Modern kids in New Orleans, Louisiana, hear buzzwords like recycling, energy efficiency, and conservation all around them. It’s easy to educate them and make home energy awareness fun. Here are three things you might try to educate your kids and get them involved with home energy conservation.
Teach Them Where Energy Comes From
Kids may think that electricity through their light switch or the outlet where their computer is plugged in is available in endless supply — as long as their parents pay the bill. Start with helping them understand that our electricity and gas comes from natural resources that the whole planet needs to share. By finding ways to reduce the amount they use personally, they’re being responsible citizens.
Have an Energy Scavenger Hunt
Create a game that shows your kids how the house works. Take them to the meter that brings electricity into the house. Explain how the HVAC system keeps them warm or cool, and explain how the programmable thermostat helps it run efficiently. Show them the water heater and teach them how the family all shares the hot water. The last stop on the scavenger hunt might be at the oven where a treat is baking. Then share your treat and have a family meeting about how everyone can be responsible for each of the places you just saw.
Give Rewards for Energy-Saving Choices
Once kids are aware, they’re likely to be excited about making better choices to meet your family’s goals. You can create a rewards system where they get points for things like turning off the bedroom light during the day or when leaving the room, by taking a timed shower, or by turning off their video games after an hour and going outside to play. Your family can use accumulated points for fun activities together.
Our goal at Bryan’s United Air Conditioning is to help your home be heated and cooled as efficiently as possible, and kids can be a big help with knowledge and motivation. Call us today at 504-208-2071 for an evaluation of your home’s HVAC needs.
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