Spirit of the Home

It had been a hot day. Kavya had just finished her homework and curled up in bed, exhausted. As her eyelids drooped, a soft breeze went through the curtains. As she was drifting off, she heard a whisper.

“Hey... Kavya,” whispered a warm voice. “Are you awake?”

Kavya blinked. “Who’s there?”

“I am the spirit of the house,” said the voice gently. “And I need your help”

“My help? what do you want?” Kavya sat up, wide-eyed. “Why would a house need help from a little girl?”

The Spirit chuckled. “I realize that the world around me is changing, it is hotter than it was the year before, which in turn was hotter than the year before that. It saddens me that I contribute so much to this change. You see, I use a lot of energy to keep you comfortable, to keep the lights glowing, fans spinning, your television running, the AC working. But I do this at a cost, where do you think all that energy comes from?”

Kavya scratched her head. “From... electricity?”

“Yes, little one,” said the Spirit. “But electricity is made by burning fuels like coal. That releases smoke and gases that warm up our planet — just like if you were stuck in a glass box under blazing sun, it is called green-house effect, and I wish to not be part of the problem anymore.”

“Oh no!” Kavya gasped. “So what can I do?”

“You and all other children can help me by conserving electricity, in fact, it is one of the simplest ways in which anyone can contribute to this issue, let me show you how” said the spirit, and just like that, the walls melted away. Kavya found herself floating gently through the rooms of her house with the spirit beside her, glowing faintly. The spirit floated down the hallway, and Kavya followed. As they entered the living room, the spirit pointed to the air conditioner.

“Did you know,” the spirit said, “this machine works very hard to cool your room. But it uses a lot of energy. There are smarter ways to help it work better.”

Kavya tilted her head. “Like what?”

“Well,” the spirit replied, “before rushing into an air-conditioned room from outside, your body needs a bit of time to get used to the change in temperature. If you rush into a cold room right away, your body might not be ready, and you could get a bit sniffly and catch a cold.”

“it’s better to cool your body down first. Open a window. Use the fan. Let the breeze flow through if it’s not too hot outside.”

Kavya’s eyes widened. “That’s so simple!”

The spirit nodded. “And at night, when the air is cooler, open the windows wide open to let the breeze cool the room. This is called night ventilation. It lets out all the stuffy heat that the house has accumulated through the day. Just don’t forget to close them again if it gets too hot outside in the daytime.”

They floated next to the cooler in the corner.

“In dry, hot months like May and June,” the spirit explained, “this desert cooler is a wonderful friend. It uses water to cool the air and works best when the outside air is dry. But always keep it in a shady spot and don’t block the airflow. And remember, a cooler needs open windows to work well—so don’t shut everything tight like with an AC.”

“What about the rainy months?” asked Kavya.

“Good question! During hot, humid months like July and August, if the temperatures are not very high, ventilation should be the first step, open the windows, let fresh air be your friend. It’s best that you open windows on opposite sides of the room. It is called cross ventilation and it’s nature’s way of cooling.

If the temperature and humidity both are high, it’s okay to use the air conditioner—but wisely, air conditioner works by recirculating the air and throwing the heat to the outdoors, hence worsening the already warm air outside, hence not good for you or the environment.

Keep doors and windows shut when it’s on, and set it no lower than 26-27°C. Each extra degree can save up to 6 per cent electricity! You can also use a fan with it to help cool yourself.”

The spirit then floated over to the curtains and pulled them aside.

“When winters arrive, welcome the warm sunlight to fill in your room during the day,” it whispered. “It keeps the house warm and bright. Natural light is not only free, it makes us feel calm, happy, and healthy.

But don’t open the windows unless it’s warm outside. We don’t want the warmth to escape”

Kavya looked at her study table. “In winters, I don’t get enough light while studying, what can I do?”

“It’s wonderful that you are thinking this way!” said the spirit “look around your room, perhaps you can move the table closer to the window” with a snap the table moved closer to the window, better lit than before.

“There would be times when it is too dark outside” the spirit continued “….and you will need more light, in such a scenario, a desk lamp might do the job, it saves more energy than lighting up the whole room.”

They moved toward the kitchen, where little red lights glowed on the microwave and TV.

“See those lights?” the spirit asked. “They’re using energy even when the appliance is off. That’s called standby power. Turn them off from the socket—it can save 5 to 10 per cent of energy.”

Kavya’s eyebrows lifted. “Just from that?”

The spirit chuckled. “Yes, small things make a big difference. Every switch turned off, every degree changed—each one helps the Earth.”

They stepped out onto the terrace. Kavya gasped.

A lush, green garden stretched before her, full of herbs and plants she didn’t even know were there.

“This… this isn’t our terrace!” she said in surprise.

“Not yet,” said the spirit. “But it can be. The house need to be protected from the unforgiving summer sun, a rooftop garden does exactly that and cools your home while providing you with fresh produce too. It's another way you can help the Earth, starting from home. If a terrace garden is too much, we can simply paint the roof in a white shiny paint or tiles, this will help in reflecting the harsh sun and keeping the house from heating up.”

Kavya beamed. “I’ll tell Papa tomorrow!”

The spirit’s voice became softer. “Remember, energy is precious. We use it every day—for light, for comfort, for fun. But if we’re careful and kind, we can save it—for our planet and our future.”

As they walked back into her room, Kavya noticed the soft morning light beginning to peek through the window. The spirit looked at her with glowing eyes.

“Is this a dream?” she asked

“If it was, it would mean that deep inside you, you already knew everything I just said” the spirit said kindly with a smile “Now, go on and rest. You need to be your home’s energy champion when you wake up.”

Kavya blinked—and suddenly, she was back in her bed, curled under her blanket. Was it a dream? she wondered. But then she saw it—her curtains slightly open, the fan slowly spinning, and a gentle breeze brushing her cheek. She smiled.

Maybe the spirit is real, resides in all our homes and can use your help.