A SCHOOL has saved é16,000 a year simply by switching off its computers.
Teachers and children at Hazel Grove High in Stockport make sure that lights, computers and photocopiers are turned off at the end of each day.
The 1,300-pupil school was paying é100,000 a year in energy and water bills and was responsible for churning 530 tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere every year.
But a string of green-friendly measures saved thousands of pounds as well as cutting the harmful emissions.
An environment `hit squad' brought into the school found lights and electricity were being used around the clock.
The school has 500 computers, which were being left on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
All 70 classrooms now have recycling bins, which sit aside traditional waste baskets. An enthusiastic parent teachers' association generates é6,000 a year from monthly recycling collections of paper.
Two year nine students used their initiative to create green stickers - which they placed on every light switch and PC to remind staff and pupils to switch off appliances after use.
Simple changes
The school is based on the site of separate boys and girls' schools dating back to the 1950s.
Although some of the overhauls recommended by the agency were too costly to implement, simple changes have made a big difference to the environment.
The antiquated urinals in the boys' toilets routinely flushed every two minutes.
By simply fitting a new timing mechanism, the water is released every eight minutes during the school day and does not operate during the weekend or school holidays.
Garry Cash, the school's business manager, said there had been a huge change of attitude among pupils.
He said: "We were paying in excess of é100,000 a year for gas, electricity and water.
"We invited a surveyor to give us advice.
"He gave us ideas which were really the start of us looking at our consumption. We had a very high electricity usage overnight. compared to what was regarded as the norm.
"A significant number of computers and monitors were left on standby overnight 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We now ask students to switch everything off at the end of the day.
"It means each computer is only on 35 hours a week rather than 168.
"We underestimated the attitudes of our students to things like global warming."
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WOW!
You save money if you switch off equipment when not being used.
Educaction is a wonderful thing!
If the school was clever they would invest in plugs that switch off appliances when they are not being used Ect or even timers ?Why are they just now saving money? They should have been doing this for years (saving tax payers money?)Or was it easy come easy go?.Its time now that everybody took energy serious.
hardly deserving of a medal, is it? maybe for their next trick they'll discover they can save more money by stopping school meals and making parents supply the food for their kids.
What a disgrace. Surley it is common sense to switch off equipment at the end of the day.
Well if the head Ect can save this amount in a year what else are they not telling the powers that be? What other wastage is going on at these schools,No wonder we have budget problems at these schools with wastage like this? could the central heating be turned off so many weeks a year saving more money do they really need all the lights on every day in rooms that only a few use?The list is endless but it needs looking at.
Plenty of people are sceptical about climate change... but how many of them would suddenly adopt energy-saving measures if they were aware how much money could be saved? It's possible to save large sums of money every year, both in the home or if you're running a business or an institution like a school, by saving energy.
Could some one tell the NHS about this too?
Been doing for years now at the council buildings in Tameside saved lots of wasted energy and money ,now we are going to introduce sanctions for those who dont switch off .
Good on the school students at Hazel Grove! It may be pretty basic stuff but if this was repeated in every school in the country (over 25,00 of them) and also in the homes of each of the pupils it would start to make a significant impact. It all helps and needs to be encouraged rather than some of the nonsensical comments. Agreed and what about the NHS!
Step out of grouchland ace :P
Yes they should all have been doing it a long time ago, but this is a good start & sets a great example.
If anyone has time perhaps they could email the story to all the other schools in stockport, along with all the others who might benefit from this story.
Its not about grouchland its about schools saving (our the taxpayers money) Schools are always whinging about lack of funds?They should have been fuel saving for years ? whats wrong with pointing this out?.Ive heard schools moaning year on year about how badly they are treated but if they can save this amount of money surely they should have looked at saving money years ago???
Yes they should have been doing it years ago.
And it should be pointed out at every opportunity.
I still think you have a nice comfy couch in grouchland.
Positive thought can work wonders.(as much as i like grouchland).