The Energy The Energy The Energy

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alliantenergykids.com
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Energy-smart house
This picture shows
six ways you can save
energy. Place the letter
next to the correct
description.
______ If you’re the last person to
leave the room, turn off the
television.
______ Make sure to close the door
behind you so the cold or
warm air doesn’t escape
outside.
______ A dishwasher uses six
gallons less of hot water
than washing by hand.
______ Compact fluorescent bulbs
use 75 percent less energy
and last 10 times longer
than standard incandescent
bulbs.
______ One well-placed shade tree
can reduce cooling costs by
25 percent.
______ Forget the screen saver, let
your computer monitor go
to sleep or turn it off to save
the most energy.
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Rhyme Time
Even though there are no words in
it, the cartoon below has a message.
Can you figure out what it is saying?
Think about what the message could
be, and then write it in the thought
bubbles. Then come up with a title
for your cartoon!
Title: ______________________________________________________________________________
Solve the rhyming riddles to fill in the
crossword puzzle. Here’ some news:
energy safety or conservation is part
of the clues!
ACROSS
2. A conductor of electricity, you
know … not for an orchestra, just
good ole H2O
6. Room in your home to be
especially aware, because electrical
hazards and water are everywhere
7. Here’s some really good news: you
conserve energy when you ______ .
11. Part of the natural gas rig — the
reason you call before you dig!
12. Turbines powered by wind,
water, biomass (you get the gist) use
reusable energy that is often called
this.
What’s the scoop on poop?
What’s one of the newest energy sources? Poop.
Emery
No kidding! Manure from farm animals is collected
Generating
Station
in tanks. In the tanks, bacteria breaks it down which gives off methane
in Clear Lake, Iowa
gas. Like natural gas, methane can be burned to generate electricity.
The electricity produced often stays right on the farm where it powers
lights and machinery. But in some areas, the poop is powering whole
neighborhoods. A company called Clear Horizons
in Dane County, Wisconsin, uses manure from
three area farms to generate electricity for
up to 2,500 homes. In a similar way, trash
can also be used to generate electricity.
When trash rots, it gives off methane.
The methane is then burned to produce
electricity.
DOWN
1. After they let you surf the web and
learn something deep, turn them off,
or at least let them sleep!
3. When working on a line above,
this insulator is the material for a line
person’s glove.
4. Be bright! Make sure your bulbs
use this kind of light.
5. Too many plugs in an outlet
should never be promoted; it means
that a circuit is sure to be _________.
6. Pedal power to get you there and
leaves no pollution in the air!
8. Natural gas flames should have
a certain hue, meaning their color
should always be _____.
9. Always be on the lookout for these
when flying a kite or climbing in
trees.
10. If the stench of rotten eggs fills
the air, this natural gas danger may
be present there.
(Answers:)
1. Climbing a tree with power lines running through them.
2. Flying a kite near power lines. 3. Power cord running over
a swimming pool. 4. Standing on a ladder near power lines.
5. Climbing a substation wall. 6. Standing on a pad mount
transformer. 7. Playing with underground utility flags.
(Answers below)
Can you find safety dangers
in the picture? Circle seven
activities below that you
should never do.
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The path to saving energy
Alliant Energy has a whole network of pipes underground to get natural gas into
homes. Don’t worry; the network isn’t as mixed up as the drawing of pipes below!
We just drew them that way for this activity.
On the left side of the pipes below, are the beginnings of 8 sentences. To the right
of the pipes, there are ends of the sentences in a mixed up order. Together, the
beginnings and ends reveal something important about energy safety or energy
conservation. Before you start on the path, read a sentence beginning and then read
the options on the right to try to figure out how the sentence should end.
Rebus puzzle
A rebus puzzle uses letters, numbers and picture clues to
represent words or sounds. See if you can figure out the puzzle
below to uncover an important safety rule to remember.
————
st +
–h
————
Natural gas is really odorless
but it has a smell because...
Gas stoves have an open
flame, so don’t let...
...by turning off the lights to
save electricity.
a+
...in the event of a leak,
the escaping gas can be
detected.
————
–d
f+
Your refrigerator uses
more electricity when...
...call Alliant Energy so a
professional can lock it and
make it safe.
... set the thermostat
down to 55 degrees to
save energy.
Be a “watt watcher”
when you leave the
room...
...use a shower timer.
That way everyone is
happy in the morning
and the utility bill is
lower.
When turned
on, DVD players,
televisions, and
laptops...
...you leave the door
open.
No reason to keep the
house warmer in the
winter if no one is home...
To make sure there is hot
water for everyone in the
family...
...flammable objects
like newspapers
gather near the
stovetop.
...use electricity even if
you are not using them.
__ __ __ __ __
– fl
p+
—————
———————————
+
&
– quo
————————————!
–i
+4+
– maid
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Answer: Stay away from power lines, substations, and transformers!
If you ever see a
substation or a
transformer unlocked
you should...
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Spotted in the sun
Help your family plant a tree.
It helps clean the air we
breathe and saves energy too. Place leafy shade trees to the south and
west, and evergreens to the north. One well-placed shade tree can reduce
the cooling costs by 25 percent.
Remember to have your parents call 811 before digging in the yard to
make sure they don’t hit utility lines underground. It is also important not
to remove the utility flags as they mark where adults can and can’t dig
underground. It could be very dangerous if those flags are moved!
It’s hot inside the sun! It’s hot with words ... words
that help shine light on energy conservation. See if
you can peer into the sun and find them all. Words
can be found across, up and down and diagonally.
Now, get going before the sun sets!
Biomass
Coal
CFL
CPT
Conservation
Efficiency
Energy
Hydro
LED
Renewable
Solar
Trees
Turbine
Wind
Geothermal
Green
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Bent Tree Wind Farm, in Freeborn County
Minnesota, has 122 wind turbines that can produce up to 200
megawatts of wind energy. That’s enough energy to power
almost 50,000 homes.
Before you go
Sometimes trying to get outside can seem like a maze, especially
when you have to make sure that everything is turned off before
you go! It’s very important, however, to turn off lights, and TVs, and
video games when you’re not using them or when you’re leaving
home. On the way out of this house maze you’ll see light switches
and other electronic equipment that you should “turn OFF” as you
pass by.
➚
Start
Finish
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Don’t ever climb the walls of a substation.
If your ball or pet goes inside, call Alliant
Energy. We’ll come and get it for you.
Glossary
Biomass: a renewable energy
source that comes from material
made from plants and animals, such
as wood, crops, and even garbage
Geothermal Energy: heat, hot
water, or steam from within the
Earth that is used to create electricity
and for heating and cooling
Carbon Dioxide: a colorless,
odorless gas that is present in the
atmosphere – it is formed by the
combustion of fossil and other
carbon-based fuels, by respiration, and by the decomposition of
organic matter
Green: the term used to describe
something that is friendly to the
environment
Clock Programmable Thermostat
(CPT): a thermostat you can set to
raise and lower the temperature
automatically that helps save
energy.
Compact Florescent Light (CFL):
a type of light bulb that uses up
to 75 percent less energy than an
incandescent bulb
Electric Shock: the passage of
electricity through the body that
can cause serious burns and even
death
Energy Conservation: the act of
using less or saving energy
Energy Efficient: a term that
describes products and actions that
use less energy due to advanced
technology and equipment
Speed racers
In a race between electricity
and light, which would win?
Electricity travels at the speed
of light. (That’s 186,000 miles
per second!) The race would be a draw. This is why you
should never touch electrical equipment or any type of
exposed wiring. Electricity travels so fast that you will not be
able to pull away before getting shocked. That shock can be deadly.
ENERGY STAR®: a label given to a
product or appliance that shows it
meets tough government standards
for energy efficiency
Hydropower: electricity created
using energy that comes from
moving water
Light Emitting Diode (LED): a type
of light bulb that lasts longer and
uses less energy than a CFL
Mercaptan: the substance that
utility companies add to natural gas
to give it a bad smell, like rotten
eggs to help detect leaks
Phantom Energy Loss: the
constant draw of electricity by
appliances and electronics, even
when they’re not being used
Renewable Resources: energy
sources that can be replaced
naturally, such as the sun, wind,
and water
Shower Timer: a timer that can
be used in the shower to help you
know when it is time to get out
Solar Energy: energy that comes
from the sun’s rays that reach the
Earth
Turbine: a machine with blades or
rotors that are turned by a force,
such as wind, water or steam, to
create mechanical energy
Wind Energy: energy that comes
from the power of moving air
© 2012 Alliant Energy 201552 4/12 MJ