Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency Awareness Programs for Schools
The Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) annually supports a School Energy Intervention Program to mobilize schools children to make wise energy choices. The Centre has been annually implementing this program since 2003 onwards. Under this school energy intervention, the Centre annually celebrates the Energy Conservation Day on December 14, by organizing Energy Conservation funded by the Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) under the Bal Urja Rakshak Dal Program (BURD) for the district of Vadodara since 2007. The rally is aimed mobilizing school children on wise use of energy and brings children in the forefront of energy and environment conservation. The Centre also implemented this School energy intervention’s basic component by making children conscious of energy consumption in homes and schools by reading their utility bills, conducting energy audits in their homes and schools to identify the potential savings and possibilities of adopting wise energy practices annually from 2004-2007 in about 60- 100 Schools. The Program aimed at understanding the importance of sustainable living by learning best practices in energy and environment. BURDies – Urja Rakshaks worked on 3 audits (electricity, water and energy in buildings) and 3 surveys (waste, air and transportation and biodiversity) to map the energy and water consumption, identify wastages and resources of their own school as practical hands-on energy and environment education. Participating in competitions, celebrations and public events such as rallies and Urja Utsavs, Urja Goshthis (Interactive Sessions) were being used effective communication tool.