Change is all around us. The Earth has been undergoing change since the beginning of time. Technology changes as we learn more every day. Our perspectives change, and so we must make changes in our daily lives. As our knowledge about the Earth grows, Sustainability emerges as a vital ideal. Sustainability is a mindset, a practice, and a re-shaping of the way we live and work. It includes understanding our planet, our products, and our use of resources. But these things are not enough. We must also focus on meeting the needs of today without compromising the future. Our society must be built to last, and endure without damaging the environment. We must recognize our resources are limited, and dedicate our efforts to making sure future generations will have access to these resources. When possible, we must counter-act the damage already made. In order to be Sustainable, we must be able to adapt to the change around us.

Contact Information

The Franklin Institute

222 North 20th Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 www.fi.edu Rita Mukherjee Hoffstadt rmhoffstadt@fi.edu 215.448.1309

Exhibits

The Franklin Institute has created exhibits to increase public awareness and understanding of climate change science. Both the Electricity and Changing Earth exhibits, opened during 2010, offer opportunities for visitors to engage with science topics that impact daily lives.

Electricity
Electricity has changed our lives, our cities, and our world. But technology has unintended consequences—we are connected by the impacts of our electricity use, which are both positive and negative. It is time to develop a new relationship with electricity, one that is more balanced, in which we all take responsibility for not just the intended but also the unintended effects of electrical technology.

Changing Earth
The Earth is always changing. Powerful forces shape our air, water, and land, and will continue to transform our planet. Past Earth was uninhabitable by people, which leads us to ask: Will we be able to live on the future Earth? We are racing to understand the changes we are making to our Earth; to develop ways to slow down some of the changes; and to live with changes we have created. Through education and action, we are able to make informed choices to live more sustainably on our planet. The choices we make today will affect our tomorrow.

Resources

The Franklin Institute suggests the following resources to help you learn about climate science and how you can become involved in protecting our environment and living a more sustainable lifestyle.

What can I do?
Assess how much electricity you use. Some ways you can reduce consumption include using more efficient appliances and weatherizing your house—which will save you money as well. These websites will guide you through your own energy assessment.

Energy Savers

From the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Savers has helpful hints in a variety of areas from appliances to landscaping.

EnergyStar

EnergyStar is a program devoted to efficiency in appliances. Run jointly by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the EnergyStar program helps simplify your appliance shopping experience.

EPA Clean Energy

You can also buy green power from many electrical utilities now. Are you using clean electricity?

Kill-A-Watt Meters

There are meters you can buy and connect to your appliances, which will tell you how much electricity they are using. Kill-A-Watt meters help you calculate how efficient they really are.

Smart Meters

Many electrical utility companies are switching over to smart meters, which will allow them to charge for electricity at real-time market prices. Wikipedia offers a general overview of how they work.

Where can I find more information about climate science and climate change?
Follow the links below to find our more about the world we live in.

The Earth Portal

The Earth Portal is maintained by the Environment Information Coalition, a group of expert scientists and educators. The site provides peer-reviewed articles regarding current issues in climate change.

The Enyclopedia of Earth

The Encyclopedia of Earth is a great information resource on various topics relevant to the earth and its environment.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), provides a clear scientific view on the current state of climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences

Coral Reefs & Global Climate Change

Climate Change is affecting our coral reefs. The PEW center did in-depth research on the impacts, and published its findings.

NOAA Climate Service

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration aims to enrich life through science, and works to keep citizens informed of the changing environment.

How can I participate in a Science Project?
Citizen science, volunteer monitoring, and participatory action research projects are always looking for more participants. Visit the following website to see how you can become involved in scientific research.

Citizen Science Toolkit

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology hosts Citizen Science Central, where project leaders and project participants can find one another.

BudBurst

Project BudBurst is a national field campaign for citizen scientists designed to engage the public in the collection of important climate change data based on the timing of leafing and flowering of trees and flowers.

Global warming studies often depend on average citizens

This article, published by McClatchy, highlights the important role of citizen science in tracking climate change impacts.

What books should I read?
Understanding the history of the development of electricity in America can shed light on issues we're working through now. There are a number of books on the rivalry between Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and Nikola Tesla, which shaped the way electricity was incorporated into our daily lives. Two books that cover the general history are:
"Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World" by Jill Jones and "AC/DC: The Savage Tale of the First Standards War" by Tom McNichol.

In "Electrifying America: Social Meanings of a New Technology 1880-1940," author David E. Nye uses the electrification of Muncie, Indiana to tell the story of how electricity became an integral part of American society and culture.

Eric Brende was a graduate student at MIT when he began to contemplate the relation between man and machine. In his book "Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology" he tells the story of the year he and his wife spent exploring life without electricity.

PECO Smart Ideas
The Franklin Institute encourages you to visit the PECO Smart Ideas Website to save energy and money, and help the environment. You'll find tips, guides, and home eneergy audit information. There are tools and calculators for helping you understand how much energy you use in your home. Look for programs and rebates to help you save money while also helping to save the environment.

Projects

The Franklin Institute is participating in or leading projects which seek to provide learners of all ages with a stronger understanding of climate science and climate change. Through its programs, the Institute hopes to help citizens live more sustainable lives.

Communicating Climate Change (C3)

The Franklin Institute is proud to work with the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), and their project: Communicating Climate Change. The project focuses on identifying local indicators of climate change.

CLICK HERE for slides related to the C3 project.
CLICK HERE for the C3 project flyer.


Partnerships for Achieving Careers in Technology and Science

The Franklin Institute's Partnerships for Achieving Careers in Technology and Science (PACTS) program focuses on providing science enrichment, career development, cross-age mentoring, and leadership opportunities for diverse middle and high school students in the Greater Philadelphia region. The PACTS kids have recorded local bird activity to watch for changes in migratory patterns.



Earth Fair

The Franklin Insitute hosts an annual Earth Fair which showcases local community resources for learning about climate science and for making sustainable lifestyle decisions. The 2010 Fair was held on July 10 and 11. When the 2011 event is scheduled, the details will be posted here. CLICK HERE for pictures.

Greening TFI

The Franklin Institute strives to be a green business. As an historic building, the process of adopting sustainable practices takes time.

CLICK HERE for our current status report.

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