I had a fascinating day today in Nottingham at the E.ON Education Conference.
The day covered a whole range of activities from the young people presenting their energy saving ideas, to discussions about the challenges we face as a nation with regards to energy security in the future. It was great to see the enthusiasm that the young people showed, often highlighted by their confidence as they spoke. It was fantastic to hear their hopes and worries, and to have the opportunity to speak to them about their views.
There were workshops covering various topics, and at the end an interactive quiz, showing what people thought for real. As an example, it was amazing to find out that 102 out of 104 young people thought that their schools did not turn lights and computer monitors off in classrooms during breaks and lunch hours. It was encouraging however that the general level of knowledge was high, and that the young people were well aware of many issues.
In the "Lion's Lair" part of the programme, the young people presented their energy saving ideas for the kitchen. There were fantastic examples of some different ideas about ways to carry out a current task, such as an alternative method of making toast, boiling a kettle, and also ideas about using current wasted heat we have, for example, at the back of fridges.
The winner was an alternative toaster, using one slot for toasting, and with huge amounts of market research behind the idea. Something that would not cost too much and that would not be prohibitively expensive to buy.
In the Q&A panel, E.ON's specialist staff answered questions and discussed options for the future with the young people.
I really enjoyed being in everyone's company, that feeling of positivity brightens up your day!
