Related links
		Check out eesmarts, an energy-efficiency learning initiative.

Did you know that your school uses a lot of electricity? Just think about it. Your classrooms are a lot bigger than the rooms in your home. So it costs much more to keep them warm in winter and well-lit year-round so you and your classmates can do your schoolwork.

You probably already help your family save energy at home. It’s something your local utility company encourages you to do by teaching what it calls an "energy efficiency ethic." An ethic is doing the right thing. In this case the right thing is saving energy. That’s very important because saving energy will save money today and help save our energy resources tomorrow. You’ll be helping to save the earth.

So, you see, saving energy is just as important at school as it is at home. Here are some suggestions you can share with your teacher and classmates:

	Turn off lights the lights in empty rooms.
	Check thermostats (they should be set at 68 degrees in winter and 78 degrees in summer).
	Make "Turn It Off" signs to hang over light switches as a reminder.
	Check for drafts around windows and doors that lead outside.

Talk with your teacher about the school’s recycling program to make sure things that can be reused are being reused.

	These include aluminum cans, plastic bottles and newspapers. Did you realize it takes less energy to remake something than to make it new from scratch?
	Save old magazines and deliver them to local hospitals and doctor’s offices.
	Alert students that local animal hospitals always need used, clean sheets and towels. You can start a drive to contribute these old items.

Your desks and chairs should never block the flow of heated air from the radiators or vents.

All electrical equipment and appliances that are not being used, especially computers, should be turned off.