Energy plays a huge role in our daily lives. We are using it constantly and it is something all of us take for granted. To many people electricity comes from a socket on the wall and they do not realize the importance of how their electricity is generated. CFACT students at Saint Cloud State wanted to let other students know where we get our power, so they decided to have a Power Draw event on campus.
CFACT students wanted to let their friends know how electricity is generated here in the United States, so they decided to do a drawing. Every slip of paper in the drawing had a different type of electricity written on it and students would get a different kind of candy depending on what kind of power they drew.
Lots of students stopped by, and many were confused why they almost always seemed to draw fossil fuels. The students were surprised to learn 80% of the electricity generated here in the United States is derived from fossil fuels. “I knew we used a lot of fossil fuels, but didn’t realize they are such a major player,” said one student.
Other students couldn’t believe wind and solar accounted for so little of our power. “I always hear about how much power wind and solar is generating,” said one student, “I am kind of shocked by how little power all those windmills generate.” Many students had a more positive view of fossil fuels after learning the important role they play here in the United States. They were also interested to learn about new technologies that are making fossil fuels cleaner.
Many of today’s college students were raised on the myth that green energy is the electricity of the future. They have been led to believe green energy will be cheap since wind and sun light are free. They have not been told about the huge advances in clean fossil fuel technology. Ignorance is a problem, and it is the problem CFACT students are working hard to fix.
