Energy efficiency means using energy wisely without wasting it. By taking up energy–efficient practices both at home and at school, you can help reduce pollution and help protect our planet.
Adapting environmentally friendly, energy-efficient practices into your lifestyle on a permanent basis and setting an example for your students leads to a more sustainable future, a goal that has been clearly defined also in the EU 2020 strategy. Your students are the best possible ambassadors, so take advantage of every opportunity to show that small actions matter!
Schools accommodate lots of people and use large amounts of electricity and water on a daily basis. You can start with turning the heating down by one degree; switching off the lights in the classroom when everyone has left for break; finding out if your school uses water-reducing devices on toilets and faucets gratis porno, and if not, trying to influence fellow teachers and other staff to support the initiative. Involving your students in these initiatives gives them a great opportunity for further reflection and discussion, even at home. Your students can become the energy champions of their household!
Outside school, the most important first step is to convince the whole family towards a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. You can start by taking small steps first and move on to bigger challenges once you have adopted the first energy-saving measures. Switch off the lights and reduce heating in rooms you are not currently using; learn environmentally friendly ways to manage your household waste; keep your showers short and fix leaky faucets; spread the word to friends and relatives hentai, encourage your students to do the same and write down your commitments on the U4energy pledge.
Energy is everywhere. Take small steps first, adopt a different lifestyle and contribute towards a more sustainable future. Set an example for your students, influence and inspire. The U4energy theme cards are an easy way to approach this subject. They are available on the U4energy website.
Start today!
How to build a solar oven
Materials:
A low cardboard box, Box knife or scissors, Aluminium foil, Clear tape, Plastic wrap (a heavy-duty or freezer zip lock bag will also work), Black construction paper, Newspapers, and a Ruler or wooden spoon
- Use a box knife or sharp scissors to cut a flap in the lid of the box. Cut along three sides, leaving about an inch between the sides of the flap and the edges of the lid. Fold this flap out so that it stands up when the box lid is closed.
- Cover the inner side of the flap with aluminium foil so that it will reflect rays from the sun. To do this, tightly wrap foil around the flap, and then tape it to the back, or outer side of the flap.
- Use clear plastic wrap to create an airtight window for sunlight to enter into the box. Do this by opening the box and taping a double layer of plastic wrap over the opening you made when you cut the flap in the lid. Leave about an inch of plastic overlap around the sides and tape each side down securely, sealing out air. If you use a plastic bag, cut out a square big enough to cover the opening, and tape one layer over the opening.
- Line the bottom of the box with black construction paper – black absorbs heat. The black surface is where your food will be set to cook.
- To insulate your oven so it holds in more heat, roll up sheets of newspaper and place them on the bottom of the box. Tape them down so that they form a border around the cooking area. The newspaper rolls should make it so that the lid can still close, but there is a seal inside of the box, so air cannot escape.
- The best hours to set up your solar oven are when the sun is high overhead. Take it outside to a sunny spot and adjust the flap until the most sunlight possible is reflecting off the aluminium foil and onto the plastic-covered window. Use a ruler to prop the flap at the right angle. You may want to angle the entire box by using a rolled up towel.
- You can make toast by buttering a slice of bread, or sprinkling cheese on it, then letting the sun do the rest. Cooking a hot dog or making nachos with chips and cheese are also fun treats to make in your solar oven! It would also work great to heat up leftovers. So the paper at the bottom doesn’t get dirty, put what you would like to cook on a clear plastic or glass plate. A pie plate would work well.
- To take food out of the oven, open up the lid of the box, and using oven mitts or potholders, lift the glass dish out of the oven.
