Read Across America Day 2016
Written by Sue Parrent, Kentucky NEED Coordinator and elementary educator extraordinaire “I do not like green eggs and ham I do not like them Sam I am.” Everyone remembers listening to and reading a Dr. Seuss book while growing up. March 2nd is a day in which we honor Dr. Seuss with Read Across America…
Read MoreNEED Loves its PEEPs!
Last week, NEED was happy to be back in Philly to help kick-off yet another awesome year of the PECO Energizing Education Program. This amazing program, funded in part by the Exelon Foundation and PECO, gives teachers and students in the greater Philadelphia region the opportunity to learn about energy and share their excitement with…
Read MoreKentucky Green Schools Coalition
Kentucky NEED continues to be seen as the leader in energy education in Kentucky, having successfully completed 16 educator workshops during the fall of 2015, reaching 457 K-12 teachers. We currently have over 75 active student energy teams (SET) across the Commonwealth. Partnering with district energy managers, these students are facilitating activities that produce improved…
Read MoreDesigning for the Future
By Caryn Turrel, NEED Staff and Mother of a Future Architect If you’ve ever had the opportunity to build a new home, whether a custom home or with a builder in a planned development, there are many things to think about. How large will the home be? Will it be two stories or one? What…
Read MoreHave a Ball in 2016!
By Caryn Turrel, NEED Curriculum and Program Associate In the Turrel house, if someone goes to bed a little earlier than usual on a regular day, the standard line is, “But you promised to stay up and watch the ball drop with me!” When the kids were younger, they would all object to this joke…
Read MoreHere, There, and Everywhere!: NEED’s Busy Fall
What has NEED been up to this fall, you ask? Science teachers conventions! Well, as Willie Nelson would say, we’ve been everywhere, man! From California to Massachusetts, NEED’s been making appearances at science teachers conventions across the country! Over the past three months, we’ve covered almost a dozen conventions. Our friendly staff, facilitators, youth staff,…
Read MoreHouston Area Teachers Feed Their Love for Energy Education
On December 1st, NEED and Shell teamed up to provide another fantastic day of energy education activities for 60 teachers from the greater Houston area. The workshop was held in the community room of the nation’s largest food donation foundation, and Feeding America’s Food Bank of the Year, the Houston Food Bank. When focusing on…
Read MoreHawaiian Teachers Are Energized about Efficiency and Conservation!
Did you know that the state of Hawaii has set a goal that by the year 2040, 100% of the state’s energy needs will come from renewable sources? That’s a pretty serious goal, one that is unmatched by many of our 50 states. Over 80 percent of Hawaii’s energy comes from petroleum, much of which…
Read MoreEnergy Action Month!
Pumpkins and potions and … power?? That’s right! NEED’s favorite month is back! Apart from costumes and candy, October packs a triple whammy: it’s Energy Action Month! Formerly dubbed Energy Awareness Month by the United States Department of Energy, the title was recently changed to emphasize a call-to-action. So what terrorific activities do you have…
Read MoreMore Efficiency, More Challenges?
In 2007, Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act, which among other things phased out the manufacture of most standard incandescent light bulbs. Traditional incandescent bulbs are very inefficient, converting only about one-tenth of the energy they use to light, emitting the other 90% as wasted thermal energy. One replacement for these bulbs is…
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