When you think about conserving energy, you think about your electricity bill and helping the planet become greener in this ever-changing world. You’ve purchased the latest Energy Star appliances, insulated your walls and turned off your electronics when they aren’t in use, especially during these times where we are isolated and at home for least 23 hours of the day with a full household.
Imagine you’ve done the housework and its 10am in the morning, you sit down with a cup a nice cup of tea, 15 minutes later you go back through the house to the kitchen only to find that your children have left the lights and tv’s on in room that aren’t occupied. They could be staring into the fridge deciding what snack to have (even though they looked just 10 minutes before). How can you convince your loving children to help your efforts to cut down on energy usage?
Knowledge is Power
Your children can’t make the effort to save energy if they don’t know how. Help them start building good habits early. We have spoken to an electrician in Ramsgate on some of the best simple ways that they could help lower your electricity bill:
To save electricity:
When you have finished on the computer, laptop, Tv and games consoles completely shut them down and do not put them into power saving mode or Sleep mode.
When you leave a room that you are no longer using, remember to turn the lights off as there is no point in lighting “Blackpool” while you’re not in the rooms.
Hungry for a snack? Have a think about what’s in the fridge that you might like, this will help keep the cool air inside and not use as much energy.
To conserve water:
Turn off the tap while you are brushing your teeth. Leaving it running can send gallons of wastewater down the drain.
Do not dawdle in the shower. You want to get clean, but every minute you linger uses up energy to heat the water, not to mention the water itself.
To keep your heating and cooling bills low:
If the heater or air conditioner is running, don't leave any doors or windows open.
When you're cold, put on an extra layer of clothing instead of turning the thermostat up.
What if They Don't Want to?
Every parent knows that telling a child to do something doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. The trick is to get them excited about doing it. While one reason to lower your energy, consumption is to save money, children do have a habit of taking mum and dads money for granted.
Try to teach them about where the energy comes from, I mean what kid doesn’t like a dinosaur? Explain to them how Solar and Wind energy works but also mention that they can help to make a difference on the planet! If your child has a particular interest, like animals or knowing how stuff works, you can tie them together. Tell them that one day if they understand how electricity works, they could become a well-known Ramsgate electrician.
One of the best tricks that has ever been taught to me is to give your kid a green light to correct you if you make a mistake, such as leaving the TV on while your in garden. This gives your child some fun responsibility and helps them to become vigilant about your behaviour. This has been proven to increase the likelihood that they will take care about their own actions.
There is a very good website which can be found by searching for Energy Star Kids program. They provide fantastic ideas on how to persuade your kids to save energy while giving them a big lesson for when they have to pay their own bills. Remember, the best way to teach a child how to conserve is to set a good example by doing it yourself.