The State has already implemented a plan to reduce consumption by 8-10 percent across the board. And the education community has an important role to play right now. We in California have the power of nearly 35 million people and the sixth largest economy in the world. By reducing our electricity demand we can help avoid shortages and lower energy bills. We have assured the Governor that schools are eager to support energy efficient strategies.
Energy bills are a large part of a school district's annual operating expenses.
It is critical that we ensure funds intended for student learning are not diverted to cover energy costs. Contact your local fire, police and utility providers and determine how they intend to respond to rolling blackouts. Coordinate your emergency plans with them. Develop a local school board energy efficiency policy that defines the specifics of your district's action plan, and how parents, staff, teachers and students will be involved. Review all operational schedules for high-energy use equipment and ensure that energy use is minimized during the peak hours of 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.