Page 39 - Day of Action

7.3

What can we do?

IDEAS

Introduce your Day of Action with an Energy assembly presenting information on energy usage and promoting energy conservation – use real
figures collected from the energy audit.

Hold a ‘switch off’ or ‘low energy’ day. Appoint an ‘energy squad’ to take over responsibilities such as closing outside doors at break times and
turning off lights and appliances when not in use.

Record the school’s energy usage on a normal day and then again on the ‘low energy’ day and compare results. You could make energy use
visible by purchasing an eco energy meter or display information on a notice board.

Ask pupils to design and create posters and stickers to be placed near electricity switches to promote energy conservation. A traffic light
system could be used on light switches. Red stickers on ones that never really need turning on, amber stickers on ones to be turned on if dark
and green stickers on ones that can be turned on regularly.

Temperature readings could be taken. A classroom should be 18ºC. If too warm, consider turning down the radiators rather than opening
windows. Adjust thermostats and time clocks on heaters to more efficient levels.

Investigate what climate change is and what it means for our world. Explain the concept by wrapping a pupil in some blankets to show that CO2
is important for our atmosphere but too much is like too many blankets on a warm day. Discuss what impact this is having on our planet. What
could we do to produce less greenhouse gas? Find out more by watching this Climate Science in a Nutshell video

Energy also links to climate change. Everything we use or consume has used energy to make or produce it. Sometimes we forget about the
embedded energy in everyday items. Investigate the textile industry. It accounts for 20-25% of all greenhouse gas emissions – this is more than
all flights and maritime shipping combined!!

This is interesting! Watch is BBC report to find out how dog poo is powering a streetlight!