More Fun and Facts on New tvakids.com Web Site

Oct. 20, 2009

Most people, even children, know their shoe size. But how many people know the size of their carbon footprint?

Now children and adults can find the answer on TVA’s newly redesigned Web site for kids at www.tvakids.com. The site features a carbon footprint calculator along with curriculum links for teachers and parents. The calculator includes questions about daily habits such as: How do you get to and from school? How many bags of trash do you throw away each week?

A carbon footprint is the measurement of greenhouse gases each person produces in daily life. The value is shown is equivalent to kilograms of carbon dioxide, the primary component of ozone emissions.

“Awareness of our carbon footprint is important in understanding how each of us can help protect our environment,” said Joe Hoagland, TVA vice president of Environmental Policy, Science, and Technology. “Everyone, including children, has the power to make a difference.”

Other additions to the tvakids.com site include an aerial video tour of the Tennessee Valley, allowing users to see a variety of TVA generating sites, city skylines and landmarks from a birds-eye perspective.

Teachers and students can also access animations and diagrams of how TVA makes power, including nuclear generation, coal-fired generation, combined cycle and pumped storage.

For students in need of a science project, the site also features a list of helpful links for research ideas and project designs.

TVA is the nation’s largest public power provider and is completely self-financing. TVA provides power to large industries and 158 power distributors that serve approximately 9 million consumers in seven southeastern states. TVA also creates economic development opportunities and manages the Tennessee River and its tributaries to provide multiple benefits, including flood damage reduction, navigation, water quality and recreation.

Media Contact

Jim Allen, Knoxville, (865) 632-7453
TVA News Bureau, Knoxville, (865) 632-6000

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