By Tommy Giljohann October 5, Renewable Resources A natural resource is a renewable resource if it is replaced by natural processes at a rate comparable or faster than its rate of consumption by humans. Non-Renewable Resources A non-renewable resource is a natural resource which cannot be produced, grown, generated, or used on a scale which can sustain its consumption rate. 1. Replace old light bulbs with energy saving fluorescent bulbs. 2. Turn off all electronic devices that are not in use. Not only turn them off but try to remember to unplug them. 3. Air dry your dishes. 4. Clean or replace air filters regularly. 5. Close vents and doors in unused rooms. No need to cool or warm areas that people are not in. 6. Weather strip doors and windows! Weather stripping is an inexpensive alternative to replacing windows and will save you hundreds of dollars! 7. Wash clothes in cold water. Believe it or not cold water does clean, and many laundry soap manufacturers now offer soaps specifically made for washing clothes in cold water. 8. Repair or replace leaky faucets. A leaky faucet waste upwards of 30,000 gallons of water a year. 9. Wash clothes in the morning or evening when its cooler. Sounds silly but the heat generated by the dryer will warm the house and in the summer months your air conditioner will use more energy to cool your home. 10. When shopping for new appliances invest in Energy Star. Energy Star appliances are not by any means cheap, but the upfront cost will pay for it self ten fold in the amount of energy you will be saving over time.

Solar Energy Energy derived directly from the Sun. It is the most abundant source of energy on Earth. Wind Power Derived from uneven heating of the Earth's surface from the Sun and the warm core. Hydropower Energy derived from the movement of water in rivers and oceans. Geothermal Power Directly harnesses the natural flow of heat from the ground / denmark-walking-ahead-on-wind-power/ ide/m/hydropower_large.html power-as-alternative-energy/ Coal A readily combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock normally occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds. Petroleum A naturally occurring, toxic, flammable liquid, it is found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Natural Gas A gas consisting primarily of methane. Uranium A silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table with atomic number energy.com/news/china_india_coal_as_main_e nergy_source.html futures-update-commodity-traders-nirmal-bang surplus_uranium_and_the_doe_mo.html What kind of energy do we need as a community?  Petroleum is used in nearly everything we use. Take a look around your house and you will discover that everything many items are plastic from toys to plastic ware.  Natural Gas is an extremely cheap resource. People use natural gas for their stoves, grills, fireplaces, clothes dryer, heating water for sink and shower use.  Coal is used primarily as an energy source, either for heat or electricity.  Uranium is mainly used to fuel nuclear power plants. What kind of energy should we strive for?  Solar energy is the most abundant resource and its clean but only certain areas would really benefit from solar energy. Also, have you seen the price to install solar panels on your roof?  Wind Power is only useful when it is windy, however when the wind blows, the windmills have the power to produce clean energy.  Hydropower is simple and clean: water pushes some kind of turbine and energy is produced. It is not really useful if our community doesn’t live by a lake or river.  Geothermal Power in the United States is primarily used for heat pumps.