Ways to Conserve Energy in School
Teachers and students can play their part in reducing the energy used during a school day. Schools use energy for running equipment, pumping water, in transport, in producing the packaging for food and drinks, in printing and in lighting and cooling classrooms. Most people can conserve energy in several of these areas
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Getting to and from School
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The most energy people use in the course of a school day is usually for transport. The greenest way for students and teachers to get to school is by walking or cycling. In areas where safety is a consideration, some parents and children set up walking groups. Public transport is the second greenest option. If neither of these is a possibility, then you can reduce energy use with car sharing schemes.
Food and Drink
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Recycling saves a considerable amount of energy. For example, it takes 95 percent more energy to produce an aluminum soda can from bauxite than from an old can. Extraction of the raw materials results in habitat destruction. Further energy is used in transporting the cans. To reduce the energy used to make your lunch, pack homemade foods and a refillable water bottle rather than pre-packaged foods and drinks. When you do consume such items, recycle the packaging. If your school doesn't already have recycling receptacles, ask it to install them.
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Computers, Printing and Lighting
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If you use search engines a lot to research school projects, try Blackle -- a version of Google with a black screen, which means the monitor uses less energy. Set computers to hibernate when not in use, rather than reverting to screen savers, and switch off completely if it is unlikely they will be used for longer than an hour. Eliminate unnecessary printing and print what you do need on both sides of the paper. Turn off lights when you are the last person to leave a classroom. If you are a teacher, don't make more photocopies than you need, and use both sides of the paper.
Water
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Pumping water to bathrooms consumes energy, as does heating water. Reducing your water consumption also reduces your energy consumption. At school, make a difference by not leaving faucets running, for example by washing your hands in a bowl rather than under a running tap. Ask the school to fix any leaking faucets.
Heating and Cooling
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The biggest energy users in most buildings are heating and cooling systems. Making them more efficient is a task for decision makers, but you can put pressure on the school administrators to install insulation and provide floor or ceiling fans as an alternative to air conditioning. Turning the thermostats down a few degrees doesn't affect the comfort of students and teachers, but can make considerable energy savings.
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References
- Earth 911: Facts about Aluminium Can Recycling
- Food and Agricultore Organization of the United Nations - Forestry Department; "Rehabilitating Mines to Meet Land Use Objectives: Bauxite Mining in The Jarrah Forest of Western Australia;" John Gardner
- California Energy Commission, Consumer Energy Center: Energy Saving Tips for Schools
- Photo Credit school image by dinostock from Fotolia.com
