Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1320306 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Library Binding
• 32 pages

From Booklist
From a shimmering French office building clad in solar panels to a small bio-gas plant outside a home in India, examples of clean energy are the focus in this slim title in the Earth in Danger series. Following brief definitions of renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, the spreads introduce various methods of producing Earth-friendly power, most often by harnessing natural forces such as sun, wind, and water movement. Orme presents concepts in clear, simplified language that may leave students with questions, such as how fossil fuels form or what, exactly, are the “dangerous wastes” that a nuclear plant produces. An appended section, “Just the Facts,” delves into further detail about the issues with focused, interesting statistics (“Three percent of all the energy made in the U.S. comes from biomass”), and offers young readers energy-saving tips that directly apply to their own daily lives. Packed with sharp color photos that will attract browsers, this handsome title will provide a solid first stop for students new to the subject of renewable energy. Grades 3-6. --Gillian Engberg

Customer Reviews

This is an excellent overview of potential renewable energy resources
Many people are worried we will run out of the energy resources we use on a daily basis and rightfully so. Oil, gas and coal (fossil fuels) are resources we will eventually run out of and we need to look to the future and start considering developing methods to harvest or use renewable resources. The use of fossil fuels is troubling because they emit greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming. Some of the renewable resources this book takes a look at are "the wind, waves, tides, and the sun." Did you know that biogas is a methane gas that is produced when waste rots? Many people in India have "biogas plants" for home use and you can read about them in this book.

In this book chapters include The Energy Problem, Nonrenewable Energy sources, Renewable Energy Sources, Clean Energy, Wind and Wave Power, Solar Power, Nuclear Power, Cleaning Up Coal, Electric Cars and The Best Renewable Energy Source. There are also suggestions on how to save energy, ways you can cut greenhouse gases by driving less, comparisons of transportation modes and their greenhouse gas emissions, biogas plants, a discussion on power stations, ways to make your own electricity and ways you can help.

The photographs accompanying the text capture the essence of the book and are very striking. Each section has a mini-sidebar with an interesting fact to accompany the discussion topic. For example in the section about cleaning up coal we learn that "some scientists believe that the methods used to clean coal may actually harm the environment." The pros and cons of renewable resources are given when applicable. In the back of the book there are a glossary, index and three additional recommended books. This is an excellent overview of potential future energy resources.