DETROIT ARSENAL, Mich. Aca,!" Teens a take a stand in the fight against global warming with an Energy Star grant from the joint efforts of the Boys and Girls Club of America and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
By learning ways to incorporate energy conservation into everyday activity and then teaching those simple techniques to preschool children, 37 youth donated more than 114 hours to an Energy Star project as part of the Middle School and Teen programAca,!a,,cs energy task force.
Aca,!A"The Energy Star project had many different parts, but they all involved education from generation to generation,Aca,!A? said Teresa Brodsky, youth services director. Aca,!A"Our first goal was to have an expert in the field teach youth about importance of conservation.Aca,!A?
The director of the Macomb Habitat for Humanity was invited to share tips with students on how to preserve natural resources. Youth were then given checklists to take home and review with their parents, indicating which energy conservation practices are regularly used.
The next goal involved having the teens reach out and teach the younger children.
Aca,!A"MST youth created a catchy song on saving energy to the tune of "ABC" by Michael Jackson for the Strong Beginnings Class,Aca,!A? said Brodsky. Aca,!A"The youth then helped the children complete a light bulb art activity to hang in their house and remind family members to turn off the lights when not in use.Aca,!A?
The preschool children, ages 4-5 years, enjoyed listening to two stories, Aca,!A"Curious George Plants a TreeAca,!A? and Aca,!A"Fancy Nancy Saves the EarthAca,!A? and were even given paperback copies to take home. Afterwards, the children were asked basic questions about energy conservation. When answered correctly, they were rewarded with a recyclable rubber ducky to remind them to Aca,!A"quack for the environment.Aca,!A?
The final phase of the Energy Star project involved planting berry trees at the Earth Works community garden, a program run by the Capachin Soup Kitchen which teaches individuals how to feed themselves by gardening.
Students learned that seemingly small efforts can make a huge difference in conserving energy. By planting trees, turning down the thermostat, helping parents install low-flow shower heads, and turning off the lights, the teens are taking proactive measures to fight global warming.
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