At School

• Set up a recycling program in your school.

•   Make recycling fun! Encourage your classmates to increase the amount your school or campus recycles.

• Promote energy-efficient measures.

•   Turn off all lights when they are not in use.

•   Make sure rooms are properly insulated.

•   Set the school-wide thermostat to automatic so that it uses less energy in the evening and summer when school is not in session.

•   Ask your school to buy energy efficient equipment for laboratories.

• Buy recycled paper products.

•   Use recycled paper for art supplies for younger children, and supply libraries and offices with recycled paper.

• Use efficiency timers.

•   Have your school set lights and air conditioners on efficiency timers, or install lights that automatically turn off when room unoccupied.

• Replace regular incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s).

•   Save 300 lbs of carbon dioxide and $60 per year with each bulb!

• Make sure your school chooses energy efficient appliances when making new purchases.

•   Purchase appliances with the Energy Star label and save thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide.

• Turn off and unplug electronic devices when not in use.

•   When computer labs or libraries are empty, make sure all computers, printers, scanners are turned off.  Make sure to unplug them as well, as even when turned off, these items still use energy.

• Do not use screensavers.

•   Screen savers save the screen, but they don’t save much energy. To keep your computer running and save energy, set it to run on standby power when not in use, and turn it off when you don’t need it.

• Walk, ride your bike, or take public transportation to class instead of driving.

• Conduct a school energy inspection.

•   Ask your school administrators to have a company do an energy audit on your school to make your school more energy efficient.  Urge your school to reward the use fuel efficient vehicles such as Hybrids.