Watt Watchers of Texas - Activities

LIGHTS OUT!
Take a guess. When was the first light bulb invented? A) Who knows? B) Last year C) Over 100 years ago (Answer: C Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1879.) At night, when it gets dark, you flip a switch…and it is light again. No big deal, right? Think again. The energy that powers electric lights comes from the Earth. Being careful about using lights is another way we can help keep our planet healthy. Did you know? • Off all the energy that a light bulb uses, how much do you think actually turns into light? Surprise: Only 1/10! The rest is waste, because it turns into heat instead. That is why a light bulb is so hot after it has been on for a little while. • If a 100-watt bulb is on for half a day, every day, for a year it can use enough electricity to burn almost 400 pounds of coal. Burning the coal to light the bulb will release nearly a thousand pounds of gases, which cause the greenhouse effect, and almost eight pounds of gases that cause acid rain. All that from one light bulb! • There is an amazing light bulb called a compact fluorescent that uses less than ¼ of the energy of a regular bulb, and lasts 10 times as long. Would it not it be great to put one in your room? What You Can Do • Turn out the lights when you are not using them. Whenever you leave a room – and no one else is still there – be sure to flip the switch! • Use daylight – it is free and does not pollute. If you are reading during the daytime, sit near a window. Open curtains or pull up the blinds or shades. • Dust some light bulbs. Unbelievably, dusty light bulbs use more energy than clean ones. Ask your folks if you can help save energy –and keep the house clean, too by dusting light bulbs occasionally. • Take a parent or other adult to the store to look for compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). CFLs are more expensive for the initial cost of the bulb – but will save you more money in the future! See For Yourself How many bulbs do people use? Here is a way to get an idea: Walk around your own home, and count up all the bulbs your family uses. Now imagine that there are 100 million homes like yours, and each of them has the same amount of bulbs. Wow!

Take a guess.
When was the first light bulb invented?
A) Who knows? B) Last year C) Over 100 years ago
(Answer: C Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1879.)

At night, when it gets dark, you flip a switch…and it is light again.
No big deal, right?
Think again. The energy that powers electric lights comes from the Earth. Being
careful about using lights is another way we can help keep our planet healthy.

Did you know?

• Off all the energy that a light bulb uses, how much do you think actually
turns into light? Surprise: Only 1/10! The rest is waste, because it turns
into heat instead. That is why a light bulb is so hot after it has been on for
a little while.

• If a 100-watt bulb is on for half a day, every day, for a year it can use
enough electricity to burn almost 400 pounds of coal. Burning the coal to
light the bulb will release nearly a thousand pounds of gases, which cause
the greenhouse effect, and almost eight pounds of gases that cause acid
rain. All that from one light bulb!

• There is an amazing light bulb called a compact fluorescent that uses less
than ¼ of the energy of a regular bulb, and lasts 10 times as long. Would
it not it be great to put one in your room?

What You Can Do

• Turn out the lights when you are not using them. Whenever you leave a
room – and no one else is still there – be sure to flip the switch!

• Use daylight – it is free and does not pollute. If you are reading during the
daytime, sit near a window. Open curtains or pull up the blinds or shades.

• Dust some light bulbs. Unbelievably, dusty light bulbs use more energy
than clean ones. Ask your folks if you can help save energy –and keep
the house clean, too by dusting light bulbs occasionally.

• Take a parent or other adult to the store to look for compact fluorescent
light bulbs (CFLs). CFLs are more expensive for the initial cost of the bulb
– but will save you more money in the future!

See For Yourself

How many bulbs do people use? Here is a way to get an idea: Walk around
your own home, and count up all the bulbs your family uses. Now imagine that
there are 100 million homes like yours, and each of them has the same amount
of bulbs. Wow!