1. Natural Resources and Renewable Energy By: Mason VanOphem Mitchell Johnson & Brooklin Lambrecht

2. Hyperlinks US Oil Imports Import Reduction Alternative Energy Wind Energy Solar Energy Hydroelectricity Geothermal

3. US Oil Imports  Where do most people think our oil comes from? Where does it actually come from?  What do we use these for?

4. Ways to Reduce Oil Imports  Alaskan Oil Pipeline  Alternative Energy

5. Alternative Energy  According to Clean Technica, “a national study showed that job creation in clean energy outdoes fossil fuels by a margin of 3-to-1 — every dollar put into clean energy creates three times as many jobs as putting that same dollar into oil and gas.”Clean Technica  Renewable energy investments are cost effective. The International Renewable Energy Agency released a new policy brief showing that renewable energy has become the most cost-effective way to generate electricity for hundreds of millions of people worldwide who are not on the grid.  Unlike fossil fuels, renewable sources of energy like hydropower, wind and solar do not directly emit greenhouse gases.  By 2050, one-third of the world's energy will need to come from solar, wind, and other renewable resources. Who says? British Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell, two of the world's largest oil companies.

6. Wind Energy  One wind turbine can produce enough electricity to power up to 300 homes.  Recent Michigan wind contracts are coming in at $45-$50 per megawatt hour.  Leading source of renewable energy in the US

7. Solar Energy  If it could be properly harnessed, there’s enough sunlight that falls on the earth in just one hour to meet the world energy demands for a whole year! Our whole energy problem would be solved if we could somehow find a way to harness solar energy more efficiently.  The Lansing Board and Water and Light recently received bids to purchase solar power as low as $65 per megawatt hour.  The best way to make solar energy as efficient as possible is to put the panels in wide spaces that get plenty of sunlight(i.e. farms, meadows, etc.)  Alexandre Edmond Becquerel is credited with discovering the photovoltaic effect.

8. Hydroelectricity  According to Clean Technica, “a national study showed that job creation in clean energy outdoes fossil fuels by a margin of 3-to-1 — every dollar put into clean energy creates three times as many jobs as putting that same dollar into oil and gas.”Clean Technica  Over 70 percent of Washington State’s electricity comes from hydropower  States that get the majority of their electricity from hydropower, like Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, have energy bills that are lower than the rest of the country.  Niagara Falls was the site of the country’s first hydroelectric generating facility (1881)  Hydroelectricity provides about 7% of the electricity generated in the United States and about half of the electricity from all renewable sources.

9. Geothermal  The world’s resource base for geothermal energy is larger than the resource base for coal, oil, gas and uranium combined.  But how does it work?  Anywhere the ground or upper 10 feet of the Earth's surface maintains a nearly constant temperature between 50° and 60°F (10° and 16°C). Geothermal heat pumps can tap into this resource to heat and cool buildings.

10. What Are We Doing?  Clean energy investment has surpassed investments in fossil fuels.  Clean energy creates three times more jobs than fossil fuels.  Gov. Rick Snyder has said that updating Michigan's energy policy will be a top priority in early 2015.  Since 2008, the costs of renewable energy generation have been cut in half in Michigan.  Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) estimates of coal at $133 per megawatt hour and $70 per megawatt hour for natural gas. Meanwhile, wind and solar power cost about half as much.  Michigan does not subsidize renewable energy.  A subsidy is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (or institution, business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy.

11. Fun Facts  A gigawatt of power will provide enough energy for about 700,000 homes. Assumptions: A typical home uses about 11,000 kWh per year.  One TWh is essentially enough energy to power a city of 200,000 people for an entire year.  Together, the United States and Canada account for 50 percent of energy consumed by the world. Europe account for about 33%.

13. http://bud get.roadtri ppers.com /americas- 6-most- insane- oddest- natural- wonders/