Can you feel the excitement in the air? Earth Day is just around the corner! Celebrated annually on April 22, Earth Day serves as a reminder of the urgent need to protect our planet. As educators, you have a unique opportunity to empower your students to make a positive impact through energy efficiency. Let’s celebrate Earth Day together and equip students with the tools and resources they need to save energy and create change. Check out the Generation E resources below to get started! 

ENERGY-SAVING CLASSROOM PRACTICES 

Your classroom serves as the perfect starting point for establishing sustainable habits. By encouraging energy-saving practices at school, students can start to incorporate these habits at home.  

Here are a few ways you can save energy in the classroom: 

• Turn off lights when everyone leaves a room. This is a simple yet impactful action that can significantly reduce energy consumption. 
• Unplug electronics when not in use. Standby power can add up; unplugging devices when they’re not being used saves energy. 
• Maximize natural ventilation. If your classroom windows are operable, opening them and letting in fresh air is a great way to stay cool in the spring. 

Tip: Download and print out our classroom checklist! It provides students with energy-saving actions they can complete every day while at school. 

BUILD BETTER HABITS WITH A HABIT TRACKER

While Earth Day is a great reminder to take sustainable actions, it’s important for students to understand that creating change requires long-term effort. By introducing your students to habit tracking, you can emphasize the importance of consistency and accountability, and guide your students toward developing meaningful energy-efficient behaviours. 

You can find more information on habit trackers on our blog or by watching this short video.  

KICKSTART THE CLASSROOM DISCUSSION

Classroom discussions are key to helping students understand the importance of energy efficiency and its broader impact on the environment. It is also a great way to foster collaborative thinking and help discover practical solutions for reducing energy consumption at school and in the larger community.  

You can start by asking your students the following questions: 

• Why do you think saving energy is important for our planet? 
• What are some everyday actions we can take to reduce our energy consumption at home and in school? 
• How can technology help us save energy, and are there any potential drawbacks to relying on technology for energy efficiency?  
• What’s one new thing you learned today that can help you be more sustainable going forward? (Tip: Our My Pledge to the Planet activity is an excellent way for your students to reflect on their own habits and commit to changes that are meaningful to them.) 

Bring Generation E into your classroom for Earth Day and beyond

Our Outreach and Engagement Coordinator can provide a free classroom talk, helping foster an environment of awareness, action, and accountability. By speaking to your classroom, they can help ensure Earth Day’s call for sustainable actions and energy efficiency is acted on every day.  

Email hello@generation-e.ca or visit our contact page to schedule your classroom talk!