It’s back-to-school season, but it’s important to remember the best lessons don’t come from a textbook — they come from you. This is especially true when it comes to conserving electricity and taking care of our planet.
Kids are already forming habits from a young age. Want to make sure they’re good habits? Here’s how to teach your kids to be energy savers from the start!
Start Small
Five-year-olds don’t have to know which HVAC system is most efficient (although we’d be super impressed). But they do have to start somewhere — so start small.
Coloring and activity sheets are fun ways to get them more involved. ENERGY STAR® has free printables, including a child-friendly checklist they can help save energy around the house. It’s a super easy (and fun) way to introduce them to the world of energy conservation.
Point Out What Uses Electricity
You’d be surprised just how many people — even adults — don’t know what is powered by electricity in their own homes. All that power has to come from somewhere and most of the time it comes from electricity.
Go around the house with your kids and point out everything that uses electricity, from light switches, to appliances, to electronics, and more. Have them make a list of things they see that use electricity – and whoever finds the most gets a prize!
Give Them Responsibility
For older kids, start giving them some energy-related chores. Have them run the dishwasher when it’s full and on energy-saver mode. Teach them to wash full loads of laundry in cold water and clean the dryer’s air filter after each use. Ask them to turn off gaming systems or computers when not in use or put electronics in power-saving modes.
Save yourself a little time by letting them help program your smart thermostat and connected home devices because nothing is more fun to a kid than saying “Alexa, turn off the lamp,” instead of getting up to actually turn off the lamp.
Show Them How To “Save With C.A.D.E”
PSO’s education outreach program is available to fifth-grade classroom teachers across our service area. It features our popular Energy Saver Kit and teaches kids how to save energy with C.A.D.E (Champion And Defender of Energy) through a fun student guide, take-home workbook and energy-saving products, including: four 9-watt LED bulbs, a 7-plug advanced power strip and more.
The teacher-led curriculum is fun and a big hit with students! Know a teacher who might be interested? Invite them to learn more about the program today.
It’s never too early to learn how to save energy. So, thank you for showing your kids how to become lifelong energy savers!