Houghton Families Get Kids Involved In Energy Savings

It can be hard to get kids on board with energy saving, but activities like these make sure families can find a fun way to get involved.

A Family Energy Education Activity Night was hosted by the Portage Lake District Library and Co-Sponsored by the Houghton Energy Efficiency Team and the Western U.P. Center for Science, Math & Environmental Education.

Joan Chadde is Project Coordinator for the Western U.P. Center for Science, Math & Environmental Education. She says, “It’s a chance for children to learn a little bit more about energy, how we use it in the home, what are some ways they can save energy in the home, and become more aware of some of the terms like insulation. So, parents can get their kids on board helping to save energy.”

Activities were set up throughout the library, highlighting different ways energy is wasted and how to fix them.

Chadde said, “So we have a variety of stations that kids can do. One is comparing the different types of light bulbs. So many people are familiar with the incandescent but in addition to getting light, you get a lot of heat. So, we’re melting chocolate, chocolate is a great way to get attention. Then they compare it with the CFL, the compact fluorescent bulb and also the LED. And they find out that they have a lot of wasted energy with the old incandescent bulb. ”

Look for more Family Science and Engineering nights hosted by the Western U.P Center for Science, Math & Environmental Education in the coming weeks.