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COOL THE EARTHLast updated January 3, 2010 [This site will be updated with the most recent updates at the TOP of the page.]
IF YOU HAVE A TIP FOR US, PLEASE PASS IT ON! Contact any of the science teachers.
January 4, 2010 JANUARY ACTIONS OF THE MONTH
Layer Up/Layer Down: Commit to wearing clothing that is appropriate for the weather and dress inside in such a way that you can keep the heater thermostat set a little lower (-2o)in the winter, a little higher (+2o)in the summer. Replace Your Filter: Replace or clean your furnace/AC filter twice a year. If the filter is clean, air is drawn in more easily (using less energy!) PRE-HOLIDAY TIPS:
Buying new lights? Get LEDs. (Use much less energy and last longer. There are rebates right now for some of them.)
Wrap with recycled and recyclable paper...foils are pretty, but they cannot be recycled. Make sure the paper you use does not have plastic and metal in it. Look for the recycle icon on it!
Buying appliances? Check the energy consumption...buy ENERGY STAR products!
November 2, 2009 NOVEMBER ACTION OF THE MONTH
This month we will feature the "Reduce the Junk Mail" action. More than ever, in the lead-up to the December holidays, many homes are inundated with catalogs. The catalogs can be dealt with if you are systematic. We recommend using the free service at www.catalogchoice.org. Register at the site, input the requested information on each catalog and expect that the catalogs will stop coming in several months. You can check back every few weeks as you're inputting the next batch to see if the company has confirmed the action. This does not work for ALL catalogs. If they don't confirm, you can call the 1-800 number and bother a real person! We recommend that parents do the initial registration and that the family saves all catalogs they DON'T want in a stack. When the student has time, he or she should log-on and enter the information. It only takes a minute or so to do each one, once you know what they're asking for.
Cool the Earth also has links to three other websites...two of them charge for their services. But one of them has a link for getting your name off of yellow page deliveries...we're not sure how effective it is, but it's worth a try if you don't use yellow and white pages. http://www.41pounds.org/savetreesblog/ leads you to this one http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/
One of the sites will help you get rid of credit offers, but they require input of your Social Security Number, which we are reluctant to recommend.
Introducing a New Initiative Dear Families, The Science Department is pleased to announce that Redwood Middle School is bringing the environmental action program, Cool the Earth, to our school. With its collective-action approach, Cool the Earth educates students and their families about conserving resources and inspires them to take simple, energy-saving actions at home to reduce our impact on the environment. All of this is brought to the students in an age-appropriate and fun-filled manner. Most elements of the program will include at-home activities that will probably require your involvement - it’s a great chance for the family to learn together. The program is being run by the Science teachers with teams of students developing activities for the school. Please understand that participation is totally optional, that the goal is for every student to try to take at least one new action or develop a new “greener” habit. The program will run throughout the year with curricular connections made when appropriate. We are proud of our school community for joining in this effort. In addition to our kids learning about the impacts of their actions, resource conservation, and global warming, they will be learning about responsibility, citizenship and caring – values our students will carry with them for life. Sincerely, Science Teachers Redwood Middle School (P.S. Your students are going to receive coupon PLEDGE booklets. If your family already has done or participates in one of the actions, the student may turn in the coupon…but the idea of the program is to try to increase the actions that are already being taken. So we can tell if the program is having any effect, please indicate on the coupon that you’re already doing the action.) |
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