G. Casey Cassidy
Having actively participated in our Clemente energy conservation program, our students will have learned ways to substantially reduce energy costs in their homes and to help their parents save money too. Householders and landlords alike can benefit from efficient insulation, replacement of broken doors and windows, and using conservative limits on thermostats. People today are accustomed to room temperatures above 68 F but somewhat lower temperatures are equally healthy. Above all, everyone who regulates the thermostat should understand the limits agreed upon in the home and they should understand the benefits of energy savings in dollars and cents. Individuals should turn off unnecessary lighting, stop preheating ovens, use cooler water for washing and bathing, use dishwashers and stoves when filled to capacity and keep refrigerators closed as often as possible.
Students should be encouraged to research large scale conservation projects on their own. They should realize that their own behavior at home can have a major impact on local conservation. For example, students could research how much water they use when they take a shower by placing a bucket under the shower and letting it run until the bucket is full to the one gallon mark. Most students will find that it takes only 20 seconds for a gallon of water to fill the bucket. Then they could time their showers each morning and calculate how much water is being used by themselves and by their family members(in a day—a week—a month—a year). The number of gallons will produce staggering results. Related experiences can be tabulated by the number of toilet flushes in similar time periods. About five gallons of water is used for every flush. Challenge students to brainstorm ways of conserving water both at home and at school.
In New Haven, residents use between 55 and 75 gallons of water each day. of these totals, 40% is used for toilet purposes, 30% is used in the bathroom sink and shower areas, 15% is used for laundry, 10% is used in the kitchen, and 5% is used outside. That results in approximately 97% of all our water is used to transport waste and roughly 3% is used for drinking and cooking. These figures can present a clearer picture of our water needs and perhaps define solutions to maximizing our water usage, once again saving money and energy.