FOR Immediate Release
H.H. Dow High School Students Qualify to compete for
$50,000 Grand Prize in the Lexus Eco Challenge
Midland, Michigan, 2/26/09 – A team of five students at H.H Dow High School are among the 48 schools nationwide that have qualified to participate in the Final Challenge of the Lexus Eco Challenge, a national contest that encourages middle and high school students to develop and implement environmental programs that positively impact their communities. The team was awarded $10,000 for their entry in the Air-Climate Challenge earlier this academic year, and now, as a participant in the Final Challenge, they’ve been asked to take their environmental message to as wide an audience as possible.
This year’s second annual Lexus Eco Challenge (www.scholastic.com/lexus), created by Lexus and Scholastic, had 775 registered teams representing 5,100 middle and high school students nationwide. The 48 winning Action Plans were selected from 425 entries submitted during the three earlier phases of the competition. From the Final Challenge entries, Lexus and Scholastic will choose two $50,000 grand-prize-winning teams and 14 $30,000 first place teams. In all, $1 million in grants and scholarship will be awarded.
The students at H. H. Dow High School are hard at work on their project. The team is focusing on reducing electrical consumption and is currently organizing a “Reduce your Use” day scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, 2009. The community is invited to support the team’s Final Challenge Action Plan by reducing their electricity consumption on that day. To learn how to participate, go to www.reduceyouruse.blogspot.com.
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Did you Know?
Most of our energy is from fossil fuels. In 2005, estimates said that 40% of our energy was from petroleum, 23% from coal, and 23% from natural gas. The other 14% was from nuclear power, hydroelectric dams, and other renewable energy sources.(http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/pdf/pages/sec1_3.pdf)
Total electricity consumption, including both purchases from electric power producers and on-site generation, grows from 3,903 billion kilowatthours in 2007 to 4,902 billion kilowatthours in 2030, increasing at an average annual rate of 1.0 percent in the AEO2009 reference case.
Coal is still the dominant fuel for electricity generation due to continued reliance on existing plants and the addition of new nes in the absence of a government policy to reduce greehouse gases.
It is estimated that energy-related emissions will grow by .3% from 2007-2030.(The Annual Outlook Early Release Overview from The Energy Information Administration of the US Government December 2008 http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/overview.html)
An old refrigerator can cost your family almost $120 a year to operate.
(http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/saving_energy/index.html)
For each degree lower or higher that you set the thermostat, your family can save up to 5 percent on your home’s heating or cooling costs respectively.
(http://www.tvakids.com/electricity/conservation.htm)
Lighting is usually 6 or 7 percent of the electric bill at home. Almost 90% of the energy is released in heat and not light when using standard incandescent bulbs. But compact fluorescent lamps use 66% less energy than standard incandescents, even though it provides the same amount of light. Fluorescent lamps also last more than 10 times longer than incandescents, give off very little heat, and cost less than a third as much to operate.
(http://www.energyright.com/zero_energy.htm)
If 10% of the world’s cell phone users unplugged their chargers when not in use, it would save enough energy to power 60,000 European homes for a year. (http://www.matternetwork.com/2007/1/unplug-your-chargers.cfm)
Fridges and freezers take up 33% of the electricity bill. Make sure they're efficient by ensuring that metal grids and coils in the back have enough space for air to circulate, and that they are dust-free. ("Save Energy: Cut Electricity Bills: Facts and Figures on Electricity Consumption and How to Reduce It" - http://energy-conservation.suite101com/article.cfm/save_energy_cut_electricity_bills#ixzz09OzgIPOb)
Total electricity consumption, including both purchases from electric power producers and on-site generation, grows from 3,903 billion kilowatthours in 2007 to 4,902 billion kilowatthours in 2030, increasing at an average annual rate of 1.0 percent in the AEO2009 reference case.
Coal is still the dominant fuel for electricity generation due to continued reliance on existing plants and the addition of new nes in the absence of a government policy to reduce greehouse gases.
It is estimated that energy-related emissions will grow by .3% from 2007-2030.(The Annual Outlook Early Release Overview from The Energy Information Administration of the US Government December 2008 http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/overview.html)
An old refrigerator can cost your family almost $120 a year to operate.
(http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/saving_energy/index.html)
For each degree lower or higher that you set the thermostat, your family can save up to 5 percent on your home’s heating or cooling costs respectively.
(http://www.tvakids.com/electricity/conservation.htm)
Lighting is usually 6 or 7 percent of the electric bill at home. Almost 90% of the energy is released in heat and not light when using standard incandescent bulbs. But compact fluorescent lamps use 66% less energy than standard incandescents, even though it provides the same amount of light. Fluorescent lamps also last more than 10 times longer than incandescents, give off very little heat, and cost less than a third as much to operate.
(http://www.energyright.com/zero_energy.htm)
If 10% of the world’s cell phone users unplugged their chargers when not in use, it would save enough energy to power 60,000 European homes for a year. (http://www.matternetwork.com/2007/1/unplug-your-chargers.cfm)
Fridges and freezers take up 33% of the electricity bill. Make sure they're efficient by ensuring that metal grids and coils in the back have enough space for air to circulate, and that they are dust-free. ("Save Energy: Cut Electricity Bills: Facts and Figures on Electricity Consumption and How to Reduce It" - http://energy-conservation.suite101com/article.cfm/save_energy_cut_electricity_bills#ixzz09OzgIPOb)
Reduce your Use Day
Wednesday March 18 will be our "Reduce your Use" Day. This will be the day in which we all put into action all that we've learned about conserving electricity. Be sure to comment on this post, saying how you saved electricity and how helpful this blog was as a resource. Also, fill out the survey on this blog so that we can quatify our results!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Reduce your Use Day - March 18
Heres the plan: Wednesday March 18 will be our "Reduce your Use" Day. This will be the day in which we all put into action all that we've learned about conserving electricity. Be sure to comment on this post, saying how you saved electricity and how helpful this blog was as a resource.
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Reduce your Use: How to Earn tax credits by investing in green technology
- earn up to 30% of the cost and up to $1,500 in tax breaks under The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
- More information at www.energystar.gov/taxcredits
- Full article in Detroit Free Press March 8, 2009
- Windmills
- Fuel Cells
- Solar panels
- Water heaters
- Biomass stoves
- Advanced main air circulating fans
- Gas, oil or propane furnaces or hot water boilers
- Geothermal heat pumps
- Air-source heat pumps
- Central air Conditioners
- Roofs
- Doors
- Skylights
- Windows
- Insulation
Reduce your Use: Personal energy conservation around your home and workplace
- Unplug chargers for electronic devices while not in use. These chargers will continue to waste electricity even while your device is not charging
Reduce your Use: Thinkquest suggestions for saving electricity at home
- For Thinkquest website, visit http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/00442/homeelectricity.htm
- ENERGY SAVING TIPS TO USE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR:
- Be sure to turn off lights when you leave a room.
- Turn off machines when you leave a room (examples include TV's, computers, radios, stereos, video games, VCR's, and DVD players).
- When you go away on a trip, be sure to unplug these same machines because they have stand-by functions that consume electricity even when they are turned off.
- Fill your dishwasher efficiently and limit the number of times you run it.
- Don't put furniture and other things in front of heating and air conditioning vents
- Keep doors and windows closed when heat or air conditioning is on.
- Put in a programmable thermostat which will keep your house at the right temperature day and night. Programmable thermostats can reduce cooling and heating bills up to 10% because they lower the heat or raise the air conditioning when you are not at home.
- Check how much electricity your water heater uses. If it uses more than other models of water heaters, replace it with a more efficient one
- Put insulation around the pipes going in and out of your water heater. If you have an older water heater, put an insulated blanket around it
- If you will be out of town for more than a couple days, turn off your water heater.
- About once a year, drain one gallon of water from the faucet at the bottom of your watter heater. This gets rid of the sediment in the water which reduces the energy efficiency of your water heater.
- Change your furnace filter at least once a year or even more. Filters get clogged up with dust and dirt that circulate in a house. This means that air has a more difficult time passing through the filter, and then your furnace has to work a lot harder in order to heat the house
- Take a look at the insulation in your attic. Heat rises, which means that warm air rises into your attic. If you don't have good enough insulation, heat will be wasted. Insulation should be 6 inches to 1 foot thick
- Close doors and vents in rooms you are not using.
- Hold a ribbon or feather up to windows and doors to see if there are any drafts. If there are, put in weather stripping or caulking to keep the outside air out and to keep the air conditioning or heating in.
- Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth and take shorter showers. This will not only save water, but it will also save the electricity that it takes to pump and heat the water.
- Make use of daylight hours and do not turn on lights and lamps.
- Use one large lightbulb instead of a few small ones. One 100-watt light bulb uses less energy and gives off more light than two 60-watt bulbs.
- Use fluorescent light bulbs because they use 75% less energy and last longer than incandescent light bulbs.
- Use light bulbs that are low in wattage in areas of your house where you don't need bright light.
- Make sure that outdoor lighting is turned off during the day. Use motion-detectors lights or timer switches.
- Decide what you want from the refrigerator or freezer before you open them so you don't waste electricity by standing there looking inside and keeping the door open.
- Vacuum the coils of your refrigerator every few months in order to lower your energy bill and to keep the condenser working better.
- Before putting hot foods into the refridgerator, cool them to room temperature (unless the recipe tells you not to do this).
- Cook several food dishes in the oven at the same time.
- Keep the oven door closed until the food is done cooking.
- Defrost food before you bake or microwave it. This uses 1/3 less energy than if you backed food that was still frozen
- Wash full loads of clothing instead of smaller ones. Use the coolest water possible for washing and rinsing the clothes.
- Clean the lint filter of your dryer after every load.
- Dry full loads of clothes
- Dry one load right after another because this uses less energy since the dryer is already hot
- Be sure to stop the dryer as soon as the clothes are dry
- SUMMER TIPS:
- Keep your blinds, drapse or shades closed during the day
- Use ceiling fans or windows fans instead of air conditioning. Ceiling and window fans use much less electricity
- Only use air conditioning when it is really hot outside
- Turn off air conditioning if you will be gone from home for a long time
- Clean or replace your air conditioning filters every month (in both central and window air conditioners).
- Turn the thermostat up a few degrees when you have the air conditioning on. 74 degrees is very comfortable and you are saving up to 5% on your electric bills for each degree of temperature change
- Plant trees in your yard because they help shade your house in the summer and keep your house cooler.
- If you can, shade your air conditioning unit. If your unit is in the bright sun, it will use up to 5% more energy than if it was in the shade
- WINTER TIPS:
- Keep your thermostat at or below 68 degrees. If you are cold, put on a sweater or sweatshirt. Remember, you are saving up to 5% on your electric bill for every degree of temperature change
- On sunny winter days, open your curtains, drapes and blinds to let the sunshine in to warm up your house
- Put clear plastic over some of your windows. This will work like insulation and prevent cold air from getting in your house
- Put caulking around window frames and doors from the inside.
- Make sure windows and doors close well so they do not let any cold air in.
- Repair any broken or cracked window glass.
- Plant trees in your yard because trees break the cold winter wind before it reaches your house
- If you have a fireplace, make sure you have a tight-fitting damper and keep it closed when you are not using the fireplace
Reduce your Use: Declaration of Energy Independence
- Caulk and weatherstrip around windows and doors to stop air leaks
- Seal gaps in floars and walls around pipes and electrical wiring
- Change air filters monthly
- Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents - they use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer
- Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads
- Fix any leaky faucets - one drop per second can add up to 165 gallons a month!
- Tune-up your heating and cooling system annually to keep it running as efficiently as possible
- Have your ductwork inspected and repair any leaks
- Add insulation to your attic, crawl space and accessible exterior walls
- Wrap your water heater with insulation or install an insulating blanket
- Look for the ENERGY STAR label when replacing large or small appliances
- Use power strips for hoem electronics and turn off power strips when equipment is not in use
- Replace worn-out seals on your refrigerator and freezer
- Perform a do-it-yourself home energy audit. Online and paper versions are available. (http://www.energyright.com/audit_kit.htm)
- Reduce hot water by taking shorter showers and using cold water fro the rinse cycle in your washer
- Turn off lights, televisions and other appliances when not in use
- Clean refrigerator coils regularly to keep compressor running efficiently
- Set the refrigerator temperature at 36 to 39 degrees F and freezer at 0 to 5 degrees F
- Use the mocrowave when possible - it cooks faster and doesn't create as much heat as a stove burner
- Air-dry dishes instead of using the dishwasher's heat drying option
- Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when full
- Match the size of your pot or pan to the size of the burner
- Make sure your dryer's outside vent is clear and clean teh lint filter after every load
- Keep all windows and doors located near your thermostat closed tightly
- Keep heat soruces such as lamps and appliances away from your thermostat
- Consider replacing your older model refrigerator, especially if its over 10 years old, with an ENERGY STAR refrigerator
- Install foam gaskets behind electric-outlet and switch-plate covers
- Dry one load of cloaths immediately after another to minimize heat loss
- Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator before cooking
- Use the oven light to check on progress when cooking or baking
- Keep your outside air unit clean and clear of debris or weeds
- Use low-watt bulbs where lighting is not critical
- Place floor lamps and hanging lamps in corners. The reflection off the walls will give you more light
- Turn off outdoor ligthent during the day. Try timer switches or photoelectric controls if the finger method is a bother
- Keep your freezer full. The fuller the freezer, the less cold air you lose when opening the door
- Use the self-cleaning cycle of your oven right after you finish baking. That will give it a head start in heating up
