5 Ways to Save Energy at School

While health and safety are the priority during the ongoing pandemic, it is still essential to continue your energy conservation efforts at school and home. Reducing the energy consumed will lead to lower utility bills, so more of your budget can support schools during this difficult time. Check out the list below with some helpful tips and suggestions on how to get started. 

Saving Energy during COVID-19 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, some schools have switched to online learning for their students, but some school staff - such as teachers - are working from school buildings to teach virtually from their classrooms.

Turning off lights, unplugging electronics, and adjusting the school’s temperature since there are far fewer people occupying the space, and other small changes can drastically reduce energy usage and utility bills.

What Can You Do to Help Save Energy at School? 

There are many ways that you and your students can save energy and save money on your utility bills at your school. Here are some easy methods to conserve energy:

• Turn off the lights: Whenever a room is not being used for a class, the lights should be turned off to reduce the amount of electricity wasted. Students and teachers alike should be checking to make sure that empty classrooms are not left with their lights on.
• Unplug electronics: As with the lights in the classrooms, electronics that are not in use should also be powered down. Even if they are in sleep mode, computers and other electronics can still use a tremendous amount of energy needlessly. When electronics are powered down and unplugged, they save your school money on utility bills.
• Start and participate in a recycling program: With landfills overflowing, your school can help reduce the amount added to them. Implementing and participating in a recycling program allows your school to turn their waste into useful products that can be used again in another form.
• Reduce food waste: It is also essential for students to know what kinds of containers are best for the lunches they bring from home. Encouraging reusable lunch bags and reusable plastic containers over sandwich baggies or brown paper bags can significantly reduce waste.
• Join the Watt Watchers Student Patrol Program: If your school has decided to participate in the Watt Watchers’ Student Patrol Program, it is crucial to encourage students to get involved. It is an excellent way for them to feel some control in their school. If a Student Patrol Program does not yet exist, Watt Watchers has all of the resources needed to start it. And don’t forget, students get to join Lil’ Tex and Ann in their fight against the Wasters Gang!  

Check out all of the resources that Watt Watchers provides for more information.

Help Fight against the Wasters Gang

At Watt Watchers of Texas, we are dedicated to providing access to resources, lessons, and activities to schools and homes all across Texas (and the country) to spread the word about the many benefits of energy conservation. 

We are a state-sponsored STEM program designed to boost energy literacy for grades K-12 and help schools save money on their utility bills. We have dozens of activities and resources available for all age groups, and these are accessible to teachers, administrators, and parents for free!

We have also developed a Student Patrol Program where students will join Lil’ Tex and Ann in their efforts to stop the Wasters Gang. Our goal is to keep Texas as beautiful as ever, and part of that is the energy conservation effort. Contact Watt Watchers to learn more about our programs or check out all of our activities and resources.