MEEP Green Schools Activies

With MEEP's Green Schools Program, students are saving money for their school, fostering environmental stewardship and conducting real life science research.  Dozen's of schools across Maine have participated in at least one of four activities to help their school take one step to become a little bit "greener."

School Energy Efficiency Audit (8th-12th grade) Students use tools to see how their school uses energy and where energy is wasted. They can then make recommendations on how energy can be conserved in their school. This project can be combined with the Greenhouse Gas Surveys being offered by Maine DEP.

Clean Air Zone Project (6th-12th grade)
For small groups wishing to form Clean Air Zone teams, support is offered in the form of consultation and outreach materials. This fall, we'll have college interns to give assistance to schools interested in starting Anti-Idling Campaigns!

Energy Patrol (4th-8th grade)
Aimed at helping schools remember to save electricity, students simply tour the school during lunch or recess to make sure lights and computer monitors are not left on while not in use.  Classes who do the best job saving electricity are awarded with a week's care of a soft, stuffed polar bear (a visual reminder that climate change is real) until the following week's winner is determined.

Vending Miser Challenge (6th -12th grade)
Since vending machines consume a ton of energy, many being on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this is a great way to save a school money and prevent needless pollution.  MEEP and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection ask students to measure the amount of electricity used by their vending machine for three days without the Vending Miser and then three days with the Vending Miser.  The device simply cycles down the compressor when no one is present near the vending machine.  What is usually discovered is a savings of around 50 percent with the Vending Miser.  Students are encouraged to present their findings to folks in administration or facilities in hopes they will see the sense in purchasing this energy saving technology.  MEEP will donate a Vending Miser to the school if the vending miser challenge results are presented.

Light Meter Challenge (9th-12th grade)
Students use light meters to monitor their school for excess lighting and then work with facilities managers to see if they can develop a solution for excess lighting.

HOBO Challenge (9th-12th grade)
Students use a HOBO datalogger to create an energy profile of their school and create graphs and a report to show where energy efficiency can be improved.

Kill-a-Watt Challenge (4th-12th grade)
Students use a Kill-a-Watt meter to monitor energy use of home appliances.