Jakarta – The younger generation can hold the key in multinational collaboration and be one of the main factors in determining the success of sustainable low-carbon economic development, officials said Tuesday (26/7). In collaboration with ETP-UNOPS, the Indonesian Institute for Energy Economics (IIEE) plans to maximise the potential by initiating Energy Saving Ambassadors in selected schools.
IIEE Executive Director, Hakimul Batih stressed the importance of familiarising the younger generation with energy efficiency, so it will become a habit for the new generation. The Energy Saving Ambassador Program aims to build the capacity and awareness of the younger generation to become active and knowledgeable supporters of energy efficiency and conservation.
“This year IIEE is accompanying activities to increase awareness of energy efficiency and conservation for eight elementary schools, eight junior high schools and eight high schools. Each school is represented by five students with one accompanying teacher as energy manager,” Batih said in a written statement.
Assistance and evaluation were carried out by IIEE three times, twice in person and an online meeting. The offline assistance will provide an overview of how the implementation of this program in the field can be carried out properly by the Energy Saving Ambassadors.
For example, five students of SMPN 51 Surabaya, become members of a small group as “Energy Saving Ambassadors” that will campaign for efficient use of energy and water to their schoolmates and their families.
“This culture will build an energy-efficient culture, not just for the purposes of competitions, but become the soul and culture that children apply at school and at home and they will pass on to their respective families. In addition to the big family of SMPN 51, this program is expected to affect the surrounding community and schools around us,” said Sulastri, Principal of SMPN 51 Surabaya.
As a follow-up to the campaign to save energy and water use at the school and in the homes of the SMPN 51 students, the school has recruited two volunteers for each class to become Energy Saving Ambassadors.
“Our school already has 42 Energy Saving Ambassadors who are tasked with campaigning for five programs, namely the MUDA children program, Puget 2016, fighting energy vampires, using water wisely and energy-saving campaigns more broadly,” added Sulastri.
Anezka, a ninth grade student, one of the five representatives of the Energy Saving Ambassadors of SMPN 51 in her presentation explained the five Energy Saving Ambassador campaign programs that must be carried out in realising the efficient and efficient use of energy and water.
“As Energy Saving Ambassadors, we campaign and invite the community, family and friends to carry out five programs. First, the ‘anak muda’ program, which is turning on the air conditioner and fan starting at 8 am. Second, ‘Puget 2106’ gadgets fasting, this program invites students to refrain from using gadgets between 21.00 and 06.00,” said Anezka.
The third, she continued, was fighting electric vampires. This program encourages people to unplug unused electronic devices from the switch because if they are not unplugged, they will still use electricity. The fourth program invites the use of water sparingly, one of which is to accommodate saving AC water to water plants. “The last one is the energy-saving campaign, inviting the public to save energy widely,” she explained. (Hartatik)
Banner photo: Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources
