Safety Activities for Kids

We’ve got fun activities for kids to do and sticker badges to reward them with!
Ready to have fun, learn more about natural gas and and earn some super-cool sticker badges? Ask your parents to email G2AGLCorpComm@southernco.com to have sticker badges mailed to your house. With the guidance of a parent, start earning your badges by completing the activities below!

Natural Gas is an energy source that comes from the ground and was created millions of years ago from the remains of plants and animals that decayed. That’s why natural gas is called a fossil fuel – it comes from fossils. Geologists search for natural gas by drilling deep underground with special drills. Engineers then build underground pipelines to carry natural gas safely across the country. That's not all! Sniffy the Skunk also stars in a fun and interactive video game to help you learn more about natural gas, including where it comes from and how Nicor Gas delivers it safely to your home to heat your water and cook your food!

When natural gas is pulled up from the ground it does not have a color, taste or smell. To help people know if natural gas is present, operators add something called mercaptan so you can smell natural gas. Mercaptan smells like stinky rotten eggs! What should you do if you smell the scent of mercaptan? You need to act fast! This means don’t delay—get away!

• Don’t look for the leak. 
• Don’t use or touch anything electrical, like flipping off light switches or turning off the TV 
• Don’t even use a cell phone!
  
  

Leave the area right away and tell an adult to call 888.Nicor4U (888.642.6748) or 911.

To earn the Smell Gas? Act Fast! Badge, request a scratch and sniff sample so you can smell the scent of mercaptan. Email me with your name, address and number of scratch and sniff cards you are requesting. Then, draw a picture of your home and the safety route your family will take to leave the home if you smell the scent of mercaptan (don’t forget to draw a meeting place for your family outside).

Nicor Gas has a special way of storing natural gas before it is delivered to your home through our underground pipelines. We developed underground natural gas storage aquifers (an aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing rock) to store natural gas throughout the year, and then deliver it to customers during cold winter months when people use more natural gas to heat their homes. How do you think this unique storage system helps our customers?

At Nicor Gas, people’s safety is our top priority. When we are working at your home, near our pipelines or at our underground natural gas storage aquifers, we wear personal protective gear, like safety vests and hard hats, to stay safe and ensure we are easily recognizable. Have you seen a Nicor Gas employee near your home wearing their safety vest?

To earn the I Learned about Nicor Gas Badge, locate where the natural gas meter is at your home. Look at the meter (but don’t touch it) and make sure that if it is outside all bushes and plants are moved away from the natural gas meter to help employees work safely.

Engineers and construction workers have constructed underground pipelines to deliver natural gas safely and reliably to schools, restaurants and factories across Illinois – we even deliver it to your home. Our pipelines connect to the meter at your house, which helps to control the flow of natural gas and measures how much your family uses. Pipes inside your home connect the natural gas meter to natural gas appliances like: a water heater that warms up the water you use for baths, washing clothes and dishes; a stove that cooks your food; a furnace that helps to heat your home when it’s cold outside. Cars, trucks and buses can even use natural gas to run their engine.

To earn the I Know How My Home Uses Natural Gas Badge, make a list of all the appliances in your home that use natural gas and draw a picture of each appliance.

Many people work hard each day to bring natural gas to your home, your school and even your favorite restaurant! More than 2,000 people help ensure that Nicor Gas delivers natural gas safely and reliably to more than 2.2 million homes and businesses in Illinois.

To earn the Picture Yourself @ Nicor Gas Badge, visit our careers for kids page at nicorgas.com/discovercareersinenergy and click on each picture on the page to learn more about working at Nicor Gas. Which job looks the most interesting to you?

Part of the way we keep the earth healthy is by using energy efficiently. The Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program works hard to make sure every customer is using energy as wisely as possible. We offer cash-back rebates to help pay for energy-efficient products, and we offer many other ways to help you and your family save energy at home. Is your home energy efficient?

To earn the I Learned about Energy Efficiency Badge, complete the following Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program activities with a parent or adult:

1. Check for dirty spots on your ceiling and carpet. This may indicate air leaks where your walls meet the ceiling and floor.
   
   
2. Check how old your furnace is. If it’s more than 12 years old, it may be time to upgrade.
   
   
3. Check your thermostat settings. During the winter, the temperature should be about 70 degrees during the morning/evening, and 62 degrees during the day/overnight. During the summer, the temperature should be about 78 degrees during the morning/evening, and 82 degrees during the day/overnight.