This short video surveys the different current and potential sources of energy - both non-renewable and renewable. It provides some discussion of the pros and cons of the different sources and explains how they are used to produce energy that people can use.

Video length 6:09 min.

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Grade Level

Middle (6-8)
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High School (9-12)
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Climate Literacy
About Teaching Climate Literacy

GPe (see details)

GPe

A combination of strategies is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The most immediate strategy is conservation of oil, gas, and coal, which we rely on as fuels for most of our transportation, heating, cooling, agriculture, and electricity. Short-term strategies involve switching from carbon-intensive to renewable energy sources, which also requires building new infrastructure for alternative energy sources. Long-term strategies involve innovative research and a fundamental change in the way humans use energy.

About Teaching the Guiding Principle
Other materials addressing GPe

Energy Literacy

4.1 Humans transfer and transform energy (see details)

4.1 Humans transfer and transform energy

Humans transfer and transform energy from the environment into forms useful for human endeavors.

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4.1 Humans transfer and transform energy.

4.2 Human use of energy is subject to limits and constraints (see details)

4.2 Human use of energy is subject to limits and constraints

Human use of energy is subject to limits and constraints.

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4.2 Human use of energy is subject to limits and constraints.

4.4 Humans transport energy (see details)

4.4 Humans transport energy

Humans transport energy from place to place.

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4.4 Humans transport energy.

4.5 Electricity generation (see details)

4.5 Electricity generation

Electricity is usually generated in one of two ways.

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4.5 Electricity generation.

4.6 Humans store energy (see details)

4.6 Humans store energy

Humans intentionally store energy for later use in a number of different ways.

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4.6 Humans store energy.

4.7 Different sources of energy have different benefits and drawbacks (see details)

4.7 Different sources of energy have different benefits and drawbacks

Different sources of energy and the different ways energy can be transformed, transported and stored each have different benefits and drawbacks.

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4.7 Different sources of energy have different benefits and drawbacks.

Various sources of energy are used to power human activities (see details)

Various sources of energy are used to power human activities

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Various sources of energy are used to power human activities .

6.2 Conserving energy (see details)

6.2 Conserving energy

One way to manage energy resources is through conservation.

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6.2 Conserving energy.

6.4 Earth has finite energy resources (see details)

6.4 Earth has finite energy resources

Earth has finite energy resources.

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6.4 Earth has finite energy resources.

Human use of energy (see details)

Human use of energy

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Human use of energy.

Benchmarks for Science Literacy
Learn more about the Benchmarks

Energy Sources and Use-5* (Middle 6-8) (see details)

8C/M5*

Energy from the sun (and the wind and water energy derived from it) is available indefinitely. Because the transfer of energy from these resources is weak and variable, systems are needed to collect and concentrate the energy.

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Energy Sources and Use-10** (Middle 6-8) (see details)

8C/M10**

Some resources are not renewable or renew very slowly. Fuels already accumulated in the earth, for instance, will become more difficult to obtain as the most readily available resources run out. How long the resources will last, however, is difficult to predict. The ultimate limit may be the prohibitive cost of obtaining them.

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