The Newsletter for Watt Watchers and Energy Commission Schools
Spring 1999
Published by the Energy Center University of Texas at El Paso
Sponsored by the Texas General Services Commission State Energy Conservation Office
Volume 3 Number 1
Been There - Done That - Now What???
How about Saving the Planet?
Y
our Watt Watchers group has been patrolling the
hallways and turning out room lights for forgetful
teachers and leaving reminder tickets and thank you
notes consistently for months. By now, almost everyone’s
habits have improved and only a few tickets
are issued. NOW WHAT????
First, a little celebration is in order. If
you have succeeded in changing the habits
of a large number of busy professionals
(teachers at your school), congratulations!
Your efforts are saving your school district
hundreds or thousands of dollars each year.
You are also responsible for preventing tons
of pollutants from entering the earth’s atmo-
sphere and we can all breathe a little easier
for that. So, throw a small party. Or, at least
get your Watt Watchers team together to
shake hands and pat each other on the back for a job well
done. You have already made a major impact on energy
use and the environment.
Then, it’s time to move ahead. You didn’t think that
all this old world needed was someone to turn out a few
lights — did you? There is lots more to be done if you are
going to SAVE THE PLANET! Saving the earth may sound
a bit dramatic but turning out lights combined with many
other seemingly small things add up fast. And it is small
things that will make the difference. Don’t doubt that your
efforts can make a major impact on the environment.
Baby Steps
T
his issue of WATTS NEWS is focussed on expand-
ing your Watt Watchers program to include other
functions beyond turning off the lights in empty
classrooms. Your Watt Watchers group could get involved
in each and everyone of the other projects suggested in-
side this issue. And that would be great but even bringing
one more new energy saving idea to your school can make
a big difference.
Remember the movie
“What About Bob?” where Bill
Murray played a very neurotic
guy who was afraid of just about
everything? Richard Dreyfuss, as
the psychiatrist, counseled Bob to
take “baby steps” – do one small
thing at a time, take life little by
little. Bob, of course, took him lit-
erally and walked around in silly
half-steps while slowly driving
his shrink over the edge – poor
Richard Dreyfuss. But it was good advice. It eventually
worked. And it can work for saving energy, too.
Saving energy, saving money, and cutting pollution
involves a series of small steps (baby steps, some would
say) that sometimes seem trivial. Quite frequently, “deci-
sion makers” place an emphasis on so-called big problems
and tend to stride past the baby steps that may be needed.
Watt Watchers have an advantage here because they can
focus on small energy saving projects that can make a dif-
ference and they can continue year after year to chip away
at energy usage in their schools. Your class may start the
process of implementing a computer use policy and next
year’s class might finish it. Just as a brick wall must be
constructed one brick at a time — so are your Watt Watch-
ers efforts done little by little.
Beyond turning off lights there are lots of other good
projects for your Watt Watchers group to tackle. Start a
recycling program at your school, make “two sided” cop-
ies the standard on your campus, implement a computer
use policy, encourage your district to pur-
chase Energy Star office equipment, get the
“E - QUOTE”
local soft drink company to take the lights “If I look at the global environ-
out of your soda machines, zero in on energy mental trends that we have
use in portable school buildings, request your been tracking since we first
school district to install LED replacements for launched the Worldwatch In-
stitute 25 years ago, and if I
Exit Signs, or make a presentation to the
simply extrapolate these trends
school board about all your Watt Watchers a few years into the next cen-
activities –to mention a few. tury, the outlook is alarming to
Think how much energy and money say the least. It is now clear to
(not to mention pollution) you will save by me that if we are to turn things
implementing these projects. It all adds up. around in time, we need some
It is all cost effective. And it is all within your kind of breakthrough. This not
reach. As you add new projects don’t forget the old ones. to discount the many gradual
Keep your Watt Watchers program going and keep flip- improvements that we have
ping those switches off. made on the environmental
front, such as increased fuel ef-
This issue of Watts News has several suggested
ficiency in cars or better pollu-
projects for you to tackle. So pick one or two (or more) tion controls on factories.
projects and get busy. Beyond the energy, money and pol- Those are important. But we
lution savings — your efforts may help to create a change are not moving fast enough to
in consciousness (see side-bar) that will one day tip the bal- reverse the trends that are un-
ance and lead us all to a sustainable future – hmmm, that dermining the global economy.
sounds like it might -- SAVE THE PLANET! What we need now is a rapid
shift in consciousness, a dawn-
ing awareness in people every-
where that we have to shift
quickly to a sustainable
economy if we want to avoid
damaging our natural support
It is better to do one “trivial” energy saving project systems beyond repair. …I see
well than to do many projects half-way. Pace yourself. Set signs that the world may be ap-
goals and work on one thing at a time. Baby steps, Bob. proaching the threshold of a
When Watt Watchers patrols are set-up and are running sweeping change in the way
smoothly, for example, it may be time to focus on getting we respond to environmental
the lights removed from the soda machines on your cam- threats – that, once crossed,
pus. Of course, we all know by now that there is no trivial could change our outlook as
energy saving program – they all add up over time. Baby profoundly as the one that in
1989 and 1990 led to a political
steps can take us miles and miles.
restructuring in Eastern Eu-
The handful of projects sug- rope.”
gested in this issue do not require Lester Brown, Worldwatch Insti-
big bucks. Your Watt Watchers tute, March 1999. World Watch
program will not need any Magazine — “Crossing the
money to accomplish your goals. Threshold: Early Signs of an
In some cases you may be recom- Environmental Awakening”
mending that money be spent by http://www.worldwatch.org
your school or district. In all
cases, you are asking them to ei-
ther purchase an alternate model
of office machine (EnergyStar) or
to upgrade a replacement part when another one is burned WATTS INSIDE
out (exit signs). You can show the cost of improving en- Resource Outlet........... 2
ergy efficiency to be cost effective in a report you submit to
them. News ............................ 3
Helping administrators take “baby steps” to imple-
ment energy saving projects may be challenging when, for Recycling ..................... 4
example, your school needs a new roof and that is the big
issue. But forging a new approach to energy use and es- Exit Signs .....................5
tablishing an energy policy for your school will be a high
reward for your efforts. Your task is to set into place one Soda Machines ......... 6,7
energy saving idea after another, step by step, in your school
Computers .................. 8
as you build a “brick wall” of sustainability for the future.
If your school and many others are successful in these “baby Office Machines ........... 9
steps” it may lead us all to the goal of SAVING THE
PLANET. Way to go, Baby. Keeping Kits .............. 11
 2
WATTS
WORTH
KNOWING
“E - QUOTE”
“Now, in houses with a
south aspect, the sun’s rays
penetrate into the porticoes
in winter, but in summer, the
path of the sun is right
above the roof so that there
is shade. If, then, this is the
best arrangement, we
should build the south side
loftier to get the winter sun,
and the north side lower to
keep out the cold winds.”
Socrates, 360 B.C.
RESOURCE OUTLET
Global Warming Poster from EPA Earth Day Materials from DOE
The Energy $mart Schools website has Earth Day
learning activities ready for you to download. There are
several units that span grades K-3, 4-7 and 8-12. A pre/
post test is included along with a nice tutorial on energy
basics, electrical peak demand, and global warming. Sets
of color overhead transparencies are available for printing
to augment the text. There is also a limited supply of post-
ers that can be requested through an on-line order form.
The poster will then be mailed to you at school.
An illustration from the poster.
The Environmantal Protection Agency (EPA) has
a great instructional poster on global warming. Watt
Watchers had a supply of them at one time and handed
out 200 plus, mostly in kits when a new school enrolled.
Although our supply is exhausted, you can now take
matters into your own hands and download the poster
in Portable Document Format (pdf). If you have also
downloaded a free copy of Adobe Acrobat, you can print
out your own copy or just read it on your computer
screen. Surf on over and download your copy at:
http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/reports/
pubs/index.html
Under the Sun A sample of an overhead transparency
The Smithsonian Institute has a really cool exhibit The materials are posted on the Department of En-
for you to look at from the comfort of your den or school ergy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s new En-
or wherever you connect to the web. The exhibit is called ergy $mart Schools website created by the Office of Build-
Under the Sun: An Outdoor Exhibit of Light and it was “real” ing Technology, State and Community Programs. Keep an
through October 25, 1998 – on display in the garden and eye on this site. It will undoubtedly provide more informa-
former home of Andrew Carnegie on Fifth Avenue in New tion and support pertinent to Watt Watchers. http://
York City. Carnegie’s property is now owned by the www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/earthday/
Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.
Nowadays the solar exhibit
lives on in virtual reality Biosphere 2
where it is accessible by many
more visitors. And we sug-
gest you take the tour because
it may be a long time before
it goes on the road to your
hometown. Although, it will
be on the Mall in Washington,
D.C. from late June through
Labor Day if you happen to
be in our nation’s capitol. Biosphere 2, a 204,000 cubic meter (7,200,000 cubic
The virtual version is foot) sealed glass and spaceframe structure, comprises el-
SUN DIAL CHAIR impressive enough. Even ements from Earth (Biosphere 1). Inside the facility are
without being able to sit in seven wilderness ecosystems, including a rainforest and a
one of the twelve chairs that make a sundial and observe a 3,400,000 liter (900,000 gallon) ocean, as well as a human
solar timepiece from inside, there is lots to do and learn. habitat which now houses interactive exhibits. The Bio-
Go to each of the areas and explore; the site is somewhat sphere 2 facility has been taken over by Columbia Uni-
cryptic in that not much is labeled. You won’t have any versity and the focus of research has shifted to study the
problems moving around if you remember this is a design
museum and just click on
effects of carbon dioxide build-up in the atmosphere.
The Biosphere has an unprecedented capacity for
everything that looks HIMAWARI sensing and controlling the environment within. The 750
graphic. sensors monitor the vital statistics of this living laboratory
Be sure to check out - the sensors measure temperature, light, humidity, car-
the photovoltaics timeline bon dioxide and other qualities of the air and soil. In re-
which features the develop- sponse to these readings, operators can, for example, turn
ment of PV cells from 1966 on blowers for cooling and heating or create a miniature
through 1998. And take a rainstorm to change the humidity. Heating and cooling is
look at the Himawari (Japa- provided by B2C's campus Energy Center.
nese for sunflower) that As a result, the Biosphere facility enables research-
pipes light 300 feet to the in- ers to examine how Earth's biosphere will change as car-
door part of the exhibit. And bon dioxide and other substances build in the atmosphere.
the Solar Tensile Pavilion, As such, the facility serves not only as a window into the
and the Glass Pavilion, and future, it also serves as an icon for Columbia University's
be sure to exhaust the options on the menu at the bottom innovative research, teaching and public programs.
of the screen. You’ll have fun and you’ll learn some stuff, You can visit the facility in Arizona and take a tour
too. (http://www.si.edu/exhib/sun) or at least check out their web site at: http://www.bio2.edu
 3
THE TRANSMISSION LINE
Y2K or Y6B ??? Valuing
Everyone has heard about Y2K and the big debate Externalities E
over whether it will have devastating consequences for life
W IR
as we know it. Will thousands of computers crash due to The National Park Service H E
T
an inability to differentiate between the year 2000 and the
year 1900? Will garbage fail to be picked up, will it create a
has assigned dollar values to
O FF
power generation␣ emissions in an T
bureaucratic nightmare? Every magazine and TV news- attempt to account for the exter-
S HO
cast speculates if the millennium bug will bite us. nalities of power␣ production when W
But who has heard of the Y6B problem? The Y6B calculating the payback for renew- NE
problem will hit this year, too. It will happen before Y2K – able energy equipment.␣ Douglas
on October 12, 1999 to be exact. Where will you be when it DeNio (now retired) developed the
happens? What will be the consequences of reaching this numbers based on data from
milestone? the␣ Electric Power Resear ch Insti-
Y6B stands for the Year of Six Billion. The date that tute (EPRI), Pace University, the
the world’s population reaches 6 billion. Will Y6B affect California␣ Energ y Commission
your life? What is the carrying capacity of the earth? Stay and Public Utility Commissions in
tuned -- this issue may completely dwarf Y2K. California,␣ Massachusetts and Ne-
Were any of your teachers born before 1950? If so, vada. DeNio reports that the num-
they are members of a unique generation that has witnessed bers represent about␣ the 45th per -
the earth’s population double in their lifetimes. centile range—that is, he chose
If you are between the ages of 15 and 24, you are a numbers slightly below
member of the largest generation ever to enter adulthood. the␣ median to assur e that he was
You have1.1 billion peers. using conservative figures and not
“It took until 1804 for world population to reach inflating␣ the value of the emissions. These numbers wer
e
the 1 billion level. The 2 billion mark was reached in 1927. last revised in September,␣ 1997:
It reached 5 billion in 1987. By 2050, world population is
projected at between 7.3 and 10.7 billion, with 8.9 billion CO2=$14/ton SO2=$0.85/pound␣ NOx=$3.75/pound
considered most likely. “ United Nations Population Fund,
www.unfpa.org To calculate how much of these emissions your re-
newable energy equipment␣ will avoid, you can visit the EP A
more info on Y6B: http://www.zpg.org Solar Site at www.epa.gov/solar, go to␣ the Pollution Cal-
World Population Clock: culator, click on your state and enter the information␣ about
http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/popclockw the size(s) of your system(s). The next screen gives you es-
timates of␣ how many pounds of NOx, SO2 and CO2 your
Ford To Unveil Largest SUV system(s) will avoid. It also␣ gives the equivalents in miles
driven by an average car and acres of trees␣ planted.
As DeNio points out, there are other benefits of re-
Ford Motor Co. recently unveiled the Excursion, the
newable energy equipment␣ that—although difficult to
biggest sport utility vehicle (SUV) in production. The 19-
quantify—still have value. How, for example,␣ do you value
foot, nine-seat, 3.5-ton truck, dubbed a “suburban assault
the quiet operation of a photovoltaic (PV) system
TESTING
vehicle” by the Sierra Club, is nearly a foot longer than the
Chevrolet/GMC Suburban, the current largest SUV. Ex-
compared␣ with a diesel generator in a pristine setting? In- THE
stalling the PV system␣ also eliminates the possibility of fuel
pected to get 12 miles per gallon, the Excursion has been
spills and the need to transport␣ fuel thr ough environmen- CIRCUITS
criticized by environmentalists for its lack of fuel efficiency
tally sensitive areas. Although it is difficult to␣ put dollar
Dan Becker, director of the Sierra Club’s global
values to such things, most of us are also concerned about
warming program: “It’s basically a garbage truck that
the␣ effects of oil spills, the cost of maintaining the military
dumps into the sky.” Meanwhile, the Excursion “poses a
might to␣ pr otect oil reserves in other parts of the world,
dilemma” for Ford Chair William Clay Ford, who has The United States has ap-
the costs of treating␣ health pr oblems associated with pol-
pledged to make the company the industry leader in de- proximately 5% of the
lution from fossil fuels, etc.
veloping clean vehicles. Gawain Kripke of Friends of the world’s population. What
According to Kurt Johnson at the Environmental
Earth said, “We’re disappointed that Ford on the one hand percentage of the world’s
Protection Agency, Sam␣ Swanson at the Renewable Ener gy
is ... taking credit for steps to improve the environmental commercial energy do we
Technology Analysis Project at Pace␣ University is doing
performance of their vehicles, and on the other hand is com- consume?
some good work around these issues. Stay tuned. (from
ing out with a vehicle that will make it much harder to
the American Solar Energy Society, www.ases.org)
keep our air clean.” (News excerpts courtesy of Greenwire, a) 5%
Note: Watt Watchers can use these figures to assign a value
copyright 1999 by National Journal Inc.). to pollution avoided due to energy efficiency efforts at their b) 10%
schools. See the $50 Bill mini-poster on page 5 & 6 of this c) 15%
issue. d) 25%
ENERGY STAR® Pays Off
ENERGY STAR® provides a big bang for the gov-
Answer: d) About one-fourth.
ernment buck. Every federal dollar spent on ENERGY
STAR® yields more than $20 invested in energy-efficient
Happy Anniversary
technologies, $70 saved by businesses and consumers, and
more than 2 tons of carbon dioxide not released intothe It has been ten years since the Exxon Valdez tanker
atmosphere. spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil in Alaska, killing wild-
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency life and triggering $1 billion in fines, settlements and crimi-
nal charges.

82 Million Readers To Get

On Top of the World
Efficiency Message
Lamas in Tibetan temples were quick to convert to
In time for Earth Day, April 22, Parade magazine, solar cookers, once their fears of accidental fires were dis-
which reaches 82 million readers, will spotlight a reader- pelled, and more than 80,000 solar cookers are estimated
friendly consumer publication by the Alliance to Save En- in use in Tibet.
ergy—Power$mart: Easy Tips to Save Money and the
Planet. Free single copies are now available from the Con-
Source: TRENDS in RENEWABLE ENERGIES, circulated Watch
by the Canadian Association for Renewable Energies. Back
sumer Information Center (CIC) by ordering directly from
its web site (below) or by writing CIC in Pueblo, CO, 81009.
issues posted on http://www.renewables.ca WATTS
(http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/power-
e-mail: watts@utep.edu
smarts/order.html)
 4
source: EPA
ENERGY EXTRA !
“….I would like to offer a
simple proposition: We’ve
embarked on the beginning
of the Last Days of the Age
of Oil. Nations of the world
that are striving to modern-
ize will make choices differ-
ent from the ones we have
made. They will have to.
And even today’s industrial
powers will shift energy use
patterns. So I believe it’s
time to prepare ourselves for
the ‘new look’ of the energy
industry of the 21st Century.
….Today, I would submit
that conditions are converg-
ing for another sea change in
the energy use mix—along
the spectrum away from car-
bon, and headed toward hy-
drogen and other forms of
energy that have fewer ad-
verse environmental conse-
quences.”
ARCO Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer Mike R.
Bowlin, February 1999
RECYCLING
I
t takes between 10 and 20 Watt hours (Wh) of en- into a powder that can then be molded into new products
ergy to produce a single sheet of paper. But it only or used as backing materials). Through the Evergreen Pro-
takes 5 Wh to print with a laser printer and only 2Wh gram, Interface is drastically de-materializing its industrial
with an inkjet, according to the American Council for an process, while also saving customers money and protect-
Energy Efficient Economy. So, it makes very good sense to ing the environment. (From - The Road to Sustainable Devel-
recylce paper and to print on both sides whenever possible, opment: A Snapshot of Activities in the United States.)
too.
Does your school have a recycling
program? How is it working? Is every-
one participating and aware of what to do
and why? Which items are being re-
cycled? Is your school district also buy-
ing recycled products? Are most copies
duplexed (copied on both sides)? Even if
your school has a recycling program you
can help to make it better by making sure
the message about recycling gets through
to everyone on your campus. You can also
help to spread recycling to every student’s Clipart from the EPA publication- Let’s Reduce and Recycle: A Curriculum for Solid Waste Awareness
home by compiling and distributing local information on Get your school district to begin purchasing prod-
how to recycle everything from old phone books, to house- ucts with a recycled content. One resource to help you is:
hold hazardous wastes, to used motor oil. There are many Demand the Supply: Buy Recycled a guide from TNRCC to
tasks that need our attention if we are going to improve buying recycled products. Your school district should con-
the planet we live on. sider purchasing 20% (or more) post-consumer copy and
If your school does not have a recycling program, writing paper. The guide is available at
the only question to ask is: When will you be starting it? www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/admin/topdoc/gi/234/index.html
Texas School Recycling Guide lists the following
steps for starting a recycling program: Resources
1) Pick a coordinator for the program The Texas General Land Office (GLO) also encourages re-
2) Enlist support for the program cycling at their website at www.glo.state.tx.us/recycling/
3) Determine your school’s waste disposal education/index.html
volume and cost
4) Locate a recycling collector McDonald’s has a directory of 900 recycled products that
5) Choose which recyclables to collect are available nationally called McRecycle. Single copies are
6) Develop a collection system plan free at 1-800-220-3809 or by writing McDonald’s Corp., En-
7) Launch the program vironmental Affairs, Kroc Drive, Oak Brook, IL 60521.
8) Publicize the program …. and keep at it
9) Monitor and evaluate your progress The EPA has compiled much if not all, of their material on
10) Don’t bag it – and consider composting recycling onto a CD-ROM called A Collection of Solid Waste
(for lawn clippings) Resources. The CD has hundreds of publications on it, in-
Get more information at www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/admin/ cluding: School Recycling Programs: A Handbook for
topdoc/ed.html which is the educators’ webpage at the Educators, Adventures of the Garbage Gremlin, and Let’s
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission Reduce and Recycle: A Curriculum for Solid Waste Aware-
(TNRCC). ness.
A neat graphical database called the Municipal Solid
Celebrate! Waste Factbook is also on the CD. It contains over 250
“Texas Recycles Day” serves as the model for “America screens of information about all facets of solid waste and
Recycles Day” and they are both celebrated on the same has tables, charts, and colorful maps about source reduc-
day – November 15th. tion, recycling, landfills and much more. One area com-
pares waste disposal practices in major developed nations.
1-800-CLEANUP is the link to a national site that Which country recycles more paper, metal and glass than
features messages from celebrities like Ted Danson, Ed any other nation? To find out, order your copy of this CD-
Begley, Jr. and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss. With a touchtone tele- ROM from: RCRA Docket Information Center at 713-603-
phone you can access local recycling information, house- 9230 or by e-mail at rcra-docket@epa.gov, request publica-
hold hazardous waste management information, and wa- tion #530-C-98-001.
ter quality information. I called and got two oil recycling
centers (AutoZone and Checker Auto) in my zip code More Resources
within a few miles of home. A website is also available at Re-Think Paper is a website dedicated to finding alterna-
www.1800cleanup.org/ tives to woodpulp for paper.
www.earthisland.org/paper/rtp.html
Close the Circle
Recycling is an important first step but to close the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has a very nice recy-
circle we all need to start purchasing products with recycled cling page at:
content. In fact, it is likely that you are already buying http://www.edf.org/issues/recycling.html
some products that have been recycled. The trend is to-
ward more recycled content in many products. Some manu- Visit Recycle City, an EPA site that promises fun, games
facturers even take responsibility for a product through the and lots of information. Miss Redux is teaching the 3 R’s,
end of its useful life and provide a traditional product as that’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
part of a customer service package. A good example of http://www.epa.gov/region09/recyclecity/
this is the Evergreen Program, developed by Interface Floor-
ing Systems, Inc., which provides a new approach to the A video entitled “The ABCs of School Recycling” is avail-
conventional sale of carpet. Through this program, com- able from TNRCC at 512-239-3100 or you might try your
mercial and institutional customers lease the services of re- regional educational service centers.
placeable carpet tiles without having to take responsibility
for disposal when they become worn. Instead of buying A slide show with 176 slides on recycling may be found at
and replacing entire flooring systems every few years, cus- the “Greening of the White House” site.
tomers prolong the life of the flooring by replacing indi- http://crest.org/environment/gotwh/general/recycle-
vidual tiles as needed. Interface Flooring Systems assumes slides/index.html
responsibility for the on-site condition of the carpet and
for its eventual disposal and re-use in ways that do not
harm the environment (e.g., old carpet tiles can be ground Recycle this article
 5
EXIT SIGNS
watch
E
very school has a dozen or more very important There is a new type of exit sign that is widely avail-

wattwatchers.utep.edu
signs that will guide you to the nearest exit in case able on the market. It uses LED (Light Emitting Diode)

1-888-879-2887
of a fire or other emergency. The signs are lit to make arrays that consume 1 Watt instead of incandescent bulbs
them visible at night or if the corridor is filled with smoke. that consume 15 to 20 Watts each. LED technology allows
They even have back-up battery power so they will oper- the energy use of an exit sign to shrink to about 18 kWh
ate during an electrical failure. per year for a cost of only $1.44. Each LED exit sign will
These signs must
operate 24 hours per day 7 Exit Sign Cost Effectiveness Example (Double Face Model)
days per week all year. It
Performance Base Model [1] Recommended Level Best Available
would be a bad idea to in-
Power Consumption 40 Watts 10 Watts 2 Watts
stall switches on them to Annual Energy Use
turn them out when no one Annual Energy Cost
350 kWh
$21
88kWh
$5
18kWh
$1
watts
was in school since one Lifetime Energy Cost [2] $176 $44 $9
mistake could result in the Lifetime Energy Cost Savings $132 $167
loss of life. This is one en- 1. The Base Model in this example uses two 20-watt incandescent lamps. The Recommended Level sign uses two 4-watt
ergy using device that re- CFLs, each with a ballast drawing an additional watt. The Best Available model uses a 2-watt LED array.
2. Lifetime Energy Cost is the sum of the discounted value of annual energy cost based on average usage and an assumed
ally does need to be on all exit sign life of 10 years. Future energy prices and a discount rate of 3.4% are based on 1997 Federal guidelines.
the time – besides it is re- Assumptions: 8760 operating hours per year, Electricity Price is $0.06/kWh, calculations do not include lamp replacement or labor costs.
Example excerpted from Federal Energy Management Program factsheet -- www.eren.doe.gov/femp/procurement
quired by law.
A typical exit sign has two incandescent light bulbs save $20 or more per year compared to an incandescent
in it. The bulbs are usually 15 or 20 Watts each - adding up sign and do the same job of helping to save lives. Another WHAT’S YOUR
to 30 or 40 Watts per sign. Although that’s a low wattage, benefit is the long life of LEDs. Incandescent bulbs for exit
energy consumption adds up due to the constant opera- signs are special long life bulbs that last from 2000 to 5000 ENERGY
tion. Let’s see, 365 days per year times 24 hours per day hours (regular incandescent bulbs last about 750 hours) but
equals 8,760 hours per year. 8,760 hours times 30 Watts is still require replacement about 2 to 4 times each year. But
262,800 Watt hours or about 263 kWh (thousand Watt LED bulbs last 20 to 80 years under normal sign usage!
hours). An average cost in Texas for a kWh is 8 cents. At That means a lot less climbing up and down ladders to re-
that rate energy costs for a year of operation will be $21 for place bulbs for maintenance personnel.
IQ
the 30W sign and $28 for the 40W sign. That doesn’t seem What kind of exit signs does your school have?
too bad for a device that could save your life someday. Some districts have adopted the policy of replacing any In commercial buildings,
The costs continue to add up when you consider burned out bulbs with LED retrofits that screw right into what is electricity used for
all the schools in Texas. There are approximately 7000 cam- existing sockets. Survey your school for exit signs and es- most?
puses across the state. If each school has an average of ten timate the cost of energy for all the signs each year. If a a) Cooling
signs that would mean 70,000 signs are lit 24 hours a day new sign costs $90, how long will it take to pay for itself in b) Heating
365 days a year. And the total energy bill for emergency energy savings? Write up your findings in a short report c) Lighting
exit signs would be $1.5 million to $2 million per year. Pol- and pass them along to your principal or your school d) Office Equipment
lution from generating the electricity for the signs is not district’s energy manager.
included in this cost. Answer: c) Lighting

E2 = P2 !*
*Energy Efficiency =
Pollution Prevention

ONE CLASSROOM (AT YOUR SCHOOL)

TWO HOURS (PER DAY)
ONE YEAR (180 DAYS)
SAVE $50 IN ENERGY AND CUT $25 IN POLLUTION
Start Watt Watchers and Stop Waste 1-888-US WATTS
http://wattwatchers.utep.edu
(see other side)
 6
SODA MACHINES
Classic Waste, Uh-Huh
By Mike Cormier and Steve Cook
Energy Ideas, Winter 1993, p. 13-15
(The following article was written six years ago when Coke was
advertising Coca-Cola Classic and Ray Charles was singing “you’ve
got the right one baby-uh-huh” for Pepsi. The references in the title
may be dated but cutting energy use by soda machines on your
campus is still a fashionable idea.)
They’re bright and shiny and they’re everywhere.
So bright that they light the hallways of our schools and
WHAT’S YOUR offices. They light gas stations, as well as almost every
public building. The light is coming from refrigerators. The
ENERGY doors are closed but the lights are still on. These are not
ponent required to alter the electricity when using fluores-
cent bulbs.) Using a very conservative estimate of only
two kWh per day usage, a soda machine uses an annual
total of 730 kWh just for lights. At $0.10 per kWh (cost in
El Paso), this amounts to $73.00 per year for just one ma-
chine.
How many machines are out there? Based on an
informal survey of El Paso, Texas, we found that Coke has
an estimated 5,000 machines, while Pepsi has another 3,000.
That’s 8,000 machines for a population of approximately
600,000 people, or one machine for every 75 people.
Pepsi estimates there are two million softdrink
machines in the United States. Using that estimate and
730 kWh usage per machine for lights, we get a conserva-

IQ ?
??
your typical refrigerators. These appliances promise a cool,
refreshing drink … for a price. We’re talking about your
friendly beverage vending machine, and the price of your
drink is not what it seems. (See ICE Melter Newsletter,
Interfaith Coalition on Energy, Philadelphia, PA. Issue #41,
Texas is self-suffi-
September 1990, “Electric Soda,” p. 5.)
cient in energy,
Lights, even fluorescent lights, produce heat. Add-
producing all the
ing heat to a refrigerator is a bad idea. These lights stay on
energy it needs.
24 hours each day, every day. Are the lights important?
These machines are big and brightly colored, making it al-
a) True
most impossible to miss them. The lights help to advertise
the products inside. Who pays for this advertising? The
b) False
person who pays the electric bill. When the machine is in
our schools, or any government or government-supported
building, then you’re the one paying the bill through your
taxes. In other locations you get to pay the bill indirectly,
in higher drink costs.
So what’s the big deal? We’re talking about low
energy use in fluorescent bulbs aren’t we? On the surface
it may not appear to be a significant problem until you look
produces. at the big picture. The average Coke or Pepsi machine uses
imports more energy than it two fluorescent bulbs which total 80 watts. These bulbs
Answer: b) False. Texas now light nearly the entire front of the machine. Add to this the
energy required to operate the ballast. (The ballast is a com-
tive estimate of 1.5 billion kWh per year. At $0.10 kWh
these lights cost $150,000,000 per year.
What about the hidden costs? In generating this
electricity we add three billion pounds of CO2 to our at-
mosphere. (Computed based on weighted national aver-
age, including all electrical generation, of 1.54 lb CO2/
kWh.) Who will pay that cost?
These numbers are frightening by themselves, with-
out considering the cost of operating the refrigeration unit,
which must run for longer periods because of the waste
heat generated by the lights and ballast. Residential re-
frigerator efficiency has increased 40 percent in only 10
years, due to efficiency standards set by the federal gov-
ernment. On the other hand, it seems the vending machine
industry is allowed to police itself.
An efficient 23 cubic foot refrigerator uses 1,250 kWh
per year, while the same size Coke or Pepsi machine con-
tinues to use 730 kWh for lights alone. In a test, using a
110-volt electric meter, a similar sized beverage machine
used about 15 kWh in a 48 hour period for an average of
7.5 kWh per day. (This was an informal test to get a rough
idea how much energy we’re talking about.) The actual
four-day average was 8.125 kWh per day; this included
adding a 1/4 load to make the machine 1/2 full and a cur-

$50 (see other side)

Assumptions and Calculation:
Each classroom is assumed to have 9 - four foot light fixtures with four fluorescent tubes each (or an equiva-
lent). Such a fixture requires 192 Watts of electricity (4 tubes at 40 Watts each plus 20% for ballasts). The
school year is assumed to last 180 days. Electricity is assumed to cost $0.08 (8 cents) per kilowatt hour (kWh).
Two hours per day was chosen based on a teacher leaving the classroom at lunch for one hour and one other
hour during the day (preparation period, recess, after school, etc.). If conditions differ at your school it is easy
to recalculate your specific costs. The costs will still be huge at half this amount. How many classrooms are
in your school district? Can your school district afford an extra $25 to $50 per classroom every year? Wouldn’t
you rather spend the money on books or supplies for your class?

9 fixtures x 192W = 1728W x 2 hours x 180 days =

622,080 / 1000W = 622 kWh

(to convert Watts to kilowatts)

622 kWh x $0.08 = $49.76

$25
(see article on page 3)
Pollution Assumptions and Calculation:
The value of preventing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur dioxide from entering the atmosphere is based
on calculations done for the National Park Service. The actual costs may be higher or lower than these. Research to
quantify the “externalities”of energy use (pollution) continues. This calculation is based on the NPS work. The
amount of pollution emitted when electriciy is generated is from the EPA and based on the national average fuel mix.

633 kWh x 1.54 lbs of CO2 per kWh = 933 lbs of CO2 933 x $14/Ton = $6.51
633 kWh x 5.8 grams of SO2 = 7.95 lbs. (3608 g) 7.95 x $0.85/lb = $6.75
633 kWh x 2.5 grams of NOX = 3.43 lbs (1555 g) 3.43 x $3.75/lb = $12.86
$6.51 + $6.75 + $12.86 = $26.12

SODA MACHINES
sory cleaning of the coils. With the lights and ballast dis-
connected, energy use dropped to 5.25 kWh per day over a
two day period. Over a one year period, this 23 cubic foot
beverage machine will use 2,737 kWh. That’s over double
the amount the refrigerator uses.
At 2,737 kWh per machine, around 5.5 billion kWh
are consumed each year to provide cold drinks for Ameri-
cans. That is over 20 percent of all the energy used directly
by all office machines in the United States each year. (Of-
fice machines use 26 billion kWh. See Energy Ideas, Vol. 2,
No.1, July/August 1993, “Energy Efficient Offices,” p. 1.)
Changes have been made over the years to increase
efficiency in these vending machines, but it is not a prior-
ity. The newest of the large models is now equipped with
two 72 watt bulbs, nearly doubling the energy devoted to
lights. The total amount of energy used depends on many
variables, and location can change everything. A machine
in an open hallway will probably use less energy than a
machine placed outdoors, or even indoors in the vending
machine room where numerous machines are competing
to dump their waste heat energy.
The numbers used in all estimates are conservative
and only include the estimated number of Coke, Pepsi and
similar machines in the United States. The numbers do
not include all the juice, cold sandwich, snack or coffee
machines that surrounded us. The vending machine manu-
facturers are not to be blamed entirely for being slow to
“green.” Machines for both Coke and Pepsi are built to
those companies’ specifications.
If you have one or more of these energy wasters,
call your local Coke or Pepsi dealer and request that they
remove the light bulbs and disconnect the ballast. Get your
machine servicer to clean the condenser coils. All that dirt
and dust make it harder to get rid of the heat being removed
from the machine, so the compressor must run longer.
Cleaning the coils twice each year only takes a few min-
utes.
Are There “Smart” Soda Machines in Your Future?
Bayview Technology Group, Inc. has adapted oc-
cupancy sensor technology to vending machines. A prod-
uct they call the VendingMiser prevents the compressor
and lights on a soda machine from coming on if no people
have been in the area for 15 minutes. After 2 to 3 hours of
not sensing anyone, the compressor is allowed to restart to
keep the product (cans of soda) cold. When the machine
brings the temperature down to the pre-set temperature
the compressor is, once again, prevented from cycling on.
If no one walks up to the machine this cycle is repeated.
The idea is to keep the product at the right temperature,
using the thermal mass of the 300 to 600 cans of soda in a
typical vending machine, but control energy use as well. If
no one is in the area – what’s the point of allowing the lights
and compressor to use energy? It’s also kind of friendly
having a soda machine light up when it “sees” you com-
ing. Maybe the soda companies will eventually use this to
their advantage with multiple LED panels (low energy use)
that flash on and off to attract attention as people approach.
David Schanin, President of Bayview Technology,
saw the “Classic Waste, Uh-huh” article and shipped a test-
drive kit to Watt Watchers for our review. A test-drive kit
includes a data logger in addition to the occupancy sensor
portion of the Vending Miser. We have installed it in
two locations to get some data to report to you but, as you
will see, field testing can be challenging. The first location
was at Vista del Sol Elementary School in the Socorro Inde-
pendent School District in El Paso. Thanks to Richard
Chacon, SISD Energy Manger and to Aracelli Murillo,Watt
Watchers sponsor and all of the Vista del Sol Watt Watch-
ers for setting up the test and for gathering data. We were
testing two machines at Vista del Sol but had to completely
toss out the data from one located in the Cafeteria/Gym
due to pesky P.E. students re-setting the data logger con-
stantly. Since we were trying to measure the accumulation
of energy use, the readings were unusable. The second
machine was located in the teachers’ lounge. We got about
20% savings on this machine (which already had its bulbs
removed). Actual consumption was 2.75 kWh/day versus
3.38 kWh/day. We were hoping for higher savings but the
occupancy sensor on this machine may have seen too much
7
To their credit, the local dealers and bottlers in El
Paso have been cooperative with a local school district when
asked to remove the lighting. Stickers are placed on ma-
chines after the lights are out to assure customers the ma-
chine is operational.
Energy Use in Beverage Machines
Measured Energy Use by a 23 cubic foot machine – 8.125 kWh/day
Measured Energy Use with lights and ballast (L&B) disconnected – 5.25kWh/day
Calculated Energy Use for L&B – 2.875kWh/day
Annual Energy Use for L&B by a 23 cubic foot machine – 1049.375 kWh
Total Energy Use for Lights in 2 million U.S. soda machines – 2,098,800,000 kWh/year
Cost of L&B in U.S. Beverage Machines at $0.10/kWh - $209,000,000/year
CO2 Added to Atmosphere due to Lights in Soda Machines (at 1.54 lb/kWh) –
3,232,100,000 pounds/year
Is there a legitimate need for some lighting on some
machines? We’ll concede that point, but the fact is that it is
in all of our best interests to keep energy use to a minimum
and use the energy-efficiency technology available to us
all.
In Utopia, Coke and Pepsi together endorse strict
energy standards for all their machines while setting an
“E - QUOTE”
example for corporate environmental responsibility. In the “The time to consider the
real world, the status quo will change when vending con- policy dimensions of climate
tracts are awarded according to the energy efficiency of the change is not when the link
machines and life cycle costs. between greenhouse gases
and climate change is con-
clusively proven, but when
Are the lights on in the soda machines on your campus?
the possibility cannot be dis-
Survey the machines you have and write up a short report
counted and is taken seri-
to pass on up the “chain of command” in your school dis-
ously by the society of which
trict. Include the savings that will be realized if the lights
we are a part. We in British
cost $100 per machine (or calculate the specific amount for
Petroleum have reached that
your school).
point.”
John Browne, CEO British Pe-
troleum, May 1997
traffic (due to being in a corridor) and may have been in-
fluenced by decorations hanging from the ceiling (which
moved every time the heating/cooling system came on).
ENERGY EXTRA !
These are both real world conditions but we wanted to have
a “fair” test to show the maximum savings possible from
the Vending Miser.
Due to the low savings at Vista del Sol, we decided
to re-test the unit on the University of Texas at El Paso cam-
pus. Of the 90 or so soda machines on campus, we chose "Every year, U.S. busi-
one at the Center for Environmental Resource Management nesses pour $25 billion dol-
(CERM). CERM has a soda machine in an alcove near the lars of profits down the
main entrance. It serves four floors of thirsty office work- drain in the form of wasted
ers. The location in an alcove made it easier to ensure that energy from inefficient
the occupancy sensor of the Vending Miser was only de- buildings. Energy efficient
tecting movement when someone actually approached the buildings not only save mil-
machine. In this test we found much higher savings – 50% lions of dollars for (indi-
(3.48 kWh/day average with the Vending Miserand 6.99 vidual) businesses, they
kWh/day without; the bulbs were in place for both tests). also can help protect the
There are an estimated 90 softdrink machines on health and environment of
the UTEP campus, and 250 in the Socorro school district. If all Americans by reducing
a 50% savings was realized for each of these 340 machines the pollution that contrib-
and all the machines were the same size and model as our utes to global warming."
test cases, the savings would be about $35,000 per year at 8 Carol M. Browner, Adminis-
cents per kWh (3.51 kWh x 340 x 365 days x $.08). trator, Environmental Protec-
Be aware that the above data are from “field tests” tion Agency.
and not scientifically controlled experiments. For example,
we do not know the number of sodas dispensed during
each week of testing. Therefore, the results may not be the
same at your school. Also be aware that the Energy Cen-
ter, the University of Texas at El Paso, Watt Watchers, and
the General Services Commission State Energy Conserva-
tion Office do NOT endorse Bayview Technology’s prod-
ucts or those of any other company. The data presented
here are only for information and discussion purposes only.
Once again, in Utopia your school district and the Q: How many Chernobyl workers
local soda companies will work together to make sure ev- does it take to screw in a light
ery softdrink machine is using the smallest amount of en- bulb?
ergy possible. In the real world, you can advocate to re-
move the bulbs and disconnect the ballasts of all the vend- A: None, because people who glow
ing machines in your school— today -- and continue to in the dark don’t need light bulbs.
work on saving even more energy in the future.
 8
ENERGY EXTRA !
World Electricity Demand
to Double by 2020
The International Energy
Outlook released by the U.S.
DOE, shows that developing
countries in Asia will expe-
rience strong long-term
growth in electricity con-
sumption through 2020, fol-
lowed by Central and South
America. Developing na-
tions will consume 43% of all
electricity in 2020, compared
to 28% in 1996, as more
people connect to the grid.
Global generation will jump
from 12 million MWh (1996)
to 22 million MWh in 2020.
(as reported in TRENDS in
RENEWABLE ENERGIES by
the Canadian Association for
Renewable Energies. http://
www.renewables.ca)
Table 1: Power, Annual Energy Use
and Dollar Costs of PCs and Monitors
Computers PM* Status
386 without PM
with PM
Savings
Pentium without PM
with PM
Savings
Laptop without PM
with PM
Savings
Monitors
15 inch without PM
with PM
Savings
COMPUTER POLICY
G
o count all the computers in your school. Go based on a year round office building schedule. If comput-
ahead, I’ll wait. I’ll just sit here and wait (singing ers at your school are left on overnight and on weekends
quietly–“who put the bomp in the bomp-she-bomp-she- you will need to re-calculate. Be sure to accurately repre-
bomp?”) I don’t have any appointments. No rush. Just go sent the number of days in your school year (or number of
count them and ..… what, are you back already? Or am I days that computers are used). The best approach is to
giving you a headache — are there dozens or even hun- carefully calculate the energy usage based on the specific
dreds of computers just about everywhere all over your conditions at your school.
school – way too many to count right now? That’s normal.
Everyone is getting more computers all the time and will Myths About Computer Energy Use
continue to get even more in the 21st century (that’s next
year). We are living in the information age, after all. And, Myth 1: It’s better to leave computers on constantly than to turn
of course, each and every computer uses energy to oper- them off when you’re not using them.
ate. How much energy your school uses for computers is This was true back in the days of the mainframe,
a bit of information you might be able to pass on to deci- but it’s not true anymore. The lifetime of your hard disk is
sion makers and it might help them to formulate an en-
typically limited by head-disk mechanical interactions and
ergy policy for computer use and make the right decisions wear, rather than by electrical surges and thermal cycling
when buying new computers and setting up computers to during start-up. It’s a good practice to turn off your com-
use less energy. You could save your district some money.
puter and monitor (as well as your printer and copier) if
you don’t plan to use them again within the next half hour.
“In 1999, if everyone were to purchase only office equip-
ment with the ENERGY STAR® label, our nation would
save almost $1.5 billion a year in energy bills and cut pol-
lution equal to the amount produced by more than 3 mil-
lion cars.” Fast Fact from EPA ENERGY STAR®.
Of course, many people now use a fax-modem on
home computers and may need to leave the central pro-
cessing unit (CPU) on to receive faxes. If this is the case, at
least turn off the monitor when it’s not in use. Monitors,
especially full-color units, can use as much energy as the
There are lots of myths and confusion about how CPU. Some CPUs can also be put to sleep when awaiting
to best utilize computers. Some people think it is better to
faxes, rather than left on at full power.
leave computers on constantly than to turn them off when
you’re not using them. Some people think screen savers
Myth 2: Screen savers save energy.
save energy. Some people think laser printers don’t use Most screen savers do not save energy, unless they
much energy when they’re not printing. Some people are
actually turn off the screen or, in the case of laptops, turn
wrong. These are examples of myths about computer en- off the backlight. Flying toasters or fireworks use about as
ergy use. Maybe you would be willing to help your school much energy as word processing. If you want to save en-
sort them out. ergy and save the screen, turn the monitor off by its switch
(or its power strip) when you’re not using it.
Myth 3: Laser printers don’t use much energy when they’re not
printing.
Laser printers draw about one third of their print-
Power (Watts) Annual Use
ing power when they are on standby. For a laser printer
Active Idle kWh $
capable of putting out eight pages per minute, this means
100 watts. Turn off your laser printer when you’re not print-
65 65 217 17
ing.
65 20 117 9
Myth 4: An ENERGY STAR® computer will automatically
40 100 8
power down (“put itself to sleep”) when it isn’t used for a certain
period of time.
45 45 150 12
ENERGY STAR® computers come with sleep ca-
45 25 100 8
pability—but the sleep feature has to be turned on before
20 50 4
the computer will automatically power down when not in
use. Many computers come with this feature turned off,
15 15 50 4
and it’s not always obvious how to activate it. Make sure
15 3 20 2
your new ENERGY STAR® computer comes with the sleep
12 30 2
feature turned on, or clear instructions on how to turn it
on. Finally, use the sleep feature only as a backup. You
75 75 250 20
75 5 75 6 should still turn the computer off when you’re not using it.
70 175 14 (Excerpted from LBL website.)

20 inch without PM 120 120 401 32

Resources:
with PM 120 5 112 9
User Guide to Power Management for PCs and Monitors by
Savings 115 289 23
Nordman, Piette, Kinney, & Webber of the Environmental
Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Notes: These reflect standard operation as defined in Nordman, et al. of 9.5 hours/day of op- Laboratory, January 1997. Available at: http://
eration including 5.5 hours/day of idle time and one weekday each week of non-use. Electric- eande.lbl.gov/bea/lblreports/39466
ity rate is national average of 8 cents/kWh. *PM= Power Management
Excerpted from - User Guide to Power Management for PCs and Monitors, see resources. Guide to Energy Efficient Office Equipment, Revision 1 by
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ISBN
OK, so you can’t count all the computers right now 0-918249-22-8), February 1996. $12 www.aceee.org or 202-
but you can make a plan to do a survey of computers in 429-0063
your school. You can go room to room with a clipboard
and write down each computer you find. Use the table EPA-DOE ENERGY STAR® products at http://
reprinted here to quickly calculate how much energy the www.epa.gov/energystar/ Click on Products and then Of-
computers in your school are using. But remember, the fice Equipment. Here you will find a huge array of infor-
cost of a kiloWatt hour of electricity is assumed to be 8 mation on energy efficient products including models of
cents – if the rate is different for your school you will need computers and monitors that meet the ENERGY STAR
to adjust. Also, note that the table is for 9.5 hours per day guidelines.
 9
OFFICE MACHINES
T
he difference in energy consumption between aver- school’s copier and/or label the copy machine with slo-
age office machines and ENERGY STAR® office ma gans to encourage duplexing. Recommend purchasing 20%
chines adds up. For a fax machine the difference is post consumer recycled content paper to your district.
$15 per year, for a typical computer and monitor it is $20, Learn as much as you can about paper efficiency and pass
for an average printer it is $40 per year, and for a large it on.
copier the difference is $130 per year. In other words, as-
suming a ten year life, the difference in energy costs is a
An average copier is only in use for 5% of the work-
day although many are left on all day, all night and even
“E - QUOTE”
significant portion of the purchase price of the office ma- on weekends. A standard copier uses 85% of its energy “Sustainable development
chine. while “standing by” waiting to be used. ENERGY STAR® meets the needs of the
The savings are generated by reducing “stand-by” copiers address this issue by powering down after a pe- present without compro-
energy consumption. When no one has typed on the com- riod of inactivity. Help your district to make it standard mising the ability of future
puter keyboard for 30 min- policy to purchase only EN- generations to meet their
own needs.”
utes the monitor is turned off In the U.S. every year, it costs ERGY STAR® copiers for all
United Nations World Com-
and the disk drive is stopped of your schools.
or, for example, when no $500 million dollars for the If you can encourage mission on Environment and
faxes have been received the your school to duplex (copy Development
machine goes into “sleep”
electricity to run copy machines on both sides of a piece of
mode and uses just a little and $2.2 billion for the paper paper) some of the copies
electricity. It is the equivalent made each year, the savings
of electronic Watt Watchers – they use. will be significant. It takes “E - QUOTE”
without the tickets! When about 4 times as much en-
energy is being wasted an “electronic” Watt Watcher turns ergy to make a piece of paper as it does to copy an image “Then I say the earth be-
off (or at least down) the onto it. Assuming 17Wh of electricity “embodied” in each longs to each… generation
power. Pretty smart ma- sheet, our average office worker requires an equivalent of during its course, fully and
Saving a bit too much
energy..... chines. about 5 gallons of gasoline to produce the 10,000 sheets of in its own right, no genera-
Your electronic Watt- paper used each year. tion can contract debts
Watching counterpart is If instead of purchasing a standard medium duty greater than may be paid
widely available, by 1995 copy machine making 8,000 copies each month with 5% during the course of its own
98% of printers, 93% of being duplexed, a school district buys an ENERGY STAR® existence.”
monitors, 75% of comput- copier that increases duplexing to 25% it will save $60 in Thomas Jefferson, 1789
ers, and 33% of copiers energy, $50 in paper (9,600 sheets), $225 in postage, one 4
were ENERGY STAR® drawer filing cabinet of storage space, and the equivalent
compliant. But that doesn’t in pollution generated by driving a car 1,350 miles every
mean that all of them are year. (calculations from EPA-DOE EnergyStar.)
taking advantage of their
built-in features. Many Recycling
times the features are not and Paper
turned on or are not used by Efficiency “SECOND *Other Slogans
the owners of the office machines. This is where your ef- “In- IMPRESSIONS to Put on Your
forts are needed. Just by raising the issue of energy effi- creasing pa- COUNT!”*
ciency at your school and providing teachers and adminis- per efficiency Copy Machine
trators with the right information you may be able to dra- is usually (after it has been set up to
matically alter the way your school and district use energy. quite separate automatically duplex cop-
Yep, this looks like another project for human Watt Watch- from office ies)
ers. paper recy-
Copiers are a special case: they use energy to oper- cling pro- “It Pays to Repeat
ate but also consume energy in the form of paper. A sheet grams. The
Yourself”
of 100% recycled content paper takes 12 Watt hours (Wh) actions you
to manufacture, a sheet of 20% recycled content paper re- take to do one
OPIER
quires 16 Wh, and a sheet of 100% virgin content paper don’t help out THIS C CALLY “There Are Two
ATI
takes 17Wh to produce. the other. AUTOM ES
MAK ED Sides to the Paper
The average United States citizen required 700 When paper E-SID
DOUBL ES Story”
pounds of paper to make it through 1993, up from less than efficiency is COPI
70 pounds consumption in 1900. The twentieth century successful,
tried to introduce the “paperless office” but it didn’t really there is less “Before You’re
make sense and never caught on. An average office worker material to be Through Use Side
today uses about 40 sheets of paper per working day or collected for
10,000 sheets per year. Weighing in at about 100 pounds, recycling (and less put into landfills as well). Recycling Two”
the four-foot-high stack makes a significant overall impact goals and programs need to be adapted as we reduce pa-
even though it may cost only $50 (or 1/2 cent per sheet) to per use, but recyclers understand that it is better to make “Be Wise, Use Both
purchase. There are other costs and environmental conse- less waste even when it reduces recycling. “ (Excerpt from
Sides”
quences to consider. On the verge of a new century, the the Cutting Paper website, see resources below.)
emphasis is now on a more practical approach that is often
referred to as “paper efficiency.” The goal is to reduce the Resources: “Cut Paper Use in
stack by as much as possible while still effectively doing EPA-DOE ENERGY STAR® products call 1-888-STAR YES Half - Save Money,
business. Basically, paper efficiency entails being smart or http://www.epa.gov/energystar
about paper use and the energy involved when purchas-
Save the Earth”
ing it, using it, and recycling it. “It’s Midnight … Is Your Copier On? EnergyStar Copier
Perhaps you can play a role in improving your Performance” By Nordman, Piette, Pon, and Kinney, Suggested by
school’s paper efficiency. There are many ways you can Feb.1998, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. EPA ENERGY STAR
help. Researching the situation at your school and making http://EETD.LBL.gov/EA/Reports/41332.html
recommendations to administration may lead to new poli-
cies. Survey your school’s copying practices: How many Purchasing Guidelines for Office Machines. Excellent
copies are made each month? What fraction of them are factsheets on how to buy energy efficient products.
duplexed? Is your copier ENERGY STAR® compliant? http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/procurement/
Does your school use recycled content paper? Are copiers begin.html
turned off at night?
Take action: Go to the websites listed in the re- Cutting Paper is a website dedicated to doing just that: Q: How many ‘Real Men’ does it
sources section and download information about http://eetd.lbl.gov/paper.index.html take to change a light bulb?
EnergyStar office machines and present them to school ad-
ministrators. Enable the default duplex feature of your A: None. ‘Real Men’ aren’t afraid
of the dark.
10
ENERGY
EXTRA
ENERGY
EXTRA
ENERGY
EXTRA
“Today, two-thirds of our
electricity comes from fossil-
fuel-fired power plants.
These plants are responsible
for roughly:
one-third of nitrogen
oxide emissions, a principal
ingredient of smog;
one-third of fine par-
ticulate matter — or soot; &
one-third of carbon
dioxide emissions, the prin-
cipal greenhouse gas that
causes global warming.
If we are to effec-
tively deal with global
warming — as well as pro-
vide the American people
with clean, safe, healthy air
— this country must use fos-
sil fuel more efficiently, and
renewable energy more fre-
quently.”
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator,U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency
Q: How many lawyers does
it take to change a light
bulb?
A: How many can you
afford?
WHAT’S WATT WATCHERS
S
tart a Weight Watchers program at my school?? I don’t WW also provides toll-free telephone support, a website,
want to go on a diet… Hold on a minute! We’d like newsletters and other publications. Sponsors receive a free
to tell you about WATT WATCHERS – we are the kit of materials to equip the students chosen to be Watt
guys interested in cutting school energy use. That’s Watts, Watchers. Each student on patrol will have a notebook with
as in electricity. Not weight as in diet and eating. Though, the color WW logo, forms and tickets, a red or blue lan-
I guess you could say we’d like to put your school’s elec- yard with a name badge, and a WW pencil. You may en-
tric meter on a diet since it may be eating you out of house roll your school in the program by filling in the form on
and home. And the kilowatts it eats aren’t cheap. We get the back page.
that Weight Watchers stuff a lot but it doesn’t bother us. The program is fully developed and will require
We just hope you will join us to help save lots of money for only minimal effort from a teacher/sponsor. We will ship
your school district by watching those watts. complete kits to each sponsor and support them by toll free
Watt Watchers is a free program sponsored by the phone, with our website, and through our newsletter. There
Texas General Services Commission’s State Energy Con- is no cost to your school or district for the Watt Watchers
servation Office that will help your district save energy program since it is funded by the Texas General Services
dollars. Students patrol school buildings looking for wasted Commission’s State Energy Conservation Office.
energy. For example, when the lights are left on in an empty We hope you will consider implementing a Watt
classroom or office they are turned off and a reminder Watchers program in your school. Hundreds of schools
across Texas have already enrolled in the program and are
“ticket” is left to encourage the teacher or administrator to
help save energy. Teachers who consistently turn out their saving energy, cutting pollution, and saving money for their
lights are left thank you notes. Students can also close ex- districts.
terior doors, turn off computer monitors, and set back ther- Join Us!
mostats in portable classrooms. See the Enrollment Form on the Back Cover
Turning off lights may sound trivial but it is one of
the best ways to cut school energy use. If one teacher
changes his or her habits and remembers to turn out the
lights when the class goes to lunch and recess, for example, w W
$50 will be saved each school year (180 days) by cutting
waste for two hours in one class room. Additionally, pol-
lution will be cut because the electricity will not be gener-
a A
ated. That’s 933 pounds of carbon dioxide (the main glo-
bal warming culprit), 7.95 pounds of sulphur dioxides, and
t T
3.43 pounds of nitrogen oxides.
A teacher or other appropriate individual at your
c T
campus serves as a “sponsor” for the program. A sponsor
is the person in charge of setting up Watt Watchers and h S
keeping it operating in your school. The program is fully wattwatchers.utep.edu
developed and requires very little effort by the sponsor.
Celebrate
Sun Day EARTH DAY
on
April 22, 1999
APRIL 22, 1999
E-News is G-News Everyday is Earth Day -- but
Good news, Watt Watchers will start sending out a on April 22, 1999 lots of folks will
short Electronic News Update every month by fax and e- help everyone remember that
mail. Each Watt Watchers school that we have an e-mail fact. What will you be doing?
address or fax number for will get a one-page summary of
the latest news and announcements.
Watt Watchers plans to use the News Update to
provide sponsors and students with timely information www.earthday.org
between the Spring and Fall issues of Watts News. An-
nouncements of contests, news tidbits, upcoming events,
project suggestions, and seasonal reminders will be in-
cluded in each electronic issue.
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October is
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Energy
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Awareness
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Month
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NOTICE
If you have problems downloading any report men-
tioned in this issue or do not have access to the internet
-- call us toll free at 1-888-879-2887 and we will get you
a copy of the information you need.
WWW.ADBUSTERS.ORG
 11
PRESERVING KITS
A
Watt Watchers kit contains about $25 worth of ma The permanent parts of your kit are also the most
terials not including postage. The notebooks, lan expensive parts and these are the items it is important to
yards, name tags, pencils, sample tickets, forms, preserve. We purchase lanyards by the thousands since ENERGY EXTRA !
and manual are all essential parts of a successful program. they are imprinted and are cheaper in quantity. While it is
The idea behind providing each school with a complete kit possible for you to buy a new insertable 3-ring binder in
is to make it easy to get started. A new Watt Watchers spon- any office supply store, imprinted lanyards are only avail-
sor can open up the box and start the program in a matter able from us. Of course, lanyards are one of the more popu-
of minutes. lar items among students and sometimes tend to disap-
But what about next year and the year after that? pear.
Can Watt Watchers send a new kit every year? Well, I sup- We can easily supply your program with new pen-
pose we could but it would defeat our overall mission – cils and blank color nametags each Fall. We encourage you The U.S. Department of En-
which is to have Watt Watchers active on every school cam- to give the pencils and paper ergy estimates that demand
pus in Texas. All 7,000 of them. On the other hand, Watt nametags to participating for electricity this year will
Watchers is committed to supporting our current schools students along with a certifi- grow by 1.4%. Natural gas
because we want you to stay active and even expand your cate of appreciation at the is expected to provide 321
energy saving activities. So the simple answer is – we will end of the year. We have cer- billion kWh in 1999, nuclear
supply as many kits to everyone needing materials as we tificates available, too. at 688 billion and coal at
possibly can under our budget. Obviously our ability to Send Watt Watchers is also 1,852 billion kWh of net util-
es
Suppli
provide kits is limited but our goal is to keep as many cur- working on new materials ity power. (Reported in
rent and future schools active in Watt Watchers as possible. for your kits, including some Trends in Renewable Ener-
So, please, tell us what you need and we will do our best to do-it-yourself features such gies, www.renewables.ca)
supply you. as “color your own” note-
On the practical side, let’s discuss the options you book inserts. And, even do-
have as a sponsor. Some of the materials in the kit are con- it-yourself lanyards. Please
sumable and will have to be replaced by your school as stay tuned and give us feedback on what you would like.
they are used. Examples of these are tickets and forms. We have also considered selling additional supplies with
Other materials are meant to be permanent parts of your the Watt Watchers logos and imprints. Once again, we
kit. Examples of these are notebooks, lanyards and name would appreciate your feedback.
badge holders. Still other items in your kit fall between If you move to a new school we hope you will leave
these two extremes. Examples of these are pencils and name your Watt Watchers kit behind with a new sponsor you
tags. recruit to fill your shoes and enroll your new school, too. Q: How many poets does it take to
It is impractical for Watt Watchers to supply your We will be glad to send you a new kit. During the transi- change a light bulb?
program with the consumable supplies, like tickets, that tion please help us to keep our records straight. We want
are needed to keep the program active. We do provide you to accurately account for each active Watt Watchers school. A: Three. One to curse the
with a set of originals in the Watt Watchers manual to al- Good records will allow us to communicate with sponsors darkness, one to light a candle...
low you to run off your own. They are also available on and also help to keep funding in place to provide more and one to change the bulb.
our website. kits, this newsletter, toll free phone support, and the
website.

JOIN WATT WATCHERS

W
att Watchers is a free, state-sponsored program
that will help your district save energy dollars.
Watt Watchers sets up energy patrols of students
that check classrooms to make sure the lights are turned
out when no one is in the room. A reminder “ticket” is left
for teachers who leave the lights on and a thank you note
is left for teachers who consistently turn out the lights. Pa-
trols are very flexible. They can be semi-weekly “blitzes”
in high schools, or can be done up to six times per day in
The program is developed and will require only
minimal effort from a teacher/sponsor. We will provide
complete kits that include: 3 ring insertable binders, lan-
yards and name badges, pencils, all the required forms and
a complete manual. Sponsors also receive support by toll N-R-G
free phone, with our website, through our newsletter, other
publications, in-service training, and (coming soon) video IQ
taped presentations. There is no cost to your school or dis-
trict for the Watt Watchers program since it is funded by
the Texas General Service Administration, State Energy
Conservation Office (SECO).
Students are encouraged to conserve natural resour
ces and save money for their school. Students learn to value
resources and that seemingly little things do matter. A typi-
cal classroom will cost your district $50 per year to light
when unoccupied during lunch and during the teachers’
The United States generates
preparation period each day school is in session. Chang-
over half of its electricity
ing the habits of 20 teachers could save your school $1,000
from which one of the fol-
every year.
lowing sources?
a) Oil
b) Natural Gas
Join Watt Watchers Today.
c) Coal
It is as easy as making a phone call.
d) Nuclear

Watt Watchers of Texas

Students in Ms. Evans third period class at Bowie High School The Energy Center ate about 55% of U.S. electricity.
Answer: c) Coal is used to gener-
in El Paso, Texas are watching watts, so watch out!
University of Texas at El Paso
elementary schools. They can be done by student council
members, at-risk students, national honor society members, 1-888-US WATTS (879-2887)
students all from one teachers’ class, students selected from
all sixth graders, the environmental club, or another group
Fax: 915-747-5317
appropriate for your school. Students can also close doors,
turn off computer monitors, and set-back thermostats.
http://wattwatchers.utep.edu

Recycled Watts News Recycled!
(we hope)
Watts News is printed on 40% recycled con-
tent newsprint. So it’s been recycled once already.
That’s about all we can do as publishers. Once we
mail it — it’s out of our hands — and into yours.
But, you can take the concept of recycling a
couple of steps further:
1) Re-recycle Watts News by passing it on to
someone else to read.
2) Likewise, encourage them to pass it on.
This not only recycles the paper but also creates the
possibility that another school may become a Watt
Watchers school, helping to save more energy and
cut more pollution.
3) When the paper has had it — use it for
something else. Here are a few suggestions: line a
bird cage, make papier mache, make paper hats, it
makes really cool gift wrap, or great packing mate-
rial, etc. You can probably think of lots of other uses.
Just refuse to throw it away.
4) Ultimately, take it to a recycling plant and
let someone else use it ONE MORE TIME! Who
knows, maybe our printer will someday buy the pa-
per you recycled and we will print another issue of
Watts News on it. And then, once more, you can re-
re-recycle it...... again. That would really close the
cycle.
Watt Watchers of Texas
The Energy Center
University of Texas at El Paso
P.O. Box 68660
El Paso, Texas 79968
que sted
rvice Re
Se
R eturn
TO:
http://wattwatchers.utep.edu
1-888-US WATTS
Enrollment Form Date: ________
Watt Watchers of Texas
1-888-US WATTS (1-888-879-2887)
P.O.Box 68660, El Paso, Texas 79968 Fax: 915-747-5317 e-mail: watts@utep.edu
http://wattwatchers.utep.edu
Your Name: ________________________________________________
School Name: ______________________________________________
School Address: _____________________________________________
(Free kit will be shipped to your school / Street address preferred)
City: ______________________ Zip: _____ - ____ County: ______
School Phone: ( ) ____ - ______ School Fax: ( ) ____ - ______
Best Time to Call: _______ Number of Students in your school: ___
Name of School District: ____________________________________
Your e-mail address: _________________________________________
Energy Manager for your ISD: _________________________________
source: sp99 event: nl shp kit: ___ indB: ___
Watt Watchers is a free, state sponsored project to help
school districts save energy dollars. Watt Watchers also
provides an enrichment experience for students. Hundreds
WATCH
of schools across Texas have already enrolled in the pro-
gram and are saving energy, cutting pollution and saving
money for their school districts.
You can join today by filling in the enrollment form above
and mailing, faxing, e-mailing , or phoning it in to us. The
program is free for Texas schools.
Our goal is to provide free kits to every enrolling school.
Each kit contains four notebooks with color inserts, Lan-
yards and color name badges, pencils, forms and sample
tickets, a how-to manual, and a light bulb pencil for the
sponsor. We also provide free telephone support, a website,
and newsletters.
WATTS