Our planet sustains us with its natural resources. To make sure that future generations of people can live as well or better than we do, we must protect our environment and its natural resources. We convert the energy in Earth’s natural resources to forms useful for us: electricity, heat for our homes, or the energy of motion in transportation. There is a limited supply of the natural resources we rely on today, oil (petroleum), natural gas, and coal, and burning these fossil fuels pollutes the environment.

Energy conservation starts by thinking about the different ways we consume energy.

In 2009, twenty-eight percent of the total energy consumed in the US in 2009 was used for transportation; twenty-two percent in residential homes; nineteen percent in commercial buildings and twenty-nine percent in industries.

It is up to you to figure out new ways of producing electricity from renewable sources, find new energy sources for transportation that limit pollution, and to encourage others to promote conservation. This planet belongs to you and there is nobody better than you to figure out how to live well and enjoy our beautiful planet for countless generations – to build a scheme for clean.

This essay contest is designed to bring the issues of clean energy to your attention. Thank you for your participation and good luck!

The 2011 competition closed on April 18, 2011.  Check back soon for information about the 2012 competition.