Solar Energy for Kids

Perhaps you will even find some helpful tips on how you can help your family go green!

What is Solar Energy?

The simplest answer to this question is that solar energy is the energy the sun's rays produce when they reach the earth's surface.

Two of the greatest things about energy from the sun are that it is completely free and it will never run out!

It's also a clean source of energy, which means there is never a worry about it hurting people or the environment.

We can use solar power to heat and cool our homes, schools, and businesses. It's also used to generate electricity to power the appliances and lights inside a home, school, or business.

Fun Facts About Solar Energy for Kids

Did You Know...?

• The sun's energy can be and is used to heat swimming pools? Yes! It's possible to use solar panels to capture the energy from the sun and use that energy to heat your swimming pool so you can swim in it for a bit longer through the year.

• Solar energy can be used to cook food? It's true! Many people in third world countries can cook their food using solar ovens. Since they have no access to electricity, the sun's rays come in very handy.

• The sun can power cellular phones, laptop computers, and cameras? There are several new gadgets on the market today that can use solar energy to recharge the batteries in computers, cameras, flashlights, phones, and much more.

  As the technology improves, we will likely see more and more gadgets that can use the sun's power to recharge, which means we won't have to rely as heavily on electricity.

• Solar energy is used to power city streetlights, melt ice on pavement and shed light on directional and street signs? Cities are naturally hotter during the summer because the buildings and the pavement absorb sunlight and the heat of the sun.

  The heat radiating from the these sources can be turned into solar energy to light up the streetlights at night, melt ice on the streets to make them saver, and even shine light onto street signs drivers need to navigate the city. Pretty cool, isn't it?

It's pretty amazing to watch the technology for using solar power improve each year. The advances in this area of renewable energy are very exciting! It's very possible that by the time you are an adult, there could be even more advances in solar power!

What Are the Benefits of Solar Energy For Kids?

Why should using solar energy matter to you as a kid? There are several reasons that the use of solar energy benefits you both now and as an adult in years to come.

1. Solar energy is clean - you will enjoy cleaner air, water, food, and environment if solar energy is used more often to power the world around us.

2. Solar energy will never run out - no matter how long you live or how long your children and grandchildren live, solar power will always be available.

3. Solar energy is quiet - just think about living in a world that is quieter rather than so noisy. It would be so much less stressful!

4. You can make money from solar energy - ok, so you may not enjoy this benefit of solar power as a kid, but someday if you decide to power your home or business using energy from the sun, you will save money over using power produced from fossil fuels. It's possible that your local power company might even pay you for excess energy you produce!

5. Solar energy means better health - consider solar energy as your ticket to a healthier body and healthier environment. If you live in a cleaner world, your health automatically benefits - it's possible you will live a longer life.

Solar Energy for Kids - How Can You and Your Family Go Green?

It's not difficult to incorporate going green into your household. Here are some simple ways you can start going green with solar energy.

• Recycle items like aluminum, glass, and paper.

• Ask your mom if she would switch to homemade cleaning supplies.

• Erect a clothesline in the back yard and use it to hang out the laundry instead of using the dryer.

• Turn off lights when you leave a room.

• Take reusable grocery bags to the store.

Here are some more tips on going green.

See, it's easy to help the Earth and make a positive impact on your environment, even as a kid!

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