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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.

Bird Migration: A Local Indicator of Climate Change: Developed by The Franklin Institute, this guide offers everything you need to lead your own citizen science project.
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.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0813135. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.