Whenever a long break comes, the school starts to shut down all of the heating and cooling systems as well as promoting the shutdown of all possible electronic devices with the help of Cenergistic Communications Group. Other energy saving tips include shutting all the blinds and turning off the teacher lounge refrigerators.
Staff coming into the building will be met by unlit, unheated rooms and unplugged electronic devices.
Science teachers James McKnight and Jennifer O’Hara both participated in the winter break shutdown and the spring break shutdown.
McKnight thinks the spring shutdown is useful, even if many people don’t think so.
“We probably think as individuals it doesn’t make a difference, but we have to consider how many rooms and buildings we have,” McKnight said.
Exceptions to the energy savings are seen in the science department as the refrigerators that contain certain materials need to stay refrigerated and some things in the greenhouse. Also, O’Hara has to keep her fish tank on.
McKnight turns off all of the computers and monitors every afternoon and uses only one third of his classroom lights to conserve energy daily.
“As long as it doesn’t significantly impact business, it should be done,” McKnight said.
This conservation of resources is good for saving money, but the underlying message of the preservation of the environment is beneficial as well. O’Hara thinks the shutdown is a good reminder and concept.
“If we really took a look at things, we could find more ways to save. There is still wasting of water, electricity and energy,” McKnight said.
Conservation methods should be practiced daily so that the environment and our budgets benefit for a better functioning world.
The school will figure out if money was saved later in the year towards May. Once the figures are calculated, the school will discover if the shutdowns actually made a difference.