Self-sufficient into the future

BMVIT

Volks- und Hauptschulen der Region

With the project “Self-sufficient into the future: Children are starting today!”, the climate and energy model region Lainsitztal and surroundings has intensively focused on the topic of energy within regional elementary schools and middle schools during the summer term of 2013.

The top priority was the cultivation of enthusiasm within students, around topics such as climate and environmental protection. This goal was accomplished through the use of age adequate tools for imparting the necessity of energy conservation and careful use of resources. The detailed evaluation of energy data within KEM Lainsitztal has impressively shown that citizens are not aware of their own “energy account”. Additionally, changes in the direction of conservation only become possible after raising awareness around one’s own consumption.

Consequently, two specific measures, which are intricately linked to the goals of the climate and energy model region Lainsitztal, were essential components of each sub-project:

1.       Each participating student engages in the topic of energy consumption via the usage of ammeters. Through the process of measuring, children will get an idea about the power demands that various devices need in order to function.

2.       Each participating class/school has to visit the exhibition at SONNENWELT Großschönau, within the project period. Through playful and exciting exploration, children will be able to learn where energy comes from, how energy consumption has rapidly increased over the course of human history and the necessity of turnaround, due to increasingly dramatic changes in climate and environment.

The conducted sub-projects all engage in the following essential points: energy accounting alongside students, data collection on electronic devices and developing energetic improvements, analyzing conservation potentials.

Due to project “Self-sufficient into the future: Children are starting today!”, students were able to increase their energy-competence, which in turn has heightened climate awareness in students, parents and teachers.