Our Energy Future
Explore the Florida Museum of Natural History's newest permanent exhibit "Our Energy Future." The free exhibit is full of tips about reducing energy use at home and hands-on activities. Learn about alternative energy sources, the rooftop solar array that powers part of the Museum and more. Bring the entire family to experience this fun and engaging exhibit.
Exhibit Highlights
The exhibit was inspired by the Museum's rooftop solar array, which supplies about 8 percent of
the building's energy needs.
- Digital Playground: With the touch of a finger, explore ways to conserve energy and save money at home using a computer interactive. Learn how your home energy use compares to your neighbors', check out what area residents are doing to save energy and make a commitment to lower your energy use.
- Energy Abacus: This giant chart reveals the top eight uses of energy in a typical home in North Central Florida. Rate yourself using the abacus and discover where you can reduce your energy consumption.
- Choose your Lighting: You can save energy and money by using efficient lighting. Discover the best and most energy efficient ways to light your home through this interactive component.
- Power Strip Savings: Did you know if you plug appliances into a power strip and turn it off when not in use, you can save 5-10 percent on your electric bill? Find out what other steps you can take to conserve energy.
- Solar Panel: Take a close-up look at photovoltaic solar panels like those used on homes, businesses and other structures.
- Thermostat Savvy: Did you know heating and cooling use about 35 percent of household energy? Learn more about energy use through this touchscreen interactive.
Did You Know?
- In 2010 the University of Florida installed a 75 kW solar array on the Museum's roof. The system produces about 8 percent of the power consumed by the Museum.
- The U.S. ranks first in the world for energy consumption per capita. Americans use 8.35 tons of oil equivalent, the amount of energy released by burning 1 ton of oil, per person. In Florida, most energy is used for air-conditioning in summer and heating in winter. Homes in Florida use 6 percent of the electricity produced in the U.S.
- When appliances are plugged in but turned off, they still use energy, referred to as phantom energy. The most common sources of phantom energy are TVs, DVRs, laptop computers and cable and satellite boxes.
- Adjusting your thermostat one degree higher in the summer and lower in the winter may reduce energy cost by 4 percent.
- Making cans from recycled aluminum uses 95 percent less energy than using raw materials.
- Each person in the U.S. produces 4½ pounds of garbage a day.
- Within six months, 99 percent of the items we harvest, mine, process and transport are thrown away.
Related Resources
- UF Office of Sustainability
- Gainesville Green
- Community Profile videos (produced by Daniel Shifrin; closed captions by Tim Hall)
- UF/IFAS Program for Resource Efficient Communities
- Rebuilding Together, North Central Florida's Community Weatherization Coalition
- UF Shimberg Center
- Earth Givers, Neutral Gainesville Initiative
We'd like to thank our sponsors!
