LETTERS: According to a study, children learn faster than adults and have the advantage of continuously applying what they learn from an early age.
To benefit from their rapid learning abilities, it's a good idea to teach them useful things that can benefit our lives and our planet, especially energy conservation.
There are several methods to do that.
FIRST is to inform schoolchildren about the necessity of energy efficiency in buildings, which will contribute to energy conservation efforts. Provide examples and practical demonstrations to help them understand the importance of energy efficiency in buildings;
SECOND, teach schoolchildren to switch off lights, fans, laptops and other electronic devices when not in use. This will instil in them habits of energy conservation and reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
A study showed the act of switching off lights and electronic devices can reduce energy consumption by 50 per cent.
THIRD, inform schoolchildren about the impact of energy waste and encourage the habit of unplugging devices. It is good to explain to them that many electronic devices continue to consume energy even when turned off or in standby mode, contributing to wasted energy.
Provide examples of devices that tend to drain energy in standby mode, such as chargers, gaming consoles and other electronics;
FOURTH, teach schoolchildren about control settings and the importance of properly operating cooling systems, which can contribute to energy conservation.
Teach them the importance of insulating windows and doors to prevent energy loss.
FIFTH, discuss the advantages of using natural light and ventilation in buildings, which can reduce the use of artificial lights.
Encourage them to open windows and use daylight whenever possible for activities that do not require lighting.
DR ABBAS MOHAMMED ALI AL-GHAILI
Senior lecturer, College of Computing and Informatics; researcher, Institute of Informatics and Computing in Energy, Universiti Tenaga Nasional
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times