Energy Resource Plan University of Phoenix By: Jamie Berthelette October 25, 2009 Instructor: Erin Lawrence

People use a lot of energy, and we need to be careful about how much non-renewable energy we use. We rely heavily on fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, and there is a limited amount of these in nature. It takes a lot of dead organisms and millions of years to make oil and coal. We are using these resources very quickly and need to save some. I think it would help if more people used other forms of energy such as solar energy, wind energy, and hydroelectricity(water). Renewable energy effectively utilizes natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides, and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished. Renewable energy technologies range from solar power, wind power, and hydroelectricity to biomass and bio-fuels for transportation. A nonrenewable resource is a natural resource that cannot be re-made, re-grown, or re-generated on a scale comparative to its consumption. It exists in a fixed amount that is being renewed or is used up faster than it can be made by nature. Fossil fuels (such as coal petroleum and natural gas) and nuclear power are nonrenewable resources, as they do not naturally re-form at a rate that makes the way we use them sustainable and consumer materials to produce electricity. Plant and protect trees to moderate building temperatures. Trees conserve energy by shading, cooling the air through evapo-transportation and reducing the velocity of wind. Selecting and placing trees to shade adjacent buildings in the summer or protect them from prevailing winter winds can be moderate building temperatures. Choose as large a tree as possible, but be sure it can grow to its natural size in the space allotted to it. When properly placed, mature trees can reduce the interior temperature of a building by as much as 20 degrees, reducing summer cooling costs by 25-40%. Government efforts to conserve energy should be to reduce the heat island effect. Shade paved areas like parking lots and streets are significant sources of heat and pollutants(parked cars emit hydrocarbons that contribute to be formation of ground level ozone), as well as often being unattractive. Trees reduce the amount of heat stored in or reflected from paved surfaces, which can contribute to increased building and car temperatures. Many cities in California have ordinances that require shading of paved area by trees. Shading air conditioners. Outdoor lighting consumes a large fraction of the electricity used in the United States. Site lighting can be designed to use less energy and minimize light population. Operating costs savings can often recover costs of newer more efficient lamps. In conclusion, we really need to start conserving more energy and resources so we will have some left for the next generation. And also remember the more we save the better of a future we will have.