New technology is often more energy efficient than older technology. For example a new refrigerator can use half as much energy as an old refrigerator. Next time your parents are ready to buy a new appliance, ask them to by a more efficient Energy Star© appliance. Energy Star© appliances use far less energy than other models and are certified “energy efficient” by the U.S. government. Less expensive new technology also makes a big difference! Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) use about one quarter of the energy a regular lightbulb uses. Each CFL will save $50 over its’ life on your energy bills. CFLs can last up to seven years before they burn out! Make sure to tell your parents about newer energy efficient technology!

PEAK Demand is the time during the day that the most energy is used. It is from noon until about 6:00pm. Energy companies can only produce a certain amount of energy at one time and if people try to use more energy than the energy companies can make, blackouts can occur. Blackouts can be dangerous and very uncomfortable. Energy companies want to build more power plants to avoid blackouts, but that would create a lot of pollution. A better solution is to avoid using too much energy during PEAK demand times, especially on hot days during the summer. Remember to shift your use of energy by using appliances at home before noon and after 6:00pm at night. Ask your parents to wait to use the dishwasher and clothes washer until later in the evening.

Conservation is a great way to be energy efficient. It is easy to do and it is often free! Conservation means not wasting energy. There are many ways that you can conserve energy at home, school and in the community. By making simple changes in your daily life you can make a huge impact on saving energy! Try turning off lights when you leave a room or wearing a sweater in the winter instead of turning up the heater. Start noticing how many lights are on in your house when your family is home in the evenings; are there any that you could turn off?

Some ways of generating electricity are less polluting than others. Most energy today is generated by burning fossil fuels. Fossil fuels take millions of years to form which means that they will eventually run out, and are non-renewable. Burning fossil fuels to generate energy also releases pollutants into the air, as well as carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas. We can make our fossil fuels last longer and create less pollution by combining the use of fossil fuels with the use of renewable energy sources. A renewable resource is a way of generating energy by using something that never runs out, like the wind, the sun, or even heat from deep inside the earth. Using renewable energy sources usually results in little or no pollution. Be aware of how your energy is generated and whenever possible make choices that will increase the amount of renewable energy being used in your community. You could even write a letter to your local politicians asking them to consider using more renewable energy sources. When you grow up and are able to vote, make sure that you remember all that you have learned with PEAK Student Energy Actions.