1. E NERGY E FFICIENCY

2.  What is Energy?  Energy is the ability to do work.  Energy heats homes, runs refrigerators, moves cars, lights streets and allows you to run.  There are different forms of energy. Renewable Energy is energy that can be made quickly, like wind energy. Non-Renewable Energy is energy that takes millions of years to be made.

3. E NERGY E FFICIENCY  Non-renewable energy sources are fossil fuels: coal, natural oil, and gas.  Fossil Fuels are formed from the remains of dead plants and animals in special processes that take millions of years.  Fossil Fuels represent stored energy, stored carbon, and stored toxins.

4. E NERGY E FFICIENCY  MPS gets its electrical energy from Xcel Energy.  Xcel Energy uses a mix of non-renewable (80%) and renewable energy (20%) sources to provide electricity.  This mix includes nuclear, gas, hydo-power and wind.  Xcel’s nuclear energy comes in part from the Prairie Island nuclear power plant  Much of Xcel’s hydro-power comes from plants in Canada.

5. E NERGY E FFICIENCY  MPS gets its gas from Center Point.  Most of the Center Point’s gas (85-90%) comes through pipelines from the Gulf of Mexico. The remainder of the gas comes from Canada.  Gas runs to schools through pipes.  Center Point maintains a gas meter to gauge gas usage.

6. E NERGY E FFICIENCY  Much of the energy MPS is using comes from fossil fuels.  Using fossil fuels releases stored carbon and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.  As the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases so does the temperature of the earth.  This process is known as climate change.

7. E NERGY E FFICIENCY  Climate change affects how we all will live.  On a warmer earth, icebergs will melt, raising sea levels.  Do you know people who live by the ocean? Will they have to move if the ocean rises?  Plants and animals have adapted to live in certain climates. If climate change happens too quickly, they may not survive.  What is your favorite animal? Do you think it will survive?

8. E NERGY E FFICIENCY E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS  Burning fossil fuels releases toxins like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, soot and mercury.  If we use less fuel by being energy efficient, we will create less pollution.

9. E NERGY E FFICIENCY E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS  Using less energy means that less energy has to be made.  Making energy from non-renewable sources involves mining for coal or drilling for oil.  Mining and drilling can be very harmful to the environment. Surface mining

10. E NERGY E FFICIENCY E NVIRONMENTAL B ENEFITS  By using fewer fossil fuels, we can:  Stop or lessen climate change  Stop acid rain and soot production  Hennepin County is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050  We can do this by being more EFFICIENT. This means being smart and making the best choices when using energy.

11. E NERGY E FFICIENCY E DUCATIONAL B ENEFITS  Thinking about energy provides an opportunity to learn where products come from and what happens to them after we finish with them.  Visit the EPA’s website for educational recycling and energy games:  http://www.epa.gov/osw/education/kids/planetpro tectors/index.htm http://www.epa.gov/osw/education/kids/planetpro tectors/index.htm  Visit the Energy Information Administration’s site for more games and curriculum:  http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=6 http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=6

12. E NERGY E FFICIENCY E CONOMIC B ENEFITS  Being efficient with energy is good for plants, animals and you. It also saves money!  Energy costs for heating, cooling and lighting are very expensive. In most schools, energy costs more than books and supplies. Only paying salaries costs more.  MPS spends $15 million per year on energy costs.

13. E NERGY E FFICIENCY E CONOMIC B ENEFITS  Reducing energy use is a good way to save money.  It is possible to save money on energy without experiencing too much hardship because experts estimate that up to 25% of energy used in schools is wasted.  It is wasted through inefficiencies, like not turning off lights, old heating and cooling systems, and printing excessively.  We can fix this by being more efficient!

14. E NERGY E FFICIENCY W HAT MPS IS D OING ?  MPS is taking steps to be energy efficient:  Upgraded more than 141 boilers, so they use less energy to heat water  Preventive maintenance program to improve heating and cooling efficiency  Retrofit systems using more energy efficient technology while aggressively pursuing rebates to offset the costs of the upgrades

15. E NERGY E FFICIENCY  More Steps the district is taking...  Working to improve monitoring systems to find ways to reduce energy consumption even more.  Improving bus efficiency by retrofitting 40% of MPS-owned diesel buses with special recirculation valves to significantly reduce emissions

16. E NERGY E FFICIENCY H OW TO BE E NERGY EFFICIENT  Here are some simple ways you can reduce energy use.  Lighting accounts for 50% of energy costs.  Turn off lights when they are not in use.  Open the blinds during the day to use natural light.  Close the blinds at night to keep the room warm.

17. E NERGY E FFICIENCY H OW TO BE E NERGY EFFICIENT  Powering the monitor accounts for 50% of the energy a computer uses.  Turn your computer monitor to “off” or “sleep” when it is not in use.  Do NOT shut down any Mac Computers or Windows computers in labs. IT services performs updates on these computers after hours, and has already programmed them to automatically go to “sleep” mode.  Turn off printers, copiers and other office equipment at the end of every day.  Turn off and unplug electronics and personal appliances.

18. E NERGY E FFICIENCY H OW TO BE E NERGY E FFICIENT  Use MPS Green Reports to find out every building’s carbon footprint.  With this information, you can find out where energy savings can be made.

19. E NERGY E FFICIENCY H OW TO BE E NERGY E FFICIENT  Have fun with Green Reports!  You could: Have a contest to find out whose more efficient middle-schoolers or the elementary students?

20. E NERGY E FFICIENCY H OW TO B E E NERGY E FFICIENT  Water conservation is a part of energy savings and efficiency.  Save water by:  Not letting water run When washing your hands turn the water on to wet them and then turn it off while soaping.  Reporting leaks to maintenance staff immediately  Maximizing natural cover in outdoor landscaping

21. E NERGY E FFICIENCY H OW TO B E E NERGY E FFICIENT  Energy efficiency improves our environment and saves money.  Little steps and big steps both count.

22. E NERGY E FFICIENCY H OW TO B E E NERGY E FFICIENT  It’s up to you!