532 Clean Energy
Making the Best Use of Electricity
Aside from using clean energy, an important way to reduce pollution from
electricity is to use it more carefully. If we waste less electricity, our power
plants will not have to produce so much — or produce so much pollution.
There are many ways governments can promote better energy use, including
regulating industry to use cleaner production methods (see page 458), and
improving existing power plants and power lines.
Reduce waste, reduce demand
Compact fluorescent
light bulbs last much
longer than regular
(incandescent)
light bulbs, saving
electricity and money.
Reducing the demand for more electricity by people and
industries that use too much is the best way to reduce the
use of fossil fuels. Governments can reduce the demand
for energy by encouraging factories, businesses, and
people who live in cities to use energy more efficiently.
When less energy is used, it reduces both the cost of
making energy and the harm to peoples’ health and
the environment.
Governments can charge more or ask for higher taxes
from industries that use the most electricity. Governments
can also encourage electricity use at different times of the
day, so that it is not in demand all at one time.
The corporations that make electricity are like other businesses. The more
they make and sell, the more they profit. Because our health and environment is
harmed by too much production of electricity from fossil fuels, the energy
corporations must be forced to conserve, not expand.
Improve existing power plants
and power lines
Power lines carry electricity
from power plants to wherever
the electricity is used. The way
electricity moves through a power
line can be compared to how water
moves through a pipe. Just as a leaky
Repairing power
lines saves a lot
pipe wastes water, a poorly maintained
of electricity.
power line wastes electricity. Poor
quality power lines waste a lot of electricity.
Existing power plants can also be improved to produce
more, cleaner, and safer electricity. Improving power
plants costs less and causes less harm to people and the
environment than building new ones.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012