The Newsletter for Watt Watchers Schools

Fall 2001
Published by the Energy Center University of Texas at El Paso
Sponsored by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts - State Energy Conservation Office
and the United States Department of Energy
Volume 5 Number 2

Watt Watchers, Watteam, TEED Merge

G
reat News! Watt Watchers TEED and the Texas School Energy
and WATTEAM, and the Manager News. We will represent
Texas Energy Education all programs in one big booth at
Development (TEED) program have conferences. We will share one big “E - QUOTE”
merged to be delivered as one BIG staff and we are now seven strong,
“Drilling for refuge {Arctic
program. Our combined five program coordinators
National Wildlife Refuge}
enrollment is over 2,500 sponsors! including: Kirstin Morris and
oil is a risk the nation
Allison Dietert in New Braunfels;
should consider taking
We have always had the Vicky Gomez, Amy Tingley, and
only if no other choice is
same mission and goals and over Steve Cook in El Paso; plus Gwen
possible. But other
the years have closely cooperated Pratt, and student Tania Prieto
choices abound. If three
with each other. The difference is providing administrative support.
or four percent of all U.S.
we are now seamless, that is, we are
cars were as efficient as
absolutely coordinating And we will deliver more energy
today’s popular hybrid
EVERYTHING! Sharing duties and resources means education across Texas than ever. We all want to make
models, they would save
we can do more with less – we are now more efficient. this the the biggest and the best year ever for energy
the equivalent of all the
Cool, huh? education in Texas. Please join our big new program
refuge’s oil. In all, many
for a really BIG year — we can’t do it without you.
tens of times more oil is
We will have one big newsletter (starting
available—sooner, more
February) that includes Watt Watchers, WATTEAM,
surely, and more
cheaply—from proven
energy efficiency. The
cheaper, faster energy
alternatives now
succeeding in the
The Gift ....... That Keeps on Giving marketplace are safe,
clean, climate-friendly,
and overwhelmingly
supported by the public.
some major improvements to the old alma mater. Of

I
f your school group raised $13,000 this year and Equally important, they
contributed it to a fund to buy books and computers course, Junior High and High schools tend to be larger remain profitable at any oil
or purchased a big display statue of your school and more energy intensive so even bigger savings are price. They offer
mascot you would probably be featured on the 6 available. economic, security, and
O’Clock News. You would environmental benefits
certainly be famous The amazing news rather than costs. If any
among and long is: You can save big oil is beneath the refuge,
remembered by your bucks for your school! its greatest value just
other classmates. Let’s You can draw attention to might be in holding up the
face it $13,000 is a lot of energy waste and ground beneath the
money! suggest ways to save people and animals that
energy for your school. live there.”
According to the Energy is often a Fool’s Gold in Alaska: The
U.S. Department of misunderstood and Bottom Of The Barrel? by
Energy, a typical 450- unexamined topic. Your Amory B. Lovins and L.
student elementary school group can educate the Hunter Lovins, Foreign
today pays over $45,000 entire school, identify Affairs, July/August 2001.
annually for energy- ways to save energy, and
related utilities. make a big cash
Incorporating energy- contribution to your
efficient design school by lowering utility
improvements could save bills.
that school over $13,000
annually, enough to Join Watt Watchers and
purchase 13 computers or hundreds of books each get involved with the Texas Energy Education
year (or a substantial statue of your mascot). Development program, too. You can have lots of fun WATTS I NSIDE
while saving big bucks for your school and don’t forget Resource Outlet .......... 2
The savings don’t end with just one year but to be thinking about what you will say to the TV reporter.
are saved each and every year. So, over the 12 years Transmission Line ...... 2
you spend in elementary and high school the savings Change ......................... 3
would add up to $156,000. Now we are talking about
 2
RESOURCE OUTLET
“Designing Smarter Schools” Video
Education is essential to the success of our chil-
dren. Well-constructed and properly maintained
schools enhance the educational process and lead to
higher student performance and test scores. Deterio-
rating buildings with leaky roofs, inadequate lighting,
and poorly functioning mechanical systems interfere
with learning and can create health problems.
Over the next decade, thousands of schools
across America will be built and thousands more mod-
ernized. Parents, community leaders, and educators
must understand what it takes to build and maintain
good schools and still spend tax dollars wisely. A va-
riety of technologies and techniques are available to
help create the best possible learning environments
WATTS for our children; they simply have to be properly used.
See how school buildings can be improved from
heat reflective roofing to state-of-the-art lighting by
viewing a 30-minute award winning online video, De-
WORTH signing Smarter Schools, that includes Larry Schoff of
the U.S. Department of Energy’s Rebuild America
program and John B. Lyons of the U.S. Department
of Education. VHS copies are also available for $10.00
KNOWING by calling 1-888-552-0624, or by ordering online, https:/
/www.nibs.org/nceforder.htm .
Pamphlet on School Energy Savings
“How Parents and Teachers are Helping to
Create Better Environments for Learning” is a very nice,
full color brochure that explains what is at stake when
lighting, heating, and cooling our schools. If you are
looking for a good summary of the problems and
potential solutions of energy use in schools to pass
along to parents, teachers, and administrators this is
it. An excerpt--“School districts around the country are
TRANSMISSION LINE
IR E
EW “Nuna” Wins World Solar Challenge
F TH Car Race
F Here’s a test: What could the United States do
O TO “Nuna,” a solar car from the Netherlands,
W SH
NE broke all records as it took first place last week
in the World Solar Challenge, an annual race
of solar vehicles down the middle of the
Australian continent. Nuna finished on day four
of the race, a day ahead of its nearest
competitors. The team took a total of just 32
hours and 39 minutes to complete the nearly
3,000-kilometer (1,864-mile) race, for an
average speed of 91.18 kilometers per hour
(56.66 miles per hour).
The European Space Agency (ESA), one
of the Nuna
sponsors, hailed
the achievement
as a triumph of space
technology. ESA supplied
high-efficiency dual-
junction and triple-junction
gallium-arsenide solar
cells — designed for
satellites — for the car,
which also carried power
control devices that were
Q: How many band
developed for satellites.
leaders does it take to
The main body of the car
change a light bulb?
was built from Kevlar-reinforced carbon fiber. Nuna
even carried two strips of solar cells retrieved from the
A: One .. Two, and a-one
Hubble Space Telescope. See the ESA press release
two three four.
at:
<http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/
ESAFSAZ84UC_index_0.html>.
finding that smart energy choices can help them save
money and provide healthier, more effective learning
environments. By incorporating energy improvements
into their construction or renovation plans, schools can
significantly reduce their energy consumption and
costs. Many of the same improvements that help to
lower a school’s energy consumption also create better
places to teach and learn, with better lighting,
temperature control, acoustics, and air quality.”
Different versions are available for different
groups: http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy01osti/30559.pdf
for Facilities & Business Managers and http://
www.nrel.gov/docs/fy01osti/30557.pdf for Parents and
Teachers
Eye On Energy
A rich, graphic tour of energy across the United
States is available from MSNBC. In a section titled
Eye On Energy several timely articles on “current”
events are offered up. But the real fun is at the bot-
tom lefthand corner of the page -- click on Energy Map
of America. You will be served up 10 maps of energy
resources and infrastructure.
See where the electrical grid is and isn’t. You
can even select various transmission voltages. See a
rough map of wind resources or biomass availability.
Coal, oil, hydroelectric, natural gas, geothermal, so-
lar, and nuclear are all presented. Clicking the info
tab gives a tidbit about the topic.
This is a very glossy site that provides a limited
amount of information very quickly and very attrac-
tively. The maps are great but at least one new en-
ergy myth is passed on -- attributing the California elec-
trical shortages to the computer revolution. See the
Website --
http://www.msnbc.com/news/eyeonenergy_front.asp
New Study Finds Energy Efficiency,
Renewables Create Jobs
regarding energy that would generate 1.3 million new
jobs by 2020 while increasing U.S. energy security,
boosting U.S. gross domestic product by $43.9 billion,
and putting, on average, an extra $400 each year in
the coffers of every household in the nation? The
answer, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF),
is the implementation of energy efficiency technologies
and the development of renewable energy resources.
Both approaches also reduce the U.S. dependence
on limited energy resources while reducing the
vulnerability of the U.S. energy infrastructure. See the
WWF press release, with a link to the report, at:
< h t t p : / / w w w. w o r l d w i l d l i f e . o r g / n e w s /
headline.cfm?newsid=303>.
Veggie Car
The world’s first sports car to run on rotting
vegetables has been put through its paces. It goes
from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under six seconds and
reaches a top speed of 130 miles per hour (209
kilometers per hour).
The car runs on gas given off by fermenting
organic household waste, as one of its fuel supplies.
Tests have shown that 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of
smelly rubbish will power the car for 100 km (62 miles).
The car, known as the Advantige R, has been
developed by a Swiss manufacturer. It is being
displayed at motor shows around the world.
The car runs on two sources of power. As well
as conventional petrol, it uses kompagas, a renewable
fuel source made from rotting greenery. “Even sports
cars can be environmentally friendly,” company officials
said.
 3
CHANGE A LIGHT,
bulbs.html# once on the page, go to the bottom and
CHANGE THE WORLD. click on the Standard incandescent light bulbs and
CFLs: to see the different types of Compact Fluores-
We need to become more energy efficient citi- cent Light bulbs and what they look like.
zens. There is just no doubt about it! How? You ask,
What do we do? You ask. Well, ENERGY STAR has
a simple suggestion that will not only help reduce air
pollution, and save energy it will also reduce the size
of YOUR electric bill. Energy Star is launching an edu-
cational campaign designed to educate consumers Q: How many copy editors
about the importance of energy efficiency. During the does it take to screw in a
month of October, Energy Star teamed up with differ- lightbulb?
ent companies and utilities to educate the public about
energy-efficient lighting products and to encourage the To choose which wattage bulb to use compared
to your standard bulb refer to the chart below: A: The last time this
use of ENERGY STAR light bulbs. question was asked, it
involved art directors. Is
Regular Light Bulb Wattage ENERGY STAR
“Change a Light, Change the World embod- the difference intentional?
Wattage Should one or the other
ies the EPA’s commitment to building vol- 40 watts 14 watts instance be changed? It
untary partnerships between communities, 60 watts 20 watts seems inconsistent.
businesses, and the government, and the 75 watts 25 watts
difference this can make for the environ- 100 watts 32 watts
ment. If every US household participates in
the campaign and makes their next light an
If you really want to join in the crusade to save
ENERGY STAR, the nation will save up to energy, you should exchange you standard lighting
$800 million in energy bills, and the reduc- fixtures for ENERGY STAR fixtures. Because these
tion in air pollution will be equal to removing fixtures use 50 to 70% less energy than traditional
1.2 million cars from the road for one year.” fixtures you will see a savings of 440 kWh or $44 per
- Christie Whitman Administrator, U S EPA year for each up to five years (the life of the CFLs).

Using an ENERGY STAR light bulb (Compact

Fluorescent Light Bulb or CFLs) in place of incan-
descent light bulbs will help reduce the cost of your
electric bill. The ENERGY STAR lighting requires
less energy to give off the same amount of light, or
lumens, as a standard bulb. Less energy use means
fewer carbon dioxide emissions that result from burn-
ing fossil fuels to create electricity less carbon diox-
ide emission means fewer greenhouse gases to con-
tribute to global climate change - good news for you,
the air we breathe, and the environment.
ENERGY STAR recommends changing your
five most frequently used standard light bulbs for EN-
ERGY STAR labeled fluorescent bulbs to begin sav-
ing immediately. These fluorescent bulbs range in
price from $7 to $15, but will save you approximately
$25 per bulb in energy savings over their lifetime which
more than offsets the cost. To find an ENERGY STAR
dealer in your area that may offer special deals, visit
this site: http://www.energystar.gov/stores/
storelocator.asp
There are a few different styles of CFLs to
choose from. To find the one that best suites your
needs, visit the link below:
http://www.energystar.gov/changealight/ilg/
“We’re proud to join ENERGY STAR in bring-
ing Change a Light, Change the World to Wal-
Mart and SAM’S CLUB customers in more
than 3,200 communities in all 50 states. If
every household in America changed just one
standard light bulb to a compact fluorescent
lamp, Americans would save 8.4 billion kilo-
watt hours of electricity - enough to power
more than 800,000 U.S. homes for a whole
year.” Scott McCall, Vice President/Divi-
sional Merchandise Manager for Wal-Mart.
During the campaign, participating partners will
make ENERGY STAR qualified lighting products, such
as fixtures and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs),
available from local, regional, and national promotions.
These promotions may include rebates, sales and
turn-in events where consumers can exchange stan-
dard lighting fixtures for discounts on energy-efficient
ones. For a list of participating dealers near you visit:
http://www.energystar.gov/changealight/partners/
partners.html
For more detailed information please visit the EN-
ERGY STAR web site at: http://
www.energystar.gov/changealight
Clean Vehicle Logo Contest
This contest is sponsored by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Com-
mission and is an ideal art project for your students.
What: a design contest for a logo for the new generation of clean motor ve-
hicles
Who: any public school student in
kindergarten through 12th grade can
enter
When: all entries must be received
by February 28, 2002
Where: the winning entries will be
used on stickers in Texas
Why: so vehicles with the logo can
travel in high-occupancy lanes with
only one person inside
Please visit the Watt Watchers web site at http://wattwatchers.utep.edu and
click on the flashing bulb for more information and to print out the drawing
form. Or go directly to the TNRCC contest web site: http://
www.cleantexasair.com/stickercontest.html.
 Enrollment Form Date: ________
Watt Watchers of Texas
1-888-US WATTS (1-888-879-2887)
P.O.Box 68660, El Paso, Texas 79968 Fax: 1-888-879-2887 e-mail: watts@utep.edu
http://wattwatchers.utep.edu
Your Name: ________________________________________________
School Name: ______________________________________________
School Address: _____________________________________________
(Free kit will be shipped to your school / Street address preferred)
City: ______________________ Zip: _____ - ____ County: ______
School Phone: ( ) ____ - ______ School Fax: ( ) ____ - ______
Best Time to Call: _______ Number of Students in your school: ___
Watt Watchers Name of School District: ____________________________________
Your e-mail address: _________________________________________
1-888-US WATTS Energy Manager for your ISD: _________________________________
source: F’01 event: nl shp kit: ___ indB: ___

TOLL
FREE
PHONE
Now you can FAX Watt Watchers toll-free, too. To make
it even easier for you to contact us we have added toll
free fax capability. To send us a toll free fax simply enter
our regular toll free number into your fax machine:
1-888-879-2887
Watt Watchers is a free, state sponsored project to help
school districts save energy dollars. Watt Watchers also
Don t Mess
provides an enrichment experience for students. Hundreds
of schools across Texas have already enrolled in the pro- with Texas
gram and are saving energy, cutting pollution and saving
money for their school districts.
You can join today by filling in the enrollment form above
and mailing, faxing, e-mailing , or phoning it in to us. The
program is free for Texas schools.

AND Our goal is to provide free kits to every enrolling school.

Each kit contains four notebooks with color inserts, Lan-
TOLL yards and color name badges, pencils, forms and sample
tickets, a how-to manual, and a light bulb pencil for the Turn Out
FREE sponsor. We also provide free telephone support, a website,

FAX !
and newsletters.
the Lights !

Watt Watchers of Texas

The Energy Center
University of Texas at El Paso
P.O. Box 68660
El Paso, Texas 79968

TO:

http://wattwatchers.utep.edu
1-888-US WATTS