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Think of how different your world is when the power goes out.

Electricity is an important part of our lives. Each day we use electricity in a countless number of ways without giving it much thought.

We use electricity to:

• Light our houses at night
• Cook our food
• Watch our TVs
• Run our computers
• Play our video games
• Listen to our stereos
• Run our furnaces during the winter
• Run our air conditioners during the summer

And the list goes on. Can you think of any more ways in which you use electricity?

Producing electricity has impacts on the environment. In Saskatchewan the majority of our electricity is generated in power plants which burn fossil fuels such as coal. As fossil fuels are burnt, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.

The gases, including C02, in the Earth's atmosphere act in much the same way as the windows in a car or a greenhouse. This is a natural process — it helps to maintain the temperature at Earth's surface at a level that is comfortable for us to live. Without these gases it would be too cold for many living organisms to survive. As these gases build up however, due to the burning of fossil fuels, there is more heat trapped causing an increase in temperature. This is called climate change. More greenhouse gases will probably cuse the climate to become warmer.

Climate change in Saskatchewan could mean reduced precipitation, especially during the summer, warmer temperatures and more storms. Some of the potential impacts of these climate changes include:

• Areas of the province becoming too dry to grow conventional crops.
• Loss of habitat for animals which may cause their movement or extinction.
• Shrinking our forests.
• Drying up of our wetlands.

It is very important that we use electricity wisely. There are many simple things that you can do which will reduce the amount of energy you use and reduce your impact on the environment.

• Turn off lights/televisions/ stereos/computers when not using them.
• Run appliances only when they are full (i.e. washers, dryers, dishwashers etc.)
• Recycle as many products as possible- recycling saves resources and energy (cans, bottles, newspapers, magazines etc.)
• Plant tree seedlings

As trees grow they absorb carbon dioxide, one of the main greenhouse gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect and climate change. As a matter of fact, trees are nature's way of balancing atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Trees need carbon dioxide to grow and in exchange they release oxygen which humans and animals breathe every day. There is a very delicate balance between the atmospheric balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide; trees provide an important way of maintaining this balance.

Did You Know…Two mature trees provide enough oxygen for a family of four?

In addition to purifying the air and providing oxygen, trees provide a number of additional benefits:

• They provide homes and food for wildlife
• They provide homes and food for humans
• They help stop soil erosion and snow drift
• They provide shade on a hot day
• They are beautiful to look at

Can you think of other ways in which trees provide environmental benefits?

The types of energy sources we use everyday can be grouped as renewable and non-renewable.

Renewable energy is an energy source that is produced over and over again. Examples include wind, hydro and solar. Renewable sources of energy tend to be more earth friendly than non-renewable forms of energy.

The force created by moving water or blowing wind creates energy, which is converted into electricity. Electricity helps us by lighting our homes and powering our appliances.

Fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas are non-renewable forms of energy and was created deep in the ground millions of years ago from decomposed organic matter (the stuff plants and animals are made of). Fossil fuels are not earth-friendly because they release greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, into our atmosphere as they are burned to make electricity. Fossil fuels are useful for generating heat (stoves and furnaces) and for machines that move like cars, planes and boats.

Saving energy helps keep the environment clean, right? But how do you really save energy?

We save energy by following the three R's of conservation, reduce, reuse and recycle.

• You reduce your energy consumption by turning off lights and appliances you don't need.
• You reuse things, by making use of things you would throw-out, like scrap paper.
• You recycle by bringing cans and bottles to the recycle bin.

Remember it takes less energy to recycle a product than to create it from scratch.

How many ways can you save energy?

Plants and trees also save energy by providing shade and shelter from extreme climate. At the same time they help clean the air, by removing the greenhouse gases.

What can you do?

To find out more about saving energy and reducing greenhouse gases, check out the awesome energy sites linked below in Energy links or play "Watts the Word".

As a solid, liquid or gas, fossil fuels by themselves don't do much.

In order to get energy from fossil fuels they must be burned, like burning wood in a campfire. Like a campfire, when fossil fuels burn they generate lots of heat. The heat is used to boil water. Like a kettle on a stove, the water turns into steam. The pressure from the steam turns a propeller, called a turbine, forcing it to spin a generator. The job of the generator is to turn mechanical energy (spinning turbine) into electricity! The generator does this by turning magnets in a coil. This effect is known as induction.

Energy sites that have information about fossil fuel and energy conservation:

• U.S. Department of Energy - Kids Zone
• OneWorld.net Kid's Channel
• Gov't of Saskatchewan - Environment & Resources
• The Coal Association of Canada
• Saskatchewan Mining Association
• Climate Change Saskatchewan
• Gov't of Canada - Climate Change Games and Challenges

Energy sites that have information about electricity and generators:

• Electricity Facts - Generators, Batteries and Solar Cells

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