Now that it’s September, the kids are back in school and focusing
their attention on the “three Rs.” In addition to the essentials of “reading,
writing and ‘rithmetic”, some schools are adding a fourth R. The fourth R
stands for respect. From the perspective
of the Energy Experts, respect should not be reserved exclusively for people,
but should include the entire planet.
As a teacher, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or committed
community member, we encourage you to help educate our next generation of environmental
stewards. Helping to instill conservation-minded values in children won't happen
without some work. Use less, do more!
The Energy Experts are here to share information on engaging
tasks that will inform young people about the importance of energy
conservation. In addition to being
educational, these tasks can make valuable and cost saving improvements to your
home, school and classroom. The
important message that children (and adults!) can take away from the experience
is that every contribution is important and together we can make
positive changes to improve the planet.
To get in the spirit, consider turning some of these tasks
into a friendly competition with an eco-friendly prize for the winner. For
example, create a month-long contest to see who can recycle the most paper;
collect the most cans; or cut their home’s energy bill the most.
Start with the following changes:
Turn off lights when you’re done with them. Don’t waste resources by lighting an empty room—save energy and money!
Don’t leave doors to the outside open for longer than necessary. Hot and cool air escape quickly. Energy is a valuable resource, don’t let it get away!
Computers use energy. Don’t forget to power manage your technology equipment. Put inactive computers into sleep mode and completely shut down equipment at the end of the day.
Get on board with ENERGY STAR products. When shopping, look for the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR products use less energy than others.
For every light bulb that burns out, replace that old bulb with a CFL or even better: an LED!
Don’t waste water by leaving the faucet running when you brush your teeth. Do you know how many states are currently experiencing a severe drought? Wherever you live, remember that water is precious and takes energy to clean it, so don’t waste it!
Recycle! Don’t forget to put paper, plastic, glass and cans in the proper recycling containers. Never throw away what can be recycled! The more we reuse things, the less we damage our planet.
Use both sides of a piece of paper before throwing it away. It takes energy to make paper, so don’t waste it!
Limit your transportation needs by carefully planning your route to school, shopping and errands. Instead of using the car, take the bus, ride a bike or get some extra exercise and walk. Remember, vehicles burn fossil fuels, which contribute to global warming. The less we use, the better it is for the planet.
Pick up litter. We want to keep our planet beautiful, clean and green!
Here are some helpful links for more conservation activities:
CleanUp the World Weekend involves over 35 million worldwide volunteers.
Join in as a family or school group on September 12-14.
Join in as a family or school group on September 12-14.
