came across an intriguing discovery. Over the years energy efficiency has become an epidemic, whether it affects global warming or protecting the environment, saving money or improving the economy; conserving energy has a lot more to it than many people will ever know. Everything we do requires energy. There is heat energy, light energy, mechanical energy, electrical energy, chemical energy, nuclear energy, and so on. The fact that I was most intrigued by is that energy plays a big part in our national
A popular renewable energy source is wind energy, used globally. Kinetic energy in the form of wind turns large turbines, which the convert this energy into mechanical energy, or electricity, as it supplies an electric generator, producing an electric current. As the wind turns the blades of the turbine, a shaft connected to a generator is consequently spun, resulting in the production of
The United States is known for its excessive use of energy. I remember in class, SOME of our classmates that were from other countries, were shocked at how much energy we use and waste. This is a clear indication of the US’s attitude towards energy use, which is that we take it for granted. When I went to Ukraine, I remember how limited energy use was. I was only around 10 or 11 and I was shocked that nobody turned their porch lights on at night and I was even more so shocked to find out that most people didn’t even have a porch light. I understand that the porch light here in America is used as a deterrent for robberies, people feel safer if their lights are on. Another thing is how people drive for fun, I’ve heard friends of mine just aimlessly driving around because they are bored and have nothing to do and even that was a surprise for me. We need to somehow create a more efficient way of consuming energy. Sometimes using less energy may not be the answer to using less, for example our houses need to be heated but many aren’t well built and insulated. When my family and I moved into our current house about 15 years ago, we noticed that the insulation had not been changed for about 60 years and my father decided to reinsulate the house. The next winter after re-insulation, our energy use was almost a quarter of what we used last winter. This is indeed an extreme example, due to the poor construction of our house, and I believe that not every house is made that way, but it
Energy-efficient houses are the next big thing! Buildings take up 40% of our energy. There are many ways to fix this. Solar panel absorbs the energy of the sun and uses that to power your electricity. Also solar panels are very fashionable. Use less heating and air conditioning. This is using up are valuable energy. This energy could help us in many ways. If we all participate in making our houses more energy-efficient, then we will make a difference in our global warming.
Energy is wasted daily across the country due to insufficient conservation. During the winter, heat escapes through poorly insulated and unsealed doors, windows, and attics. During the summer, sunlight streams into the house, causing air conditioners to work harder and pump more air. Hallway lights and televisions are left on overnight, wasting crucial energy. Each of these inefficiencies, while by themselves are very small, add up and waste our money and resources.
The availability of an abundant amount of energy in the modern times has brought about higher industrial production, improved communication and transportation facilities and better management of the basic necessities. Development has never been as accessible to a broad range of people belonging to all social classes. The present-day society is so reliant upon the utilization of energy, most specifically electrical energy, that it has become a part of the people’s daily living. The actual magnitude that energy had input in the society is innumerable. The increased cost and consumption and the depletion of environmental resources are some of the reasons why energy production is constantly being enhanced over the long run (Discovery Education, n.d.). The constant improvements in power production have always aimed for the same goal: making power a better choice for efficient generation.
While so, housing alone takes up major portion of total energy usage. According to United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it accounted for 38.9 percent of total U.S. energy consumption in 2005. In year 2006 it took 72 percent of total U.S. electricity consumption and this number will rise to 75% by 2025. So it can be seen how change in managing housings can lead to positive changes (EPA).
Every household within the United States can make realistic changes to improve the global energy crisis. Homes in the United States expend a significant amount of natural gas and electricity. Future generations may experience drastic energy deficiencies if people around the world do not act now and take the necessary precautions to reduce energy consumption. Family homes consume roughly thirty eight percent of the total energy consumption per year, which leads problems like global warming. It is vital, now more than ever, that individuals comprehend how we deplete energy in a domestic home and what he or she can do to prevent excessive energy consumption.
So you think the cost of gas is outrageous? Most Americans do. The controversies in the Middle East and recent environmental disasters have made the cost of many natural resources, like oil, sky rocket. So imagine the amount of oil needed to power your car and compare that to the amount of oil needed to heat your home. Home energy conservation is a way that Americans can counter-act the estimated high costs to heat, cool or light their residence. In the ‘old days’ energy conservation was as simple turning off a light when you left a room, or setting a timer on your thermostat to regulate when your heat or air conditioning came on. These techniques are still valuable but America, and the world, has taken a more
KEEP YOUR ELECTRICITY BILLS DOWN AND SAVE ENERGY FOR THE FUTURE BY BEING AWARE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT WAYS TO USE ELECTRICITY.