Have you ever wondered where electricity comes from? You might be surprised to learn that it comes from magnets! In the early 1800s, Michael Faraday discovered "electromagnetic induction", which is the scientific way of saying that if he moved a magnet through a loop of wire, the wire would become electrified. In 1882, Thomas Edison opened the first full-scale power plant in New York City. Edison's electric was a bigger version of Faraday's basic experiment; a big magnet around a wire to produce an electric current. Today's power plants are bigger and controlled by computers, but the basic process is still the same as it was nearly 120 years ago.

Electricity is a form of energy that comes from tiny charged particles in an atom (called electrons) which flow around in a path. This movement is called an electric current, and although we can’t see this, we can see the effects it makes, like powering a light bulb or phone. Electricity can be made by using generators, which change one type of energy into electricity. For example, by changing water power into electricity using a hydro-electric power station, or by burning coal or oil to heat water (the steam drives the generators to make electricity).

It seems so simple; you get a little cold or hot, you bump your thermostat up or down; your family gets hungry, you grab food from your refrigerator and heat it up in the microwave, or cook a meal on your flat top stove; stressful day at work, you jump into a hot tub of water; need to know what’s going on in the world, you grab the remote and turn on the TV. But how does power get to your home? It’s a complicated process that has many steps, watch the video, The Path of ElectricityPath of Electricity

Electricity is a type of energy that was discovered over 100 years ago. One of the most common ways to make electricity is by converting other energy sources, such as coal, natural gas, and oil or solar, wind and falling water. You may not even realize that electricity is a huge part of your everyday life. For starters, it keeps your home and school warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Without it, you would never be able to watch your favorite TV show or listen to your MP3 player. After all, you need electricity. Imagine a world where you couldn’t turn on a light, a computer, or even use the phone! Obviously, electricity is important to us. That’s why it’s time to rethink our relationship with this valuable resource and figure out how we can do our part to use it wisely.