maanantai 31. tammikuuta 2011

Energy video

We made our own energy video.

sunnuntai 23. tammikuuta 2011

Energy blackout at Länsimetsä school


We have got a lot of snow this winter. Sometimes snow is on the brances of trees. Snow is quite heavy, specially when it is wet. Brances bend. Usually it is not serious but sometimes it can even cause electricity blackouts. When trees are too near to electric cable, the brances can press the cabels and cause electricity blackouts.
On the 21st of January we had one blackout in our school. It last only some minutes but anyway we had an interesting discussion what does it mean if we would not get electricity at school for a long time. We were playing acustic guitarrs, so everything was ok. We just rose window blinds up. In computer class pupils were in Internet. It was good that they were not for example writing with Word. They would have lost their text. Pupils in handicraft lessons might have difficulties. We were most worried about food. We get free lunch everyday and many pupils were already hungry. We thought that in worst case we could have eaten only bread. We were lucky. The blackout took only some minutes.
Other 5th class was skiing during that lesson and used their own energy to ski and didn´t know anything about electric blackout.

Interviewing other 50/50 schools

50/50 in action at schools

We are taking part in energy saving project 50/50. It has been fun and we have saved energy. We have switched the lights from toalets, using less water and recycling. There are many countries and schools with this project too. We have been interviewing them. We have been suprised that so many school want to be interviewed. Right now we are waiting for answers and it is interesting and fun to compare acts and blogs between other countries. We have asked these questions:

Dear 50/50 friends! Here are some questions about 50/50 project. I wish you have little time to answer. Thanks!



Interview 50/50

1. Where do you come from?

2. Tell us about your school?

3. Why did you start the 50/50 energy saving project?

4. How have you saved energy so far?

5. Do you have new ideas for how to save more energy?

6. Have you been writing to your blog in the Internet?

7. If you have, can you tell what do you have in your blog?

8. Have you had any special theme days or school gatherings about the 50/50-project?

9. What do pupils and teachers think about this project?

10. Do you want to tell something more or send greetings to Finland?

WE GOT ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS FROM SPAIN(Barcelona):



1.We are from a school called Benviure located in Sant Boi de LLobregat, Barcelona, Spain.

2.We are a public nursery and primary school, ages 3 to 12 years old, and we belong to the green school network of Catalonia, and actually we form part of the Euronet 50/50 project.
If you want more information we invite you to our website: http://phobos.xtec.cat/ceip-benviure/

3.Due to a proposition from the department of the environment which coordinates the Euronet 50/50 project and who knew about our green school background We thought it would be appropriate to include it in our environmental action program complementary to our education labor.

4.As a school we have sudied how to use and save both water and electricity. After studying each topic with the students, from nursery to primary, we spent a whole day without water in the school. The sudents had to collect the water for day from the public fountains.
A study was conducted on the use and need for water through history and its global distribution. With the use of electricity we did a similar task.

5.We believe that the Euronet project will help all the educational community to take more conscience about the Earth’s global warming
The measures are being developed and implemented as the project goes on, until now we’ve set up posters in the classrooms, signalled the light switches and regulated the taps’ water flow.

6.Yes, you can visit it.
http://phobos.xtec.cat/ceip-benviure/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=24&id=125&Itemid=209

8.Yes, we’ve carried out periodical meetings with all the implicated agents The environment committee is formed by teachers, parents, pupils and the Department of the Environment representatives.

9.It means for us quite a lot of work, as it is carried out during the entire course and has to be combined with the syllabus.
In general, the pupils participate enthusiastically because they like to move around the school controlling the consumption of energy.

10.You are invited to visit our school and to know at first hand how we work.

ALSO ONE SCHOOL FROM POLAND ANSWERED TO OUR QUESTIONS:-)





Here are the answers:

1. We come from Poland.Our village is in the eastern part of Poland. It is called Jadachy.

2.Our school consists of primary school and gimnazjum(grammar school).They function as one school complex.There are 147 pupils, 20 teachers and 4 people in the staff. We have been taking part in ecological and healthy projects and programmes like: EURONET 50/50, “School for Ecodevelopment”, collection and segregation of recyclable materials, bicycle races. At present we are putting in an application to get the title of “Local Centre of Ecological Education” and”Green Flag”. A lot of children take an active part in ecological circles(“The League of Wildlife protection”, “All-Poland Society for the Protection of Birds”, “Friends of the Earth”). They also take part in ecological compaigns like “Save the Primeval Forest”, An Hour for the Earth”, “Cataloguing of fire-bellied toads”.

3.We started EURONET 50/50 because we care about our planet and we want to reduce the consumptionof thermal energy and electricity. Projects like EURONET 50/50 help children and adults to realize that everyone can do something for our planet.

4. Before we started EURONET 50/50 we didn’t have any organized actions in aid of environment.We tried to do something and we acted on our initiative(turning off the light and water , reduction of heating). We drew everyone’s attention to the necessity of saving.

5. We are going to install solar panels. But at present we can’t afford this. We haven’t got enough money.Regularly we replace common bulbs into low energy bulbs. We are going to install perlatories on the tabs and screens reflecting heat from radiators everywhere in school.

6. We have realized that there is an absolute necessity to start our blog.We are in the middle of doing this.

7. We will insert all our work connected with ecological and healthy actions and share our ideas with other schools.

8. We have ecological assemblies every Friday. From time to time we have trainning sessions for teachers and parents. We have so called “ecogroup”. Pupils from ecogroup every day at different times with the help of measuring devices check the progress in saving energy and the consumption of it. In April we celebrate “The Day of the Earth” connected with the show of ecological fashion, ecological marches in the neighbourhood and stage some plays about saving energy.

9. Teachers and pupils understand the importance of taking part in different programmes, for example EURONET 50/50 . More and more children save energy.

10.In the future we want to cooperate with you and share our ideas and experience.
And warm greetings from Poland to Finland!!!

ANOTHER SCHOOL FROM SPAIN (Catalonia) WAS ALSO ACTIVE AND ANSWERED US:


1.We are from Cardona (Catalonia, Spain), it’s a beautiful village with a wonderful castle and a salt mountain.

2.Our school is a very nice place to be in. We like the building
and also the different spaces inside: library, playground, sports court, gym,
computers room.


3.We started this project because we were concerned about the environment and saving energy. When the Department of Education suggested we participate we thought it was a good way to acquire correct habits to achieve a more clean and livable planet.

4.We close all the blinds of our classroom every afternoon when we leave the
school, in order to keep the building warm, not loosing the heat accumulated
during the day.
We always turn the lights off when we change to a different space inside our
school.
The highest temperature allowed in our school is 22º C, that saves a lot of
energy!!!.


5.Yes, there are lots of families who bring their children to the school by car.
We will suggest them to walk the kids to the school or to use their bike to get
here.
We also recommend to our students their compromise with the environment asking
their families to be aware of environmental questions and also making a
sustainable use of energy (saving it) at home.

6.We may not write to our blog as often as desirable, but we try to go entering our activities. Our web is http://www.xtec.cat/ceip-mdpatrocini-cardona

7.For the moment we are writing about activities in order to achieve to save energy in our school.

8.No, but we try to talk about it every two weeks to go looking for new actions.

9.Pupils and teachers are really enthusiastic about sharing their experiences with
students from other countries and nationalities.

10.All of us say hello very friendly to the Finish students. And we are happy if you can explain something about your school and country.
Energetic group from Mare de Déu del Patrocini school (Cardona)

THE THIRD SCHOOL FROM SPAIN (Catalonia, Odena) AND HERE ARE THE ANSWERS:

1.We are Rosó and Mª Mercè, we come from Òdena, Catalonia.

2.School name’s is Castell d’Òdena, it has got 297 pupils.

3.We started this project because we wanted to save energy.

4.We look at light meter every week and we calculate the energy that we have saved and we have spent.

5.We have had new ideas: we have prepared one game to promote that people save energy.

6.We haven’t written in the Òdena’s blog, but we will.
The blog is:http://schoolcastelldodena.blogspot.com/

7.There is an explanation of our meetings and the project.

8.Last year we had one special theme day: we counted how many lights, heaters, windows and doors that we have. And then, we planed how to start the project.

9.Pupils and teachers think that the project is very good of school and for nature.


THANK YOU FOR BEING SO ACTIVE!!


THE FOURTH SCHOOL FROM SPAIN, SPANISH SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE!!!


1.We're from Montcada i Reixac, Barcelona.

2.Our school is “Escola El Turó”. It's a small school. There are about 200 pupils.

3.Because our school is a “green school”.

4.We switch off the lights when we do not need them or we just switch on half of the classroom lights because we try to use natural light.
We close the doors and windows to keep the rooms warm.
We switch off the computers and the monitors when we do not use them.

5.No, just the ones we said in the previous question.

6.Not yet, but we had a look at other school's blogs and wrote some comments.

7.We just have the school's mascot, which has the shape of a small mountain or hill. We also have a small article about a visit we did to the schools installations.

8.No, we haven't.

9.We think that the project is very good because we save energy and this is good for the planet.

10.What can you tell us about your school?
Why do you take part in the 50/50 project?
What do you do to save energy?
What do you do to keep warm and at the same time save energy?

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS, WE ARE GOING TO ANSWER QUITE SOON.

Interviewing pupils at Länsimetsä school about 50/50 project

Opinions about 50/50 project.



Jere (on the left)
Emilia(on the right)

Who are you? Jere Hintikainen and I´m in 6th grade.
Do you like our 50/50 -prjoject? Yes, I like.
Have you learned how to save energy? I have learned a lot.
Have you saved water or electricity? I suppose electricity.
Why do you need to save energy? Because otherwise we spent too much energy.
How do you save energy? We shut the lights when we leave and we wash hands quicly.
Who have saved most energy in your class? I can´t decide.
Will you save more energy in the future? Yes, I will!
What is your opinion about this interview? I got some options about 50/50 -prjoject.

Who are you? I´m Emilia Tiensuu and from 5M class.
Do you like our 50/50 -prjoject? Of couse.
Have you learned how to save energy? Yes.
Have you saved water or electricity? We have saved more electricity.
Why do you need to save energy? We save nature by saving energy.
How do you save energy? I swich the lights and use less water.
Will you save more energy in the future? Yes, I will.
What is your opinion about this interview? It was OK!

15/15 liked the 50/50 project.
7/15 have saved water at home.
8/15 have saved electricity at home
6/15 are saving electricity because then you save money.
6/15 save energy to help nature
3/15 save energy because for some other reason
13/15 save energy swiching the lights.
12/15 save energy by washing hands quicly
Almost everybody want to save more energy in the future!

Heidi ja Jenni

tiistai 18. tammikuuta 2011

Some funny videos about How to save energy:-)

If you use humour it may be easier to teach people how to save energy.
You don't have to understand Finnish to get the point.

http://www.youtube.com/helsinginenergia

sunnuntai 16. tammikuuta 2011

Long-term measurements

In November energy team made measurements of temperatures for two weeks. Every day at ten o'clock pupils went to all classrooms and other rooms and measured the temperatures. At the end of this period one pupil calculated the average temperatures of each room. Two pupils (Eero and Aleksi) colored floor plan green, red or blue. If the temperature was ok (20-21C), color was green. If it was too warm (22C or more), color was red and if it was too cold (19C or less), the color was blue.
Results were told to personnel and hopefully also to them who can fix the situation..

Now in January we are going to carry out long-term measurements again.

A message from our headmaster to evening users of our school

SAVING ENERGY

DEAR EVENING USERS OF LÄNSIMETSÄ SCHOOL

The use of heating, electricity and water in our school during the years 2010-2012 is followed very accurately. We participate in the international EURONET 50/50 energy saving project which target is to reduce the energy consumption as much as possible. In this way we in our little share want to take part in reducing the carbon dioxide emissions and slowing down the global climate warming.

The evening users have a great effect on the energy economy of our school. Therefore we hope that all the instructors of groups devote care to actions which affect the energy consumption. Saving energy is at least made by means of following measures:

1.If not necessary, avoid keeping the front door open.
2.Turn off the lights in the changing rooms and corridors as well as the hall after the last turn.
3.Observe: It’s not always necessary to use the full lightning in the hall.
4.Use the showers quickly.

Unfortunately according to the measurements (considering the weather conditions) the energy consumption during the late autumn rose a bit. Let’s try to get it down again straight after the New Year. The hall will be opened again after the Christmas break on 10.1.2011.

Matti Autio

50/50 as part of the entrepreneurship education

In November 2010 there was an international seminar called Exellence in Entrepreneurship Education at Vaasa Polytechnical University. I (the headmaster of Länsimetsä school) was asked to speak about entrepreneurship education in practice for the participants.

Entrepreneurship is not really a school subject in Finland, but it is one of the cross-curricular themes in our national curriculum. Actually the cross- curricular theme is called Participating citizenship and entrepreneurship. In a primary school the purpose of entrepreneurship education is not to make business but to increase enterprising attitude.

I think that 50/50 is not only a good way to save energy. It is also a very good entrepreneurship education project. Our students are main actors. They have been very creative even in this kind of thinking and they have really showed enterprising attitude in finding out so many ways to decrease the consumption of water or electricity.

The 50/50 –project has made good results so far, but there is still work to do. In November we noticed higher consumption in heating compared to earlier years. That is why I wrote an appeal to those, who use the school building in the evenings and during weekends. Our gym is available for after school use about 50 hours a week,so it really can be possible to get savings if we get sport clubs and other groups involved - with positive, enterprising attitude of course!

Hope that 2011 will be successful for our project! Happy New Year!

Matti Autio

sunnuntai 9. tammikuuta 2011

And what else have we done?

After the visit of waste advisers we got guide books. We (energy team) read those books at home and then we had a test.











The wind energy firm (The Switch) donated us kites. Every class had to decide who had been the most active agent in the class during energy saving week. And, as you see from the picture - pupils were happy about the awards!
In November we had Father's day.
We made cards and we used only recycling materials in those cards.



















Sorting theme is about to begin next year (2011) and we already made collages (grey, black and red ones). There you can check if you have forgotten how to sort.













Nelli and Silja are painting the cardboards (picture above).

Helmiina is sticking carbage into the collages (picture on the right).


Teachers have claimed that they can't get cold water from the faucet. The solution was easy - we bought two water jugs and put them into the fridge!

Reducing copying expenses easily: from November each family got only one briefing (only the oldest one in family gets the note). It means that nowadays we copy every time 50 less copies than earlier.