4 Ways to Teach Kids About Renewable Energy

This entry was posted in Solar on by .

Shape the Future by Educating the Youth on Coachella Valley Solar Energy and Other Renewable Sources

Coachella Valley solar energy lowering your carbon footprint can be a motivator to go solar. Being educated on how it reduces water pollution, is an independent energy system and more can increase solar’s appeal. While this is all valuable information, there’s no reason to keep it to yourself. The time to teach the next generation about renewable energy is now!

What makes your job easier is you don’t have to persuade them to care about the environment. That’s because they already do. According to Business Wire, 95 percent of Generation Alpha, those born 2010 and later, are already “Climate Crusaders.” Their desire to treat the planet right should make them eager learners, and Stada Energy recommends some fun ways you can educate them about renewable energy in the Coachella Valley.

Contact Stada Energy today to learn how using renewable energy sets an example.

Make a Solar Bulb

Making a solar bulb is a fun and easy activity that shows kids solar energy’s power. Because bleach is included, this exercise is best for children old and responsible enough to handle it. Instructions for how to make a solar bulb are:

  • Add two cups of bleach to an empty plastic water bottle in the morning.
  • Cover the bottle and leave it somewhere that gets direct sunlight.
  • Come back to it in the evening and enjoy your solar bulb.

A solar bulb is a perfect example of how the sun can create light and shows kids how to use their resources.

Bake with a Solar Oven

An activity that makes leftover pizza as good as it was the night before is for everyone, no matter their age. The purpose of building a solar oven with kids is to show them how something can use the sun’s energy to make the inside hotter than outside. It requires more material and steps than a solar bulb, but what comes out makes the work worthwhile:

  • Cardboard box, like a pizza box
  • Ruler
  • Tape
  • Foil
  • Plastic wrap
  • Scissors
  • Newspaper
  • Black construction paper

Once you have your materials, you’re ready to show kids how a solar-powered oven works. This video shows you how and why it’s worth your time.

And since we’re in the Coachella Valley, your pizza will probably reheat even faster.

Create Pinwheels

Pinwheels are a simple way to demonstrate how wind energy generates electricity by showing children the concept and effectiveness. To make them:

  • Use a pencil to mark the center of a square piece of paper.
  • Draw diagonal lines from each corner.
  • Cut the lines, starting from the corners until you hit the center.
  • Fold each point into the center dot and use a push pin to secure it.
  • Push the pin’s remaining end through a straw and cover with masking tape.

The last step is to hand the finished pinwheels to the kids, who will go outside to watch the desert wind teach them the basics of wind energy.

Discuss Renewable Energy

Outside of making homemade examples, a conversation about renewable energy’s intricacies is a meaningful lesson for children. Providing them a safe, judge-free space to express their opinions, reveal what they already know and more is a constructive activity. Discussing topics like where they get their information and how to handle opposing opinions may make them more comfortable when the subject comes up elsewhere. Another benefit is these conversations may empower them to continue making the world a better place when they grow up.

Inspire the Use of Solar Energy in the Coachella Valley and Other Sustainable Sources

Children now have access to more information than any previous generation. Between the internet, school and more, it can be overwhelming. Your initiative to teach them about Coachella Valley solar energy and other renewable sources can shape their beliefs for the long run, and is another way to help treat our planet right.

Contact Coachella Valley’s solar experts so you can make the world a better place!