Trying to create a cleaner, greener environment is not something we must just practice in our homes if we are to make a difference. Businesses are doing their part in many ways by cutting down on waste and recycling. But what about our schools? In the past, we have reported on colleges and schools that are working to teach young people the importance of conservation. Think about it for a moment... schools create a lot of waste and use lots of energy to keep running. Everyday, millions of young people head off to college, high school and elementary school. They spend a full day there. In this day and age where budget cuts are the norm in our public school system, it becomes all that much more important for schools to figure out how to cut back on their energy costs so they can use funds for more important things. New schools often are not the problem. Most are designed with the environment in mind. But older schools, and there are plenty of those still around, remain a problem.
We found a school district in the Bay Area that is making some drastic changes in how they operate on both new and old campuses. It's a massive energy reorganization and so far the San Jose Unified School District has been able to save a million dollars a year in energy costs. Solar energy is part of the plan for new schools and retrofitted for old ones. It's a good lesson for students too, who learn the importance of moving away from fossil fuel resources and using the sun for energy needs.
