Hop on the energy-savings bus
Save this semester with tips from Wattson Raccoon
Now that summer is over, PEC’s Camp Save-a-Watt mascot, WattsonRaccoon, wants to keep the fun rolling with more lessons in energy savings. As you’re collecting school supplies and packing backpacks and lunches, don’t forget to add quizzes on energy-savings to your checklist. Help young students follow the tips below to ace your home energy bills.
Turn off lights and fans
Whenever you leave a room, remember to turn off lights and fans. Kids love games, so parents can try this one with the whole family: Take a dry-erase board and write down the names of everyone in your household. Then, using tally marks, keep track of how many times each person turns off a light or fan. At the end of the week, the person with the most tally marks wins!
Take cooler, shorter showers
After sports practice and extracurricular activities, hop in the shower, but keep it cool! Hot showers cost more money because it takes extra energy to heat the water. Parents can help too, by lowering their water heater to 120 degrees, installing low-flow showerheads, and helping kids manage time in the shower by using timers. Wattson never leaves the water running while brushing teeth or doing dishes.
Keep the fridge closed
Wattson loves a good after-school snack, but he always makes sure to close the refrigerator. Parents can show kids how to properly close doors to their refrigerator and the freezer by making sure the doors are sealed. Decorate the front of the fridge with a sticky note reminder to keep the fridge closed.
Watch the thermostat
Before heading out for the day, remember to raise your thermostat 3-5 degrees. While you’re home, try to keep the temperature at 78 degrees or higher. Fans can help you stay up to 4 degrees cooler, just remember to turn them off if everyone is leaving the room. Unplug Remind kids to unplug electronics after using them. Many items like TVs, gaming consoles, and computers use power even when they’re turned off.
Learn about PEC’s school programs
PEC knows that when we give to our youth, we’re making a long-term investment in our community’s future. That’s why we provide free presentations and learning materials to schools on topics including electrical safety, energy conservation, and environmental stewardship.
We also have a library of free PEC resources for students and teachers to enjoy at pec.coop/youth. Would you like a PEC expert to visit your school? Tell your teacher or school administrator to set up a visit. Send an email to [email protected].