Tenth anniversary of Origin Energy Savers program

Origin’s Energy Savers education program has taught over half a million Australian students how to manage their consumption and use energy safely at home, at school and in the community. 2013 marks the 10th anniversary of the program, which is used in 42% of all primary schools and led by mascot Energy Bob.

To commemorate the occasion, Origin commissioned a cross-generational energy study focusing on parents’ and their children’s energy habits and understanding of smart energy usage. The study found that more than half of Australian parents and guardians believe their children are smarter about energy than they were at the same age - thanks in large part to education programs like Energy Savers - with more than a third of the Gen Z respondents agreeing with this.

Additional findings from the research include:

• Almost all parents and children surveyed believe it is important to be aware of how much energy you use (99% of parents and 97% of children).
• Australian families are engaging in energy conversation, with three in four parents saying that they talk about energy with their children.
• Over half of the parents surveyed said that energy education was not incorporated into their lessons when they were at primary school.

Origin General Manager Lina Melero said, “In this technological age, children are more reliant on energy to fuel their learning and lifestyles than previous generations. With the advent of technology such as interactive whiteboards, iPads and laptops supporting in-classroom teaching, understanding where energy comes from and how it is consumed is even more important for this generation.

“Energy has been built into a number of key subjects in the Australian school curriculum over the past two decades and Origin is proud to be a supporter in this area. Prior to this, teachers had limited access to research, technology and, most importantly, knowledge about energy.

“The increased understanding of energy we are fostering in our younger generations is paving the way for a brighter energy future, where people are more conscious of their relationship with energy and the importance of developing cleaner forms of energy such as gas, wind, geothermal and solar.”

While the report highlights parents as a key influencer for children’s energy knowledge, the school remains the main source of energy information for them, with the majority of children saying they learn the most about the topic at school. In 2012 the Energy Savers program paid visits to 36 schools around Australia; yesterday, 80 students at a Melbourne primary school were treated to such a visit.

In a live show from Energy Bob, students learnt about how energy can be safely used at home and at school. The show had a strong sustainability focus, with solar, wind and hydro power sources all discussed in a kid-friendly manner.

St Gabriel’s students tend their vegie garden with Energy Bob.

Online resources are available for students, their teachers and parents/guardians on the Energy Savers website, www.originenergy.com.au/energysavers. Children can play Energy Bob’s ‘Power Quest’ online game while teachers can download curricula for use in the classroom.

The program is entirely free and available Australia wide.