How To Teach Young Children About Energy Efficiency

All too often the battle between parents, children and energy-saving can be all to overwhelming and sometimes the issue is easier swept under the carpet. Of course the repeated requests for lights to be off and doors to be closed will always hang around, but do your children really understand the importance of energy efficiency?

The one thing every parent wants for their child is to grow up in a safe and happy environment, so it makes sense to think that we want the same for our grandchildren, great-grandchildren and so on. What if the world as we know it became an unsafe environment in years to come, a situation that could have been avoided or stalled by the actions of previous generations? It's a simple fact that the world as we know it is changing and we need to prepare our future generations and teach them about energy usage and positive ways for living in an earth-friendly world. Just as important as teaching them is showing them, our actions, most of which will be mimicked by our offspring will become a solid foundation of knowledge for them to carry through life. Setting the right example is the first step in creating a positive change in our kids.

Understanding the need for change is only half the work, how do we teach our children and have them understand the importance of energy-efficiency without 'enforcing' it as a rule they won't like to follow?

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START SIMPLE

Energy is a complex subject. It is especially difficult to explain the idea to youngsters as it is something they can't see, hear or smell. Start with simple, easy-to-understand concepts that will help them to later grasp the link between energy production and consumption, as well as the important reasons behind energy conservation. Use some of these simple messages to help young children understand about energy:

- Energy is invisible, we can't see it.

- Almost everything in the world needs some form of energy. People need energy from food to learn and live.

- The sun provides energy too, it gives planTs the strength to grow tall and strong.

- Our home needs energy too. We buy it so we can have hot water, lights, the oven and fun things like the television and computer. This energy is called electricity. The more we use the more we have to pay.

- If we waste our energy we have to pay more money which means we have less for other things like ice-cream!

- Leaving the fridge open is wasting energy.

- When the house or car uses energy, the earth gets hurt. Using less energy is better for the earth.

TRY TO ADD NEW HABITS EVERY WEEK

Once the children are familiar with energy and the importance of preserving it you will find they will be more likely to make a conscious effort without having to be told to do so. Be mindful that this change can have a novelty appeal so even if they are keen continue to take each step slowly and never make it seem as though they are missing out on something by making a change. This would simply undo the hard work and have the opposite effect. Start introducing small changes on a weekly basis and make it a team effort. Try some of simple goals:

- Turn off lights when we leave the room

- Unplug our laptop when we are finished.

- Turn the water off when you brush your teeth

- Have showers instead of baths

- Close the fridge door quickly.

- Close the drapes on dusk

- Dry clothes outside.

- Unplug electrical products that we aren't using.

- Put on warm clothes instead of a heater.

REINFORCE POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR

Children thrive from positive feedback, meaning there is no easier way to keep them on board than with positive praise. Tell them what a great job they are doing and remind them that they are helping the environment - making a real difference.

Rewarding the family isn't difficult and you can come up with some neat ideas together. Family bush walks or picnics are fun, or you could plant a family tree to symbolize the hard work everyone is putting in. The main thing to remember is the reward should include everyone and be positive.

An easy way to monitor power use is through a smart meter. This smart meter has benefits for everyone as it means that power usage is updated every half hour and there is no guess work involved in your power bill. For kids this means that there are real-time results on energy use and energy costs. For example, you can see what times of the day you are using more energy and talk to children about why this would be and what things around the house are using this electricity. Rewarding energy efficient behavior is up to you, as long as the parents are modeling the right behaviours and praising the children's efforts; energy saving in your home should, can and will run smoothly.


Find out more about making your house energy efficient with Arc Innovations.