Earth Day = PowerSave Day in North Penn

“How low can you go?” is the question students at North Penn School district will ask on Earth Day.  Yet, the students will not be doing the limbo. They’ll be reducing electricity and making their schools more energy efficient. It’s part of PowerSave Day in their school district!

Watching the Savings – Live!

During study halls at North Penn High School, students will watch a real-time display of the school’s electricity use. So, as other students turn off lights, they can see which section of the high school can save the most.

Throughout the school students and teachers will monitor the effect of their actions using demand-response systems, which read electricity meters in real time and relay this data online.

And Tom Schneider, the North Penn Energy Manager, will be onsite and announcing updates over the school’s PA system.

“As they visualize how they are reducing their consumption of electricity, students will realize how they are directly helping their school save money and helping the environment by conserving the Earth’s natural resources, reducing pollution, and minimizing carbon dioxide emissions,” said Schneider.

From the Lunchroom to the Classroom

When lunch bell rings on Earth Day, the district’s School Nutrition Services will offer a PowerSave “heat free” lunch. Plus, the students who bring their own food will be encouraged to use reusable containers to reduce waste. 

In the classrooms, environmental education will be integrated into lesson plans throughout the day. K-12 Teachers will be using videos, books and online resources to support these learning initiatives. Older students will view the documentary ‘Carbon Nation,’ and elementary-level students will be reading ‘Why Should I Save Energy,’ ‘Energy Makes Things Happen,’ ‘Energy Island,’ and other energy-related books.

Building on Energy-Saving Successes

This event is not the first time North Penn has made saving energy a priority. Over the past three years the North Penn School District has reduced its energy use by 35%. In turn, they avoided $1.1 million in costs and prevented 5,600 metric tons of CO₂ pollution. 

“Students in the PowerSave program have been busy,” said PowerSave Schools Local Project Leader Jacqui Baxter.

This year, schools will be turning off lights in unoccupied rooms, unplugging appliances, holding a ‘photocopy-free’ day, using outdoor classrooms, and teaching energy-themed lessons.

Award-Winning Results

The North Penn School District recently received the EPA’s 2013 ENERGYSTAR Partner of the Year Award. With school districts across the country facing budget shortfalls, North Penn School District shows that financial savings are possible through energy efficiency.

“The results are impressive,” says Vice President of Education at the Alliance to Save Energy Merrilee Harrigan. “Each school in the district took a different approach, based on preliminary energy data results, and all of them have been part of the effort to save. Not only are schools saving money, but they are also becoming leaders, protecting the environment, and building pathways to green jobs.”  

Partnering with Direct Energy

The PowerSave School program at North Penn is funded by Direct Energy, North America’s largest energy and energy-related service company.

“North Penn schools and their sponsors have much to be proud of this year,” said Harrigan. “Their holistic approach to saving energy makes them a leading school district throughout the region and nation.”