Clean Energy

by Liyana
Published December 13, 2024

Everyday we use energy in our daily lives, but never really stop to think about where our energy comes from or the threat that it is to the environment. Austin Energy By the Numbers explains where our energy comes from in the pie chart below:

Most of our energy comes from wind power. Only 2% of our energy comes from biomass energy (burning plants to create energy). Though burning plants does create greenhouse gases, growing the plants cleans the air, balancing the effect of the greenhouse gases. Greenhouse Effect 101 tells us that the problem with greenhouse gases is that they trap heat, so the heat can come down to Earth, but can’t get back up.

Greenhouse gases are a big problem, but there are things that we can do to help. We can help by conserving energy. EIA tells us what uses the most energy in homes. We can use LEDs instead of traditional light bulbs. We can use a smart thermostat which will reduce heating and cooling if you are away. Windows are a big source of energy loss, so to prevent this, we can use double-pane windows instead of single-pane windows. 

Greenhouse gases are a major threat to the environment, but if we conserve energy, and we all work together, we can change the world for the better. We can do this!