Energy Conservation Speech

The following is a school paper.

Welcome to the Home Owners’ Association meeting on energy conservation. According to Berg L. R. and Hager M. C. (2006), our society depends on energy for most of what we do throughout our day. In order for us to use electronics, remain cool in the winter, drive to and from work, and even have products such as food available at malls and other stores and outlets, we need to consume energy. However, that does not mean that we need to consume as much energy as we currently do. At this point in history, we rely on non-renewable energy resources in order to lead a comfortable and convenient way of life. Fortunately, renewable energy resources in place of non-renewable energy resources can make conserving energy much easier and may even one day break our dependence on non-renewable resources.

What are renewable resources? According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (2010), renewable energy resources are energy resources which can be replenished. These include biomass fuels and water geothermal, wind, and solar energy. What are non-renewable energy resources? Non-renewable resources are resources which cannot be replenished within a reasonable length of time. Non-renewable energy resources include oil, coal, natural gas energies, and uranium used in nuclear power plants.

Each and every member of the Home Owners’ Association can do their part to conserve energy. Turning out lights when not in use and especially turning off air conditioning units and heating units when they do not need to be on are obvious ways in which you can conserve energy. Also, carpooling to work our making your next car purchase a hybrid vehicle are also smart choices. You will not only help save the environment but will also see a significant reduction on your utility bills as well as save money on gasoline. If you use renewable energy resources in your home, you can even sell back energy to power companies and turn a profit. According to Gangemi J. (2006), homes and businesses are using renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, and even cow manure energy to power companies. One Philadelphia company makes a profit of $3,000 a year on top of producing the energy that the company needs.

Governments can also be involved. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2009), an energy conservation action plan can help conserve energy and lower levels of pollution within a community. The upfront investment costs of these plans me be daunting at first, but over time the energy saved from these conservation plans can cut costs within a community.

In conclusion, we all depend on energy to lead a comfortable and convenient way of life. There are two types of energy resources; renewable and non-renewable. Renewable energy resources can be replenished within a reasonable amount of time while non-renewable resources cannot. At the present, we depend on non-renewable energy resources. However, by conserving energy in simple ways while increasingly introducing renewable energy resources, home owners and businesses can help the environment and save on their energy costs and even earn a profit. The government can also help out by implementing an energy conservation action plan. One day, our reliance on non-renewable energy resources could very well be a thing of the past. However, action needs to be taken now in order to preserve our future.

References

Berg, L., R. & Hager, M., C. (2006).Visualizing Environmental Science (1st ed.). Wiley.

U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2010). Energy Sources. EIA Energy Kids. Retrieved September 2, 2010, from http://www.eia.doe.gov

Gangemi, J. (2006). Selling Power Back To The Grid. Bloomberg L.P.. Retrieved September 2, 2010, from http://www.businessweek.com

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2009).Energy Conservation Action Plan. Retrieved September 2, 2010 from http://www.epa.gov