Activity 15.3

BEING MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT IN OUR HOMES

Aim:

When you have completed these activities satisfactorily, you will have prepared descriptions about the use of renewable and non-renewable resources of the earth, as well as using a decision-making process to suggest action regarding our community’s current poor standards with regard to energy efficiency.

Calculating the economic costs of particular energy uses

• Prepare scenarios based on your use of energy sources for particular purposes over a one-year period. In your scenario you should include:
  • What appliance you use for this purpose, how often you use it and for what length of time (for example, stereo for listening to music every day for approximately two hours);
  • The source of energy that is used for this appliance (for example, electricity from coal-fired power station);
  • The economic cost of this use.

See the Fact Sheet for the formula used to calculate the cost of electricity.

• Calculate the ecological costs of the use of this appliance for this purpose over a one-year period by working out the yearly kilowatt hours (kWh usage) multiplied by the amount in kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO₂) produced per kilowatt hour (kWh). There is a clue to working this out in the Fact Sheet.

Acting on what you have discovered

• Working with other class members and invited community guests working in the field of energy efficiency, propose and implement a plan to publicise your findings and suggested strategies to promote greater energy efficiency within the community.

Available as:

PDF – Activity 15.3

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