Have you done everything possible to save energy in your house? You have purchased all the latest appliances that are Energy Star rated, added insulation to your walls, and turned the thermostat all the way down to 68? While this is great, it’s not going to result in much of a cost savings if your kids are leaving lights on, staring inside the refrigerator with the door open wide, or pushing the thermostat higher and higher when you aren’t around.

Unfortunately, these are things that are extremely common in any house, but you as the parent can teach your kids how (and why) to save energy. Keep reading to learn more.

Knowledge is Power

First things first – your children can’t make any effort to save energy in your home, if they don’t know how. You can help them build good, energy-saving habits at an early age, which will help reduce the cost of utility bills. Some helpful tips are also listed here:

Saving Electricity

Saving electricity is pretty simple. Tell your children to always turn things off when they are done, or when leaving the room. This includes gaming consoles, televisions and computers. It may even be a good idea to recommend that they are unplugged, as this will help to prevent them from drawing phantom loads.

It’s also important you tell your children to turn off the lights whenever they leave a room. After all, there is no point in wasting energy for you to light up a space if there isn’t anyone there. The last energy saving tip is to think about what they want out of the refrigerator, before they open it. This will help reduce the amount of cold air that is released.

Conserving Water

Conserving water is just as important as saving electricity. To do this, make sure your children know they should turn the faucet off while they are brushing their teeth. If they leave it running, then it can send gallons and gallons of wasted water right down the drain.

Also, they should not waste time while in the shower. Stress the importance of getting clean, but being brief, as this will reduce the energy required by the water heater to produce heated water.

Reduce the Use of the Thermostat

It’s tempting to just hit the temperature up or down a few degrees if you are hot or cold, but this is causing your heating and cooling system to work harder, which is going to cost more. Before adjusting your thermostat, ask your children to open a window if they are hot, or put on more clothes if they are cold. This will help rectify the problem without increasing energy costs.

By using the tips and information here, you can easily teach your kids to save energy and conserve water. In the long run, this is going to help you save a significant amount of money.