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 CONSERVATION TIPS FOR TEENS
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Shut off your computer when not using it. Your friends' e-mails will still be waiting for you when you turn it back on.
Carpool on outings with your family and friends. The more the merrier.
Close the shades during the sunniest and hottest parts of the day. This will keep your room cooler and your pets, too.
Talk with your parents about installing compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). It is the cool thing to do.
Visit your local secondhand store. An individual sense of style really goes a long way.
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Dear Powerful Choices Students, Teachers and Partners,
We are pleased to present this first issue of the Powerful Choices Student Newsletter. The Powerful Choices staff is excited about offering students the opportunity to reflect on and expand upon their learning during the Powerful Choices program. We recognize that some of the issues we discuss during the program inspire students to want to take action, while other issues bring concern to students. We are launching this newsletter in an effort to give students a creative outlet in which to express their views.
This quarterly newsletter will contain student art work, writing, poetry, public service announcements, energy conservation tips, upcoming environmental events, student activities, and feature articles. This newsletter will be delivered quarterly to participating teachers and sponsors via e-mail, and student submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis. We encourage students and teachers to be as creative as possible in your submissions, and we will publish as many submissions as we can. If you have any feedback or suggestions about this newsletter, please e-mail powerfulchoices@pse.com.
Thank you, and we look forward to sharing your inspirations with the larger Powerful Choices community.
Sincerely,
Powerful Choices Staff
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| FEATURE ARTICLE: POOP TO POWER |
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How poop is bringing electricity
to homes in Washington
There is an odor you might be familiar with. You are riding in the car on a nice summer day, the windows are rolled down, everyone is smiling... then it slaps you right in the face! The road you are traveling has taken you through an area surrounded by cows and the "goodies" they leave behind. While it may not smell good to you in that serene summer moment, it is starting to smell like roses to those interested in "Green Power."
In fact those "goodies" might be generating some of the electricity you use to power the lights where you live! That's right, poop can be power -- and here is how:
Puget Sound Energy has teamed up with Vander Haak Dairy in Lynden, Washington, which is turning poop into power. Manure and food waste that cows leave behind is collected and brought to a digester. This is where the magic happens. The one million gallon tank is designed to simulate a cow stomach and is kept nice and toasty at about 100 degrees. Manure is loaded into the digester and piled 12 feet high (that's right, 12 FEET high!) where it sits for 20 to 30 days. While the organic material decomposes, or breaks down, methane gas is released.
Methane is a greenhouse gas that can be burned to create electricity instead of accumulating in the atmosphere. The heat released from burning the gas is used to operate generators that produce electricity -- enough to power 150 homes! What is left in the digester is nutrient-rich soil that can be applied to fields as a natural fertilizer. Liquid that is collected during the digesting process is also used as fertilizer. Not only does collecting cow poop help create clean energy and organically grow plants, it also improves water quality by keeping local rivers and streams free of excessive bacteria and nutrients.
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| ITSCOOL: GET ON THE UPWARD SPIRAL |
"Get on the Upward Spiral" with ITSCOOL!
Interested in raising money for your school, club, or organization? Want to learn more about how your choices affect climate change? If you answered "yes" to these questions, you'll want to consider joining ITSCOOL! The ITSCOOL program being implemented in PSE's service area, entitled "Get on the Upward Spiral," will be available this spring and open to schools, clubs, teams and other groups for ages 7-18 in PSE's electric service area. Lake Washington High School Environmental Club, in Kirkland, is among the groups that will launch the fundraising program this spring. Youth groups will be able to keep up to 63 percent of the money they raise, much higher than most school and club fundraising activities. To raise money for your activities this year, join the ITSCOOL program and sell CFL bulbs, which are up to 75 percent more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs. PSE will provide the CFLs, along with educational materials and other programmatic support.
Groups interested in participating in ITSCOOL fundraisers and bringing their community together to encourage energy efficiency can e-mail Powerful Choices facilitators Danny Grady, danny.grady@pse.com or Lynne Dial, lynne.dial@pse.com for more information. | |
| FEATURED SCHOOL:
SAKAI INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL, BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA |
Sakai Intermediate School students explore solar power with Puget Sound Energy and Community Energy Solutions' grants
Students at Bainbridge Island's Sakai Intermediate School can now study clean, renewable energy technologies first-hand thanks to a solar system made possible by a $25,000 grant from Puget Sound Energy and from more than $30,000 in donations raised through the efforts of Community Energy Solutions (CES), a Bainbridge group dedicated to promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.
"What's happening with renewable energy and energy efficiency on Bainbridge is very exciting," said Cal Shirley, vice president of Energy Efficiency Services for PSE. "The community and Sakai students and teachers are demonstrating that solar power can work in the Puget Sound area as well as reinforcing that smart energy choices are vital for our region."
The solar array formally entered into service following a dedication ceremony on Friday, Dec. 12, at Sakai Intermediate School. The event included teachers and students from Sakai who demonstrated the new solar array, which incorporates 30 solar modules, making it one of the largest educational arrays in the region.
The solar system, which has the capacity to produce five kilowatts of electricity, comes with educational software and lesson plans from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF).
"What makes the project unique is the active participation by people in the community, which has led to a real sense of local ownership," said Joe Deets, executive director of CES. "Teachers, students, parents and many islanders have stepped forward to create a clean energy system that will benefit the island for decades to come. This project brings the talk about achieving energy independence for the country to action here locally."
For more information about the solar schools project or on how residential and business customers can connect solar arrays to the utility grid, visit PSE.com. For more information about CES, visit cenergysolutions.org. For more information about BEF, visit b-e-f.org.
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| POWERFUL CHOICES FACILITATOR PROFILE |
Lynne Dial has been a Powerful Choices facilitator since September 2006. Lynne's love for the environment started early as a child, when she began tree climbing, rock collecting, spelunking and terrorizing anyone she caught littering. In addition to teaching Powerful Choices, Lynne volunteers with several environmental organizations in the Seattle area. She is a Cedar River Salmon Journey volunteer naturalist and a Seattle Aquarium beach naturalist, and enjoys helping the public learn more about the rich natural life that surrounds them.
Lynne loves to ride a bicycle, but her exercise-induced asthma prevents her from being able to climb Seattle's many hills on a bike. So she recently purchased a battery-assisted bicycle to commute from Seattle to Bellevue. She often combines biking with busing, and Lynne can be seen flying by everyone on the Burke-Gilman trail on her speedy bike.
Lynne earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Planning and Policy in 2006 from Western Washington University, with a minor in Environmental Education. For two years, Lynne worked as the weekend events coordinator for the National Zoo, where she led environmental education programs for children's groups and family campouts. Lynne also worked as a volunteer through AmeriCorps, where she organized and facilitated environmental service-learning projects for local middle and high school classes. Lynne is excited to provide students with positive, empowering early learning experiences that will inspire a lifelong approach to stewardship. |
| HAPPENINGS AND UPCOMING EARTH DAY 2009 EVENTS |
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University of Washington April Home Energy Efficiency Fair Wednesday, April 8
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Mary Gates Hall Commons
This year's Home Improvement Fair will focus on different ways to increase the energy efficiency in your home to save money and add value to your home. For more information, visit homestreet.com.
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Sammamish River Trail Earth Day Planting
Saturday, April 11
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Celebrate Earth Day by planting native trees and shrubs along the Sammamish River Trail, rain or shine. Tools, training, gloves, water and light refreshments will be provided. For more information, contact Peter Holte at 425-556-2822 or pholte@redmond.gov. __________________________________________________________
Islandwood Enviropalooza
Saturday, April 11
12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
4450 Blakely Avenue NE, Bainbridge Island
Join Islandwood in an annual celebration of National Environmental Education Week and Earth Day. An afternoon of family fun is planned that focuses on the fascinating subject of garbage. Create a trash critter at home and join us at the Trash Critter Zoo. Visit the Enviro-Fair and learn what local Puget Sound organizations are doing to address environmental issues. The folks from the Junkraft Project will give a presentation on their research, followed by a musical performance by Seattle singer and songwriter Benjamin Doerr. Art and educational activities are planned throughout the day. For more information, visit islandwood.org.
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City of Bellevue Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration
Saturday, April 18
8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Lewis Creek Visitor Center, 5808 Lakemont Blvd. SE, Bellevue
Be a part of Earth Day 2009! From 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., volunteer with others and help plant! Then enjoy the rest of the afternoon with a ceremony at 11:30 a.m., followed by festivities until 2:00 p.m. For more information call 425-452-4195. Students interested in volunteering may contact Stream Team at 425-452-5200 or streamteam@bellevuewa.gov.
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2009 Spring Garden Fair
Saturday, April 25
9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Redmond City Hall, 15670 NE 85th, Redmond
Get your spring planting off to a great start! The Spring Garden Fair is hosted by Woodinville Water District, Northshore Utility District, Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District, the Cities of Bothell, Redmond and Woodinville, the Saving Water Partnership and Cascade Water Alliance. Admission is free. For more information, visit springgardenfair.com or contact Deborah Rannfeldt at 425-487-4102.
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2009 Swinomish Earth Enhancement Celebration
Saturday, April 25
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Swinomish Community Center, 17275 Reservation Road, Swinomish
Join the Swinomish Tribal Community, People for Puget Sound and Skagit County Public Works for a rewarding day of Earth Day activities. Get your hands dirty and come help with community enhancement projects! Afterwards, enjoy a traditional salmon lunch prepared by the Swinomish Tribe. This free event will also receive your household recyclables, including computer monitors, batteries and other electronics. For more information, e-mail Britta Eschete or Kaia Smith. Advanced registration is requested so enough food can be prepared.
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Kent Sustainable Living Fair
Sunday, April 26
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Kent Senior Activity Center, 600 E Smith St., Kent
The Sustainable Living Fair, sponsored by the City of Kent and open to the public, will include sessions and activities on waste reduction and recycling, water and energy conservation, air and water quality, and much more. King County EcoConsumer Tom Watson will be one of the featured speakers. For more information, visit kingcounty.gov.
EcoFest: Kingston's Earth Day Ecology Festival
Saturday, May 2
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Stillwaters Environmental Center,
26059 Barber Cut Off Road, Kingston
EcoFest is the most exciting way to celebrate Earth Day in Kitsap County! EcoFest is a community celebration, with a huge selection of vendors and displays to delight you with all kinds of environmental education & eco-friendly products, from Smart Cars to Climate Change! For more information, contact Naomi at 360-297-2876. |
| ENERGY FAQs |
To idle or not to idle....
A common question that facilitators hear during the Powerful Choices program is whether a car burns more gas (thus creating more pollution and greenhouse gas emissions) when idling, or when it is turned off and restarted. The argument for idling rather than restarting a car is that turning your car on and off actually wastes more fuel than if you were to just leave it running, because your engine burns more fuel when you first start it. So, which action will keep more pollutants and greenhouse gases out of our air?
We found an answer! Actually, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did. According to the EPA's National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory, the average car will generate more emissions by idling for greater than 30 seconds than it otherwise would if it was restarted. So, if you're in a car that is sitting in traffic, or stuck in line at a drawbridge crossing, or you're waiting to pick up a friend in their driveway, or you aspire to a job delivering pizzas, then do your part to keep our air clean by turning your car off when you have half a minute to spare.
Source: "Your Car and Clean Air: What YOU Can Do to Reduce Pollution" fact sheet, epa.gov. | |
Powerful Choices for the Environment (formerly called In Concert with the Environment) is an environmental education program that is changing how Washington state's middle school students and their families think about and use natural resources in their daily lives. Environmental education professionals, trained in science education and local resource use, in cooperation with over 20 local partnering agencies, deliver this hands-on, four-day program. The program is designed to empower sixth to eighth grade students across the region with the knowledge that their everyday choices do make a difference. For more information, visit Powerful Choices at PSE.com.
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