Winter. For many of us, the season means hot chocolate, winter sports, exercise indoors, and the classic American pastime—movie night. So, if you find yourself caught in a chilly day, and are in the mood for popcorn and a good flick at home, check out the following movies that have environmental or clean energy innuendoes/themes:

• Back to the Future—In parts II and III of the popular series, the DeLorean time machine was powered by the Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor. In the end of the first movie, we see Dr. Emmett Brown putting a banana peel, beer (and the can), and other waste products into the Mr. Fusion unit, and in turn, suggesting that the car's flux capacitor is run on biomass energy. Another interesting tidbit is that the cool DeLorean car that was featured in the series is actually being made in real life as an electric vehicle.

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Electric vehicles, sometimes called EVs, can give drivers like you a convenient way to get around, while saving you money on fuel, reducing emissions, and supporting the nation’s energy security. Learn about the advantages of electric vehicles, see EVs in action, and find out how they work by checking out DOE’s new Electric Vehicle 101 video. [More]

Every year at holiday time thousands of pounds of wrapping paper is produced, using exorbitant amounts of energy, and quickly discarded just moments after opening your shiny new object. The colorful gift wrap loses energy through production, shipment and storage; a thought that is not exactly glittering. In fact, each ream of paper takes approximately the energy equivalent of 2 gallons of gasoline to produce.

A few years ago I realized how much wrapping paper is wasted during the holidays and made a personal quest to no longer purchase any more of the festive paper. It was a challenge, but I knew I was saving a lot of energy and money, and I was no longer contributing to deforestation. I had to think creatively, and searching the web for ideas, successfully found new ways to wrap my gifts. [More]

It goes without saying: this is the busiest time of the year for most Americans. Whether we fly, drive, or take public transportation, the holiday season has many of us planning trips to see family and friends to make the most of this special time of year.

Kristin talked about the tips and tricks she uses to take a vacation from her energy bill while she's away from home. Speaking of travel, check out the energy-saving vehicle calculator that Eric talked about this week - it could help you choose a great vehicle if you're in the market. [More]

Every day, people across America are making the choice to buy energy-efficient vehicles that save energy and money, protect the environment, and help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil. The work we do at the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has played an important role in developing key technologies – such as innovative batteries – that are making possible the hybrids, electric vehicles, and other alternative fuel vehicles available to consumers and fleets today. These high-efficiency vehicles, and the people who own and operate them, are already cutting America’s demand for foreign oil and eliminating greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change. [More]

We kicked off the new school year by talking about teaching our kids how to save energy at home, followed by more great information about electric vehicles which can save at the gas pump when we’re driving our kids to school events.

No matter what age our kids are, from toddlers to teens and beyond, talking about saving energy can be a fun way to bond with them. [More]