Written by Sylvia G. Hadnot of Has Everything & Co. for the Kicking Gas Campaign
The education strategy behind the Kicking Gas campaign is rooted in a simple truth: people deserve to understand how energy shapes their everyday lives and how they can shape energy systems in return. At its core, the campaign sees education not as top-down instruction, but as collective sense-making. Whether it’s rising bills, an underperforming heater, or the invisible risks of methane gas, Kicking Gas meets people where they are: in their homes, communities, and lived realities, and invites them into a conversation about health, comfort, and power.
A key component of the campaign’s educational strategy is the standalone lesson built around the animated short film Gnome Sweet Gnome. Designed for students and community members, this lesson uses humor and storytelling to open a dialogue about energy equity and decarbonization. Participants analyze the gnome family’s challenges and map energy use in their own homes, discovering that clean energy transitions are not just about technology, they’re about access, systems, and care. The goal is to make the science of electrification relevant and human, while empowering people to imagine and advocate for healthier futures.
Beyond the lesson plan, the strategy includes spreading Gnome Sweet Gnome far and wide: to teachers’ networks, community groups, school boards, and climate coalitions. This education work sits at the intersection of outreach and organizing: it sparks awareness, seeds questions, and builds language for change. By providing tools that are short, accessible, and story-forward, the campaign aims to shift public understanding of home energy from technical to relational.
In the long run, the educational branch of Kicking Gas isn’t just about explaining the problem. It’s about growing capacity across communities to demand and design the solutions. The free lesson for 3rd-12th graders, “Gnome Sweet Gnome: What Makes a Home Healthy?” is downloadable after signing up for the Kicking Gas newsletter at www.kickgasnow.org/education.
