As soon as your kids can flip a light switch, they can also be taught about energy savings! The benefit of teaching your kids to save energy helps instill in them important values that will most likely be carried into adulthood.
Of course the best way to teach is by setting a good example yourself! Through your example, your children can learn to be conscious of money and energy savings.
But energy is a complex subject, so how do you go about explaining it to a child? Use simple language and imagery to help your child understand easy-to-grasp subjects, such as:
- Energy is invisible. We cannot see, hear, feel, taste or smell energy. The sun makes energy for people, plants and animals to use on earth.
- We buy the energy that our house uses—just like we buy the food our bodies uses.
- If we don’t put the energy we buy for our home to good use, we waste energy. It’s like putting good food in the garbage without even eating it.
- The earth works very hard to give us energy. Using less energy is better for the earth.
To get the whole family involved with energy savings, start with these simple changes:
- Turn off lights, when leaving a room.
- Immediately close fridge and freezer door after use.
- Limit showers to 10 minutes or less.
- Toss old and unwanted food from a cluttered fridge. The refrigerator requires ample airflow around items to operate the most efficiently.
- During hot summer weather, draw curtains (from windows facing the sun) throughout the day. This will help to block the unwanted heat from the sun.
- During cool winter months, open curtains (from windows facing the sun) throughout the day. This will allow the sun’s warmth to heat the house. At night, close all curtains to keep your home’s warmth from escaping outside.
Most importantly, remember to make energy saving fun and reinforce positive behavior!