Watts Off: Competitors take mission home and school-wide!

Our Watts-Off Energy Challenge competitors are into the third week of the competition and the teams are making some fantastic changes in their behaviour both in their schools and at home.  Last week our focus was on reducing energy consumption used in lighting. The classes received their mission Monday morning, challenging them to a lights off campaign. With help from our Lights Off support package they set off on their journey to a school-wide Lights Off, Blinds Up initiative.

Watts Off is challenging schools to become more energy efficient but also providing the tools and the encouragement to bring these behaviours to the whole school and to their homes.  All teams completed their mission of informing their school about the importance of conserving energy. Some classes made reminders on light switches and these serve as nudges helping to create an environment for long-term behaviour change.  We also saw several classes making school announcements to tell the school about the challenge and their goal to waste less energy. This lead to week long campaigns where schools powered down lights all over the building (i.e. classrooms, libraries, and offices).

We are thrilled to see the activities being brought home. Students are becoming the energy efficiency experts of their homes and encouraging their families to make energy saving commitments. The students were able to get over 160 signatures from families, community members, and/or friends commiting to “adopting smarter energy habits in our homes now will make a more sustainable world in the future.” Over 160 people across the province are ready to make changes to support our teams, and taking action to be more energy efficient.

We check in with our teams at the end of each week to brainstorm ways the class could save energy for the following week. After completing the Week 2 mission every class offered ways to #WasteLess. We are proud to share the additional efforts made by these energy champions.

To save energy next week our class will …

• “Turn down the heat”
• “Tell the other classes to turn off their lights and electronics when done/not in use, not use the smartboard as much, unplug ipads if it is at 100%, lights off curtains open, turn speakers off when not in use”
• “Turn the SMART Board off more often”
• “Continue our “Lights Off, Blinds Up” Challenge and work on Week 3 activities”
• “Will turn off the lights in music room when not in use. We are allowed to turn off the lights at the library all week.”

Keep up the fantastic work, keep energized, and good luck in week 3!

If you would like to start making changes in your school consider hosting a lights off campaign too! Here is a sample school announcement you could use to invite your school to participate in Lights Off Monday:

“(School name) is excited to start the week off on the right foot with Lights Off Monday! Open the blinds and curtains to let in the sunlight. We challenge you to only use the lights that you need and turn off the lights when you leave the room. Let’s save energy and help the Earth!”

~Kelsey Brasil

 Agente d’engagement