Hey, “What’s the bright idea?”

Why Should We Care About Saving Electricity? MONEY  Schools pay more for energy than textbooks and computers combined!  Schools nationwide spend more than $8 billion/year on energy  Every dollar saved is income that can benefit our school 3

Kilowatt-hours (kWh)  We pay for electricity based on the number of kilowatts (or 1,000 watts) used per hour  The power company bills you in cents per kilowatt-hour  How many cents do you think schools in TVA region pay/kWh?  10 cents, or $0.10 4

How electricity is used in schools nationwide: 5

Behavior Makes a Difference… Some simple energy behavior rules:  Turn it off  Turn it down  Take it out  Unplug it  Use available daylight 6

Did you know??? Replacing one regular light bulb with an approved compact fluorescent light bulb would save consumers $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use at least two-thirds less energy than standard incandescent bulbs to provide the same amount of light, and they last up to 10 times longer. Compact fluorescent light bulbs also generate 70 percent less heat, so they are safer to operate and can also reduce energy costs associated with cooling homes and offices. *

Dry one load of clothes 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 Use low-watt bulbs where lighting is not critical Turn off outdoor lighting 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 microwave when possible – it cooks faster and doesn’t create as much heat as a stove burner Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents – they use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer Fix any leaky faucets – one drop per second can add up to 165 gallons a month Add insulation to your attic, crawl space and any accessible exterior walls Use power strips for home electronics and turn off power strips when equipment is not in use Turn off lights and all electronics (like computers, televisions, stereos, and video-games) when you leave a room

Open your blinds or curtains on sunny winter days to let the sun into your home. Save hot water by taking short showers instead of baths. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Occasionally hold a ribbon up to the edges of your home’s windows. If air is leaking, the ribbon will move. If you find a leak, let someone in your family know so they can fix it. Turn up your cooling system’s thermostat to 78° F or even higher if no one is home for several days Keep curtains closed on the south, east and west sides of the house during the day to help keep cool Plant a tree! Shade trees can help keep a home cooler in the summer

Remember three important words: turn it off. Don't leave the video game on pause, or the computer in sleep mode. Those electronics are still using energy, even when you aren't using them. If you aren't in the room, turn off the lights. Always remember to flick that switch, or unplug that light when you leave the room. You can make it easy to turn off all those home electronics like TV's, DVD players, computers and more. Simply plug them into power strips, and then turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use.

Recycle Many items we throw away everyday can be recycled. Recycling helps our environment and helps save money. How could some things we throw away everyday be re-used?

Remember….. No one wants to be an energy Hog!