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To better educate ourselves in important energy facts, we must first have a better understanding of energy itself.
The laws of Newtonian physics define energy as the ability to perform work. There are many types of energy in this universe. Our human civilization primarily depends on thermal, mechanical, and electrical energy to power our infrastructure, our machines, and our electronics.
Producing electrical energy has its challenges, both in terms of cost and environmental impact. There are renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and hydroelectric power. Then there are the non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels and nuclear energy that are more prevalent and cost effective in the eyes of many.
It is a well-known energy fact that competition for non-renewable energy sources often leads to war. Negative environmental impact also occurs from the burning of fossil fuels and the dumping of radioactive nuclear wastes.
While many of you already know that 70 percent of electricity in the United States is generated from fossil fuels and nuclear power, what many of you do not know is that no more than 48 percent of that fossil fuel is ever converted to actual electrical power. The rest becomes thermal energy and is completely wasted.
Another interesting energy fact is we produce at least half of all our electricity by burning coal. Coal is the most notorious producer of greenhouse gases.
It is also been said that 30 percent of all electricity used in commercial buildings is totally wasted. If we only reduced this waste by 10 percent, it would be like taking 30 million cars off of the street.
A little known fact pertaining to energy consumption in the home is that 25 percent of all electricity is used for lighting. Replacing just 25 percent of your incandescent bulbs with fluorescents will reduce your power bill by 25 percent.
A little known energy fact about home refrigerators will shock you. The power consumed by all refrigerators in the US equals the power produced by 25 large power plants in a year.
If every American turned down the water heater 10 degrees, this would eliminate 45 million tons of C02 emissions per year.
Computer monitors that are left running overnight account for 9 million tons of C02 emissions every year.
Hot water consumes 80 percent of all the energy used in washing clothes. Warm and cold water will do just as good a job, so conserve.
Approximately 43 percent of the total cost of electricity in every home is invested in heating and cooling costs. Air leaks around doors and windows cost people money they do not even know they are losing. Replacing old caulking and weather stripping will immediately reduce the bill by 10 percent at least.
Another interesting energy fact you may not have heard yet pertains to electronic devices. Even when they are “off”, they are not really off, but rather in standby. They are still using miniscule amounts of power. To truly turn these devices off and save this power, plug them into a power strip, and then turn off the power strip.
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