Reduce Pollution

When fossil fuels are burned to produce energy, carbon dioxide is released. Carbon dioxide is one of the gases that cause the greenhouse effect. These gases act like a thin film that keeps heat from the sun inside our atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is changing the earth’s climate. Click here for more information and a related experiment (Make a Mini Greenhouse).

Producing, transporting, and using other forms of energy can also contribute harmful pollutants into our environment.

So no matter what resources your energy comes from, using energy efficiently at home, at school, and on the road is a very good way to reduce greenhouse gases and other pollutants and help our planet stay healthy.

Plant a Tree

Trees take carbon dioxide out of the air and give back the oxygen we need to breathe. So, trees can help balance the effects of using energy. If every family in the U.S. planted just one tree, all of these trees would remove more than a billion (1,000,000,000) pounds of greenhouse gases from the air every year!

Next: Recycle!

Previous: Conserve Resources