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SUCCESS ON ELECTRICITY REDUCTION

6TH MAY

BY ISABELLA NOVAK

How many Kilowatts are you using?

Electricity is made by burning fossil fuels; this is why global warming is such a big issue. Our society is powered by electricity and that still means burning fossil fuels. We must work together to reduce our fossil fuel consumption since it contributes to global warming, which is now a big problem. Every small change that a person does to reduce the use of electricity makes an impact on the environment. So lets all take small steps to save our planet. In October we interviewed Vaishnavi, a student from ISKL who is one of many who did the Human Impact on the Environment Project. She decided she was going to reduce her familys kilowatts usage of electricity. To do that she used her air-conditioner less often and set it at a higher temperature (around 23 degrees C). She also made sure she always turned off her lights if

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she wasnt using them and turned appliances off when theyre not in use. Lastly, she convinced her family to help decreased their electricity usage too.

using 700 KwH a month. Thats a huge reduction and she did it by taking action and doing what she planned! The change Vaishnavi did was small but it made a huge difference. If we all did this and reduced our After 6 months, she made a usage, we could all work huge difference. (See graph together and help our world. above.) She started off using Maybe this will inspire you to between 1300 and 2000 KwH a do your own Human Impact month but as she reduced her on the Environment Project at electricity usage, she brought home. this number down. She is now ~How to Do~
To $ind an equation of a $itted line (like the one used in the graph above), $irst start with the formula y=mx+b (m being the slope and b being the y-intercept). In the graph above we are given many points, I used (2,1400) and (1,1600). To $ind the slope, minus the rise/run of both points and solve (1400/2 - 1600/1 = -200), replace m in the formula with your answer (y=-200x + b). After that, $ind the y-intercept by substituting a point from your graph into your formula. I used (1,1600) and your equation becomes: 1600 = -200 + b. Solve that by +200 onto each side and you end up with: 1800 = k. With both the slope and y-intercept I plot it back in the original equation (y=mx+b). The equation is now $inished and looks like: y=-200x + 1800

~Prediction~
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With the equation I made I can predict what month Vaishnavi will be using 300 KwH. First you use the equation (y=-200x+1800) and replace y with 300 (300=-200x +1800) and solve for x. To solve, minus 1800 from both sides (- 1500=-200x) then divide both sides by -200. We end up with 7.5=x. Since the graph started on October you need to count 7.5 months from there. Prediction: Vaishnavi will be using 300 KwH halfway through May.