Summer is just around the corner, and as we prepare to bid farewell to another school year, let’s ensure we do so with sustainability in mind.
As you prepare to close up your classroom for the summer, follow these steps to conserve energy and resources:
- Clean and Turn Off Appliances: Ensure microwaves, coffee pots, toaster ovens, and fridges are not only cleaned but also turned off and unplugged to save energy.
- Unplug Electronic Devices: Remember to unplug laminators, lamps, radios, and decorations to further reduce energy consumption.
- Power Down Electronics: Turn off and power down PCs, laptops, monitors, projectors, and TVs to conserve electricity.
- Control Indoor Environment: Close window and door blinds to maintain a stable indoor temperature and reduce the need for excessive cooling or heating.
- Adjust Thermostat: Set the thermostat to 78° to conserve energy while maintaining comfort.
- Save Water: Ensure classroom faucets are turned off to prevent water waste.
- Special Considerations: For science and art classrooms, remember to turn off kilns, exhaust fans, fume hoods, and other lab equipment. In athletics facilities, turn off locker room fans and lights in the gymnasium, equipment storage areas, and locker rooms.
Before locking up your classrooms for the summer break, also take a moment to assess any potential waste, especially when it comes to desks and furniture. Communicate with your custodial supervisors if you have furniture that you want to leave the school. They will decide if they are going to keep it at the school, transfer it to another building, or transfer it to storage in Frederick. Everything else goes to the warehouse to be auctioned or disposed of, depending on the condition of the furniture. We do our best to partner with the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials to extend the life and utility of our furniture that can no longer be used in its current state.
In the work order system, it says that it could take up to 5 days for items to be picked up or longer depending on how many requests we receive. Be sure to plan ahead and prepare with the asks you send to the warehouse team! This proactive step can help minimize unnecessary waste and promote responsible resource management!
By taking these simple yet effective measures, we can all contribute to a more sustainable end-of-year routine. Let’s work together to make a positive impact on our environment and future generations.
Thank you for your commitment to sustainability!