Cultivating Sustainable Energy and Carbon Reduction Mindsets from Childhood through Parent-Child Reading
"Turn off the lights when you leave the room!" "Unplug devices to save electricity." Many of us have grown up with these admonitions from our parents. Although terms like carbon and electricity are familiar from school, turning energy-saving into actionable habits often starts at home.
At DOMI Earth, we believe there needs to be a better, more engaging way for families to communicate about saving energy. That's why we created the picture book The Electricity Monsters in My Home, designed not only to capture children's attention but also to ignite their curiosity and motivation to take action.
For instance, a child’s day is closely tied to electricity use—from air-conditioned classrooms to studying by lamp light at night and relaxing with TV, computers, or smartphones. Yet, they might not see how these activities connect to environmental impacts—often finding gadgets more captivating. Imagine if busy parents took the time to read an energy-saving picture book with their children. The excitement and focus from the children could make learning about energy efficiency much more effective than classroom lessons, creating lasting family memories and impressions.
The Creation of the Children’s Picture Book and the Birth of the Electricity Monsters
The DOMI Earth team began planning the picture book project in February 2017. The process—from initial story ideas and hand-drawn pencil drafts to digital coloring and printing—lasted six months. Despite moments of self-doubt and intense proofreading, we were fortunate to have the support of our team, story-loving moms, children's educators, and elementary school teachers, who helped make this emotional journey a success and produce a truly unique picture book.
From Picture Book to Self-Reflection on Power-Saving Behavior
The most special aspect of this picture book lies in its reflective nature. The story begins from the perspective of a child's exploration and curiosity, featuring an Electricity Monster that only children can see. This monster believed to be the villain devouring the home’s electricity, is fervently pursued by the protagonist.
Ultimately, it is revealed that the true culprits wasting electricity are humans themselves, making the Electricity Monster the victim instead. Prompted by this revelation, the kind-hearted protagonist embarks on a series of actions to save energy.
This book acts like the epicenter of a ripple, aiming to provoke more families to reflect: Could there be a victimized Electricity Monster in their home too? How can they save energy to rescue it?
Turning every child who hears this story into a superhero of energy conservation.
Books lose their meaning if they just sit on shelves. Thus, after producing our picture book The Electricity Monster in My Home, we've worked hard to integrate additional elements to ensure it reaches more children.
We have taken large copies of the book to various places to read the story aloud and have even experimented with theatrical performances.
We've collaborated with businesses and engaged with children at local pharmacies.
We have also translated the book into six additional languages (English, Thai, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Japanese, and Filipino) to make energy conservation education accessible across borders.
Embedding Environmental Education in Children’s Hearts with Original Intent
We aren't professional publishers or children’s book authors; we're a group of passionate gardeners who want to make the Earth a better place. Having experienced the challenging journey of creating The Electricity Monsters in My Home, we cherish every opportunity to touch the hearts of children and parents, committed to moving them to take action.
This isn't just about a simple energy issue; it's about the future of all our children.
To ensure a future where children can still see blue skies and smell the fragrances of nature, we must start saving energy and loving the Earth now. After all, every family's lifestyle has a significant environmental impact. Start by checking if your home has an Electricity Monster!
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