Tips for teaching kids about water and energy conservation

By Snohomish County PUD

When it comes to conservation, Snohomish County PUD takes teaching the next generation seriously.

Former elementary school teachers Jenni Lamarca and Heather Herbst lead the PUD’s Education Program, which develops free educational resources and trains local teachers on topics from electrical safety to conservation.

In addition, the PUD contracts with six teachers to provide activities and lesson plans in classrooms across Snohomish County, and holds workshops and camps throughout the year. Combined, PUD educators have nearly 170 years of teaching experience, most of it in Snohomish County.

But the learning doesn’t have to stop when kids get home. Summer is a perfect time to teach kids about electricity and water conservation. Tie conservation lessons to children’s chores or make a game out of it. All of it can teach the next generation that simple behavior changes or new technology can help conserve precious resources and keep the environment clean.

Here are some ideas on teaching kids about energy and water conservation:

■ In the bathroom, encourage your kids to take showers instead of baths. Taking a quick shower (5 minutes or less) with a low-flow showerhead instead of a bath can save 24 gallons of water. Give a timer to the youngest sibling and let them pester the older siblings until they give up and get out before it dings.

■ Teach your kids about vampires — vampire energy that is! Vampire energy, also known as standby power, is energy consumed by electronic devices switched off but still plugged in. According to the Environmental Protection Act, vampire energy sucks up $10 billion in energy annually. Group your TV, gaming consoles, DVR and other entertainment electronics together on one power strip. Then when kids are done playing Xbox, they can switch off the power strip and kill those vampires.

■ Use abundant summer solar energy to help children understand the power of the sun. Have kids lower south-facing shades when the sun is strongest, hang clothes outside to dry instead of using the dryer and spend more time outside, turning off lights, appliances and electronics in the home.

■ When watering the yard, do it early in the morning and have the kids fill watering cans from a rain barrel. The Snohomish Conservation District has tips on building a rain barrel, which can not only conserve water but prevent runoff from carrying pollutants to local rivers, lakes and other natural bodies of water.

■ In the kitchen, teach kids about composting. Have them scrape leftovers into the trash instead of rinsing plates with excess water or running the garbage disposal. Also, make sure the dishwasher is full before running it, or better yet, give those kids a workout and have them scrub and dry the dishes by hand.

For more information on the PUD’s Education Program, including on instructional materials and career-connected learning, visit www.snopud.com and click on Education.