Today's Energy Insight

As 2015 comes to a close, it's a great time to make a resolution to save energy. Every effort, no matter how small, adds up in a district our size and makes a big difference. So please power down electronics, turn off lights and remember the money we save on energy is then kept in the classroom where it is needed the most. Wishing Everyone a Happy and Efficient 2016!

Wishing you GREEN Holidays!

Remember to reduce, reuse and recycle this holiday season. Wishing Happy Holidays to everyone in the Robbinsdale District and beyond!

Today's Energy Insight

Winter Break is Nigh

Despite our mild December weather making it feel more like fall outside, winter break is just around the corner. Extended time off in our buildings is a great opportunity for saving energy. Before you head out the door for the last time this year to return in January 2016, please take a moment to make sure you have shut down, turned off or unplugged any plug loads in your area, office or classroom. This includes but is not limited to:

·                     Computer monitors and speakers

·                     Smart-boards and overhead projectors

·                     Clock radios and boom boxes

·                     Copiers and printers

·                     TVs, DVD players and VCRs

·                     Audio and video recording equipment

·                     Appliances in FACS rooms and staff lounges

·                     Electronic equipment in Science labs and Art rooms

·                     Electronic equipment in Industrial Tech and Auto Shops

·                     Camera battery chargers

·                     Microphone and two-way radio chargers

Thanks for doing your part to keep us operating as efficiently as possible during a time when the buildings are getting a break from the staff and students while you are taking some much deserved time off.

Today's Energy Insight

Have a water efficient Holiday!

Preparing for and cleaning up after holiday meals and parties can use much more water than ordinary, everyday use. Running your tap continuously while preparing food or washing dishes wastes water and can use more than two gallons of water every minute your tap is running. That's a lot when you're cooking a big meal for extended family members and friends! Find ways to reduce your water and energy use, for example:

Scrape dirty dishes clean, instead of using water to rinse them before you put them in the dishwasher. If you don’t use a dishwasher, fill the sink with a few gallons of soapy wash water, clean your dishes, and put them aside. Then rinse them all together afterward. Either of these simple practices could save 10 gallons of water. If every American household reduced their water use by 10 gallons on just Thanksgiving Day, it would save more than 1 billion gallons of water, as well as save any energy or materials used to pump or treat tap water.

Thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency for the above information.

Today's Energy Insight

The top 5 Ways to Save Energy with Holiday Lighting...

1.  Switch to LED Light Strands and LED Decorations

LED lights use 90% less electricity than regular holiday lights, and can be purchased for around $10 a strand. Stock up during post-holiday clearance sales!

2.  Use Fiber Optic Decorations

Fiber optic trees and decorations are the ultimate in energy efficiency. In most cases, they use a single light bulb located in the base of the unit to light the entire decoration.

3.  Limit the Time Lights are On

Wait until dark to turn on your lights; then, turn them off before you go to bed. Six hours or less of daily use is a good goal to aim for. Do you have trouble remembering to turn your lights on and off? Then, set a timer, and forget about it.

4.  Turn Off Room Lights When the Tree is Lit

The lights on your tree should provide more than enough lighting to navigate around the room.

5.  Decorate with Candles

Holiday lights are nice, but so are candles. Set up luminaries along your walkway and lit candles throughout your home to achieve a beautiful holiday glow, without adding to the electric bill. Just remember safety first when it comes to candle light!

Today's Energy Insight

Thousands of Opportunities to Save Energy!

With over 12,000 students and more than 2,200 employees in our district, one flip of a switch does make a difference. If just once per day, 1/4 of the district staff remembers to turn off lights in an unoccupied area, that's 550 times a day energy is being conserved. If 1/10 of the students remember just once a day to turn off a computer monitor, that's 220 times a day monitors are being powered down. Now multiply those numbers by 5 and in one week alone, there are literally thousands of opportunities to save energy if just a fraction of the students and staff turn off a light or shut off a monitor. All our small efforts do add up to make a big difference!