We mainly use fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and petroleum) and nuclear energy to generate energy, move around and produce electricity. But burning fossil fuels releases large amounts of CO2 and harmful substances. CO2 or carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that accumulates in the atmosphere and contributes to the greenhouse effect, which causes the Earth's climate to change. In other words, as human beings we have a lot of influence on climate change. That is why it is important to invest in renewable energy. Right now, green electricity only accounts for a fraction of the total energy consumption in Flanders.
Energiekje is well aware that changes are needed if people want to have a future on this planet. He pulls the plug and investigates our behaviour, our habits and new forms of renewable energy.
Explore with Energiekje and your pupils and contribute to a CO2-neutral world.
>> Check out the MOS climate mind map for more info on climate change
The pupils investigate what energy is, how it is generated and how it works, what different sources of energy exist and which ones are used in Flanders, what the impact of this is on humans and the earth, and how we can use energy (more) economically. The questionnaire below will help you to set up your research.
Energiekje and you
- Why do you need food and water?
- How do you feel when you are very hungry or thirsty?
- Why is that? How do you take care of this? What is the effect?
- What do you do when you go outside during winter? Why do you do this?
- What do you do in summer, when it is (very) hot?
- What can you conclude from this? → Our bodies need energy (food). When it is cold, we insulate our bodies (with a thick coat, scarf, gloves, etc.).
Energiekje at home
- How do you use energy at home? Lighting? Heating? Insulation?
- Do you save energy at home and if so, how? Do you help with this? How do you do that?
- How much electricity is used at home each year? Natural gas? Other?
- What do YOU use energy for?
- Which device do you use the most? Why do you use it?
- What exactly do you do with it?
- How many hours a day (and night) does it run for?
- How often do you need to charge it and how long does that take?
- How much energy does it use? If you don't know, how can you find out?
Energiekje at school
- Where does the energy for lighting come from at school? And for heating?
- What are the most common sources of energy used in Flanders? In the world?
- What is the difference between 'green' and 'grey' energy? Advantages/disadvantages?
- How does energy get to your school?
- How is a unit of energy expressed? Where does that come from?
- What does electricity cost per unit? What about natural gas?
- How much energy does the school consume monthly/yearly? How much does that cost?
- What about your classroom? Which devices use energy? How much energy do they consume? Are they always on?
- How warm is it in your classroom?
- How do you ventilate the classroom? Can you do that without wasting energy? How?
- Do you find it necessary to use less energy? What is the best way to do this?
Action 1
Look for energy guzzlers in your class and do some simple energy bookkeeping. This can also be done with photos or drawings. Draw up a plan together and make agreements to avoid unnecessary energy consumption. Display the plan and agreements in the classroom, so none of you will forget. The following energy guzzlers deserve attention:
- Temperature. What temperatures do you measure in the classroom? During the day? At night? And during the holidays?
Tip: A minimum-maximum thermometer is a useful tool to easily measure both day and night temperatures.
- Standby power. What about the different devices (computers, printers, coffee machine, refrigerator, ...) in the classroom/school? How much energy do they consume? Are they left on day and night? What about during breaks? When they are off, do they not consume any energy anymore? Can we measure that?
Tip: you can usually borrow an energy metre (for free) from the municipality.
- Lighting. What kind of lighting do you have in the classroom? How much energy does it consume? Per item? For the entire classroom? Aren't the lights burning unnecessarily?
- Daylight. Consider the classroom arrangement to make the best use of daylight. Where do we best set up the reading corner? What is the best place for left-handed people to sit? Are the windows clear? What colour should you paint the walls to reflect maximum daylight?
- Ventilation. What is the best way to ventilate the room? Briefly during the break? Is it better to leave the door or a window to the corridor open during class? What do you do with the heating during ventilation?
Tip: Check with the municipal environmental department whether you can borrow a CO2 metre from them.
Action 2
Present the results of the different classes at the student council, the MOS council, or another student forum and discuss them with each other. See where the school itself can still make efforts, and whether (and how) these are feasible. Put the proposals into a to-do list and let the pupils hand it over with a lot of fuss to the school principal.
- Teachers (of course) set a good example and ensure that lights are not left on unnecessarily or that the heating is at a reasonable level.
- Pupils apply the things they learn through the energy survey, communicate them to other classes and follow up on the agreements. They may want to keep track of metre readings.
- Organise chore days (together with the pupils!) for isolating heating pipes, installing draught strips, radiator foil...).
- Also involve the support staff in the energy project (turn off machines, switch off lights, adjust the heating or turn off devices...).
- The handyman/ handywoman can play a very crucial role. Make use of his/her expertise, have him/her work with the pupils.
- When planning structural measures, dare to ask for support from the parent committee, the school board, the school group, the municipality....
- Invite an expert (or visit one): a lighting store, a heating installer, a technical school that specialises in electricity and/or heating, an energy economist, someone from the electricity company, a do-it-yourself store, a house under construction (insulation!) ...
- Involve the (grand)parents in the project. Ask about their experiences. Make a connection between energy consumption at school and at home.
- Formulate a specific, measurable and achievable (SMART) goal. Communicate this at the start of the project through all channels, evaluate actions regularly and adjust if necessary. Promise a MOS party if the set goal is achieved.
- Calculate (or have the pupils calculate) how many euros are saved by the actions.
- Have the pupils present their research, conclusions, and action proposals to the school management or the school board. Dare to ask for clear commitment.
- A (class) puppet and/or play is always useful to introduce the theme in a fun way. It is best to have these return regularly so that the theme continues to live on at school.
- Make the plans known within the school group (and/or other schools you are in contact with). Exchange experiences. Organise a competition 'to save the most energy’ between different schools.
- Let the pupils keep track of measurement results in spreadsheets, tables and graphs, and visualise them with block towers, smileys, ... so that even the littlest ones understand.
- Together with the pupils, design and create a measurement tool that vividly illustrates the savings achieved.
- Inform your local authority (environmental department) of the plans and results. Frame this within the climate story (CO2 reduction).
The trias energetica is a simple model to optimally tackle the energy problem:
- Reduce energy consumption by eliminating waste.
- Make maximum use of energy from renewable sources.
- Use fossil fuels as efficiently as possible to meet remaining energy needs.
Watch out!
Sustainable behavioural change takes time and patience. Rusty habits are hard to get rid of. Therefore, repeat and evaluate on a regular basis, and adjust if necessary. Do this in dialogue with the pupils.
Golden tip!
MOS provides free energy boxes. They contain a manual, worksheets and numerous instruments to carry out an energy survey at school together with the pupils.
- www.scholenvoorminderco2.be: Have you always wanted to calculate how much CO2 your school emits and how much you can save? You can now do that with the free online MOS CO2 calculator!
- www.klascement.net/mos/favorieten/14692/29882/?nws=183: An overview of teaching materials on energy and climate, bundled on the MOS favourites page on KlasCement.
- www.mosvlaanderen.be/kamoshibaiverhalen: MOS developed kaMOShibai stories especially for preschoolers and young kids. ‘Leon’ and ‘Giant Colossus is really upset’ fit perfectly into the energy subject. ‘Terra is ill’ can be seen as a stepping stone to the subject of climate change.
- https://klimaatbrigade.be/themas/energie: WWF website with a wide range of climate-related themes, including energy. For pupils aged 10 and older.
- https://leefmilieu.brussels/themas/gebouwen-en-energie/op-school/leermiddelen-thema-energie: ready-to-use booklet on energy. For pupils aged 10-14 years old.
- https://mijngroenestroom.be/#ranking: Clear and independent ranking of all energy suppliers based on the Greenpeace sustainability criteria.
- https://onderwijs.vlaanderen.be/nl/energiezuinige-school: All the possibilities for making your school energy efficient lined up.
- https://www.energie-vergelijker.be/blog/energiemix-in-belgie/Hernieuwbare, fossil or nuclear energy: do you know the energy mix in Belgium?
- https://www.electricitymap.org/map: Here, you can see where the electricity comes from and how much CO2 was emitted to produce that energy, per country.
- https://www.febeg.be/statistieken-elektriciteit: a graph on the division of the net electricity production in terms of percentage in Belgium in 2019.
Did you know that…
the technique of turning sunlight into electricity was already discovered in 1839?