|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Saving energy isn’t just smart. It can be fun, too.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| |
Welcome to MidAmerican Energy's e-SMARTnews! As an educator, you play a vital role in helping children acquire energy-efficient habits and an energy-saving mindset from an early age. To assist you in this, below we provide some energy education tips and activities that complement the MidAmerican e-SMARTkids website. With temperatures going down and the lights burning longer, fall is a great time to engage students in conserving energy, both at school and at home. For more energy education resources, please visit MidAmericanEnergy.com/esmart. And tell your colleagues, too!
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
What Is a Carbon Footprint?
Students may have heard the phrase "carbon footprint," and helping them to understand the concept is a critical first step to their adopting energy-saving behaviors. Corporations and governments play a big part in helping reverse climate change by reducing their carbon footprint. But individuals and communities can make a critical difference, as well.
A carbon footprint represents a person or entities’ energy usage in terms of the amount of carbon-containing greenhouse gases released into the environment over a given period of time. These gases in Earth’s atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat. They let sunlight pass through, but they prevent the heat that sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere. When students strive to lower their carbon footprint with energy-saving habits, they help to reduce greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere.
And for the economic bottom line, using energy more efficiently can lower a family’s monthly energy bills.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
K-12 school districts in the U.S. spend over $6 billion annually on energy; about 30 percent of this is used inefficiently or unnecessarily. Being more energy efficient at school not only helps keep greenhouse gas emissions down, it can save money that schools can instead spend on enhanced learning environments and technologies.
Here are six tips you can use in your classroom to conserve energy:
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Encourage students to discuss at home what they have learned in class. Ask students to come up with some energy-saving ideas of their own!
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Make Use of Energy-Efficient Technologies
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Adopt New Energy-Efficient Habits
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Count Your Energy Savings Count the Savings
Challenge students to get their parents on board with this energy and cost-saving activity. Ask them to examine the cost of their household energy bill before adopting new energy-use habits and technologies. Then compare the cost of two more bills after energy-saving devices and practices have been put in place.
Make sure the season being compared in the three bills is the same, as rising needs for heat could mask energy savings. Also, have them factor in things like overnight guests, vacations, and adding extra appliances, which can affect costs. Have students explain their cost savings in a presentation to the class.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
You can also help students put energy-saving practices into action through the following activities on MidAmerican Energy's e-SMARTkids website. These features target a range of grade levels, and involve parents and caregivers at home.
Home Energy-Use Inspection Contest
Encourage students to use our Home Inspection Checklist with their families by sponsoring a contest to see who can check off the most inspection items. Allow time for families to implement desired changes.
 Ask an Expert This interactive feature allows students to submit their questions about energy efficiency and get answers back online. There are already many interesting questions and answers for students to explore on this page, such as "What are some ways heat is lost in the house?" and "Why does it matter if we unplug some of our small appliances when they are not in use?"
Activity Pages
Geared for K–2 grade levels, these activities include a puzzle and two types of cards, Energy Tip Cards and Savers and Wasters. Students can color and post the cards at home to remind them and their families of simple ways to save energy.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
Teachers and administrators also may use this site to order FREE booklets for their students.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
