Energy conservation and energy efficiency are the focus of this lesson. Students learn how basic energy conservation and energy efficiency choices can save their family money, reduce energy consumption, and prevent energy-related pollution. Students learn how to identify and fix air leaks,compare incandescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs, and list ways they can conserve energy and increase energy efficiency in their daily lives. An extension lesson, “In the Driver’s Seat,” which focuses on transportation and fuel efficiency, is also provided on the MEECS Energy Resources CD.

The lesson introduces the concept of a product life cycle and how it can be used as tool for the consumer to make more environmentally friendly product choices. The lesson uses the life cycle of a CD or DVD as an example to investigate the life cycle of an everyday product and examine options for reusing, recycling, or disposing of the item after its useful life. Students are introducedto pollution prevention strategies (the three Rs), how consumers can use them, and how the strategies can be incorporated at different stages of a product’s life cycle to make a product more economically and environmentally sustainable.