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How much electricity does it take to power the world?

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TEDEd Animation

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All around the world, millions of people are flipping a switch, plugging in, and pressing an ‘on’ button every second. So how much electricity does humanity use? And how much will we need in the future? Discover how much energy it takes to power the world, and how clean energy sources could help revolutionize our electricity supply.

Additional Resources for you to Explore

Building a sustainable future will require a multi-faceted approach. Read the book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, by Bill Gates to dive into a detailed plan to bring global greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero.

While there are big changes governments and businesses will need to make, there are meaningful and effective changes individuals can make in their daily lives as well. Use this carbon footprint calculator created by the Global Footprint Network to measure your carbon footprint. But what’s next? Many people struggle to identify how they can offset their carbon footprint or what action they can take. Project Drawdown’s ecochallenge has you covered. It outlines a series of one-time or daily actions you can take individually, with a group of friends, or coworkers to make a difference in your community.

Our changing climate involves many complex and interconnected issues, and one of the best ways to understand them is to have more conversations about them. The World Climate Simulation allows you to do just that by role playing and simulating UN climate negotiations. Finally, watch this TED animation to learn what is net-zero and why it is our shared goal to build a better future.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Director Lisa LaBracio
  • Script Writer Elizabeth Cox, George Zaidan
  • Narrator Jack Cutmore-Scott
  • Director of Animation Vicente Nirō, AIM Creative Studios
  • Storyboard Artist Wing Luo
  • Animator Ana Luísa Farinha, Cristina Neto, Alexandre Sousa, André Cunha
  • Art Director Vicente Nirō
  • Compositor Daniela Carvalho
  • Music André Aires
  • Sound Designer André Aires
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • AIM Creative Studios Producer Tom Knight
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Script Editor George Zaidan
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam

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