Energy conservation lessons must for students

The initiative to introduce energy rationalization lessons in UAE high school curriculum qualifies for praise. The decision taken by the Education and Energy Ministries will not only instill consciousness of energy conservation, but would also go a long way in shaping a future generation that uses the limited natural resources judiciously and with care.
When students realize the far-reaching impact of their actions on the environment, the dawning of this realization will help them to consciously decide their consumption patterns and lifestyle choices. As they mature, these decisions will crystallize into habits and work as catalysts for change. In time to come, this change will become the norm.
To build a future society that handles the oil wealth that the UAE possesses and makes eco-friendly moves, it is imperative that the greening of young minds starts early. This will ensure foundation of a sustainable and green economy too.
Children have to be taught that saving energy means energy produced. And that every drop counts in the big ocean of conservation. Education has to open their minds to innovative ways that can help stop the wastage of natural resources — whether it is oil or water. The conservation lessons should not be confined to the classrooms. Children’s skills should be given room to get honed outside the four walls. They must be encouraged to discover creative techniques that can
contribute in the conservation of resources by trial and error method. Who knows one can come up with a groundbreaking research on renewables or make a scientific breakthrough in solid waste management! Assigning projects to tap the potential of the developing minds is crucial. Workshops, lectures, exhibitions and expeditions are also good awareness tools that can spur students to explore and invent.
To imbibe conservation culture in students, sensitizing and training the teachers as well as parents about sustainability is paramount. Those who educate children about importance of energy should have a proper orientation themselves. Only when they are equipped fully will they be able to arm the students with the right knowledge to think beyond the obvious.
Energy conservation has to become a way of life for all. Adopting a lifestyle that saves resources is need of the hour. Every department, every corporate house and every community has to follow a green agenda that focuses on energy efficiency.
Since today’s kids will grow up to become makers of the future world, it is
important that their behaviour is moulded in a way that it conserves and uses the natural assets in a rational manner. Rationalization holds the key to our future and it is this which should drive the national policies.
The world is facing a daunting economic challenge — to speed up growth while protecting the environment. Hope lies in sustainable development. If today’s youth is given a proper direction, they will script a new chapter in the economic landscape of the country and the world.