An Education In Energy Conservation (NAPSA)—School districts across the country have found a surprising way to help save millions of education dollars while significantly helping protect the environment. Thousands of districts have implemented innovative programs aimed at reducing the amount of energy they use, which currently costs educational institutions more than $6 billion a year—more than is spent on com- puters and textbooks combined. These programs allow school districts, as well as colleges and universities, to focus less on budget cuts and more on waysto rein- vest their energy savings into educating students. Many of these schools have partnered with Texas-based Energy Education, Inc., a behavioral-based energy conservation provider, which has helped school districts nationally save more than $1.6 billion through significant year-over-year reductions in facilities costs. The average savings typically are between 20 to 25 percent annually. According to the company’s founder, the key to the sustained successes experienced by school districts is in a managed, measurable, people-based conservation approach that places a premium on the steps that everyone—from administrators and teachers to staff and students—can build into their daily routines. Generally, no new equipmentis needed. “Americans are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprints while saving much-needed school funding for classroom education purposes,” said founder and CEO Dr. William Spears. “Our basic philosophy is simple: The cheapest and mostefficient unit of energy is the one never used.” Students and teachers are learn- ing to save money, energy and the environment through special school programs. The Government Agrees Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency honored this approach by naming the company 2009 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year. “Because commercial and industrial facilities account for about half of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, Energy Education’s efforts are vital to protecting our global environment,” said Kathleen Hogan, director of the Climate Protection Partnerships Division at the U.S. EPA. Members of Congress looking for innovative and proven techniques for addressing America’s mounting energy dependence have also begun to embrace the behavioral approach to conservation. “Energy solutions are critical to our nation’s economic and security development, and I applaud Energy Education for the innovative energy solutions they provide to hundreds of school districts, churches, hospitals and universities across our nation,” said Congressman Pete Sessions of Texas. The schools are tackling the nation’s energy and environmental concerns and providing their pupils a valuable—and adaptable—lesson in the positive change that a commitmentto conservation can bring about. Learn More School supervisors, students, parents and taxpayers in general can all learn more online at www.energyeducation.com.
