Energy Education Resources

NACD's mission is to serve conservation districts by providing national leadership and a unified voice for natural resource conservation.

windmill Each day we read about the need for energy conservation and alternative energy sources. Energy plays a large role in our daily lives. We need energy to have electricity and run our automobiles. It even takes energy to make our bodies move. Conservation’s Power education materials explore these important topics and more. Use the educators guide and other materials below in your promotion of wise energy use and its importance to each person.

A Few Facts about Energy

Almost one-fourth of the energy used in homes is used for lighting and appliances. Lighting is essential to a modern society. Lights have revolutionized the way we live, work, and play.
America is a nation on the move. About 28 percent of the energy we use goes to transporting people and goods from one place to another.
Gasoline is used mainly by cars, motorcycles, and light trucks; diesel is used mainly by heavier trucks, buses, and trains. Together, gasoline and diesel make up 86 percent of all the energy used in transportation.
The first modern wind turbine was built in Vermont in the early 1940s.
Wind farms currently produce enough electricity to meet the needs of more than 600,000 families in the United States.
Almost half of the renewable energy produced in the United States comes from biomass sources, like wood and paper products.
In Iowa and Wisconsin, biomass energy from landfills and dairy farms is being used to make electricity.

Information gathered from Energy Information Administration, the National Energy Education Development Project and Alliant Energy

Energy Education Materials

Energy Educators Guide (PDF) – Energy is an growing topic for education and outreach. This guide will assist in your planning for energy education outreach. Information for youth as well as adults. Provided are links to a variety of energy education material.

Educators Guide Addendum (PDF) – This addendum to the Energy Educator’s Guide includes additional links to energy information and energy efficient facts.

Energy Activities

The activities listed below are for use in classrooms, field days and other outreach events.

Energy Squares - Developed by NEED, the National Energy Education Development Project (www.need.org), this project is suitable for grades K-1, this activity is also adaptable for grade 2-3, 4-12 and for adults.

Energy Bumper Stickers - Developed by NEED (www.need.org), this project is suitable for grades K-1, this activity is also adaptable for grade 2-3, 3-8 and for adults.

This Week in Energy Conservation - Developed by NEED (www.need.org), this project is suitable for grades K-1, this activity is also adaptable for grade 2-3, 4-12 and for adults.

Don’t Use it all Up - Developed by FLP, Food, Land & People (www.foodlandpeople.org), this project is suitable for grades K-1, this activity is also adaptable for grade 2-3, 4-5 and for adults.

Additional Energy Resources

The Basics on Renewable Energy - This November/December 2006 NACD News and Views feature story is all about renewable energy. It explores the different sources of renewable energy and its future potential as well as stories of districts who are working with renewable energy.

Homegrown Energy—America’s New Power Plants (2007) - The way we farm is rapidly changing rural America and agricultural policy must adapt to new social, economic and environmental forces. Leading the way are clean, renewable biofuels.