BANGALORE: “We wished to spread awareness on energy conservation for citizens at large through children at a grassroot level. And that’s how Tata Power Energy Club was born,” said Shalini Singh, head of corporate communications, Tata Power Energy Club. With their primary focus on energising the youth and making them more responsible about their own future; Tata Power Energy Club (TPEC) was started in 2007 with just twelve schools in Mumbai. City Express finds out more about the importance of energy conservation among children.Today, TPEC has grown into a nationwide movement spread across 400 schools in Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Pune, Jamshepdur, Lonavla and Belgaum. It has over 40,445 Energy Champions, who save and advocate energy conservation, and 70,450 Energy Ambassadors who spread awareness about the importance of saving energy. There are over 154 independent Mini Tata Power Energy Clubs across Mumbai, run by school children themselves that urge people to stop wasting electricity. Among the schools in Bangalore Primus Public School, St Joseph Girls High School, Jyothy Kendriya Vidyalaya, R V Girl’s High School, Gurukul School, RTC Girls High School, Sri Aurobindo High School, JSS Public School, Vasavi Education Trust (VET) School and Sri Kumaran Children’s Home, Tata Silk Farm have spread the awareness and urgency of energy conservation today.“We have encouraged students to constantly sensitise their friends and relatives by educating them on alternate source of energy. Eventually it ceases to be an intellectual concept and gradually the practicality and importance of energy conservation seeps in. Thereby making this a self sustaining initiative in several schools. Several events such as street plays, presentations and quiz have been held,” Shalini further added. The effort of these TPEC members has led to a saving of more than three million units, by more than 2.5 million citizens across the nation. This saving is equivalent to the amount of energy used to light up 1496 houses for a year and has saved 3,300 tonnes of Carbondioxide emissions. These spectacular figures prove the commitment of every individual who has pledged to save power.Energy Champions are encouraged to form self sustained mini Tata Power Energy Clubs. There are 154 mini Tata Power Energy Clubs in Mumbai today. Proactive, enthusiastic members of the mini TPECs are the ambassadors of the programme. They are driven by the vision of making the world a better place for all of us. Said Uma Sharma, parent, “Well, my daughter Madhuri has been a part of this initiative for a while now. And, I must say there has been a significant change in her behaviour. Not only has she become much more confident in expressing herself; but she is very well aware of the importance of energy conservation in a resource based society today. Mini Tata Power Energy Clubs have indeed helped in her overall development.”Members of the mini TPECs undertake various activities throughout the year to spread the word of energy conservation and to encourage citizens to save. “By performing simple tasks like switching of lights whenever unnecessary or setting the air conditioners to 24 degrees; a lot can be achieved. Almost all my school mates are active members of this initiative. It has helped us further strengthen our understanding of energy issues,” said Madhuri Sharma, a ninth grade student at Sri Kumaran’s School, Tata Silk Farm.Sridhar Sharma, father of Sudhanva Sharma (seventh grade, Sri Kumaran’s School, Doddakalasandra) has always taken active interest in minimising overall energy conservation. “Being in the electrical field, I have always accentuated on the the importance of conservation and intelligent usage of electricity. What we need to realise is the long term benefits of our actions. And, implementation of such ideas is what matters the most. In fact this is what we all must strive to achieve,” said Sharma.
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