girls learning environment & energy - Stanford University · Stanford Solutions Science Lab,...

H o m e E n e r g y A c t i v i t y G u i d e

S t a n f o r d S o l u t i o n s S c i e n c e L a b

girls learning environment &

energy

This book belongs to Troop # _____________

Troop Leader:__________________________

Second Edition, 2016Copyright © 2012, 2016 The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All Rights Reserved.

Stanford Solutions Science Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing by the Solutions Science Lab. How-ever, reproduction in whole or in part is permitted for any purposes of the U.S. Govern-ment.

Printed in U.S.A.

Acknowledgment: This research, curriculum, online course and it’s dissemination was developed with funding from U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-e) Program Grant No. DE-AR0000018, California Energy Commission Grant No. PIR-10-054, Child Health Research Institute at Stanford University and Precourt Energy Efficiency Center at Stanford University.

Disclaimer: This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency therof.

About GLEE Home Energy Curriculum .........................................ii Session 1: Scavenger Hunt Overview ..............................................................................................1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................1.2 Action Jar ..............................................................................................1.2 Scavenger Hunt ..................................................................................1.4 Explanation of Video and Demonstration ................................1.6 Pledging ................................................................................................1.7 Scavenger Hunt Pictures .................................................................Insert Reminder Stickers ..............................................................................Insert Energy Activities Log and Pledge Sheet ...................................Insert GLEE Parent Newsletter 1 ...............................................................Insert

Session 2: Newsreporters Investigate Energy Use and Vampire Energy

Overview ..............................................................................................2.1 Action Jar ..............................................................................................2.2 Videotape the First GLEE News Segment .................................2.3 Vampire Energy Activity ..................................................................2.4 Pledging ................................................................................................2.5 GLEE Parent Newsletter 2 ...............................................................Insert Session 3: Energy Relay Race Overview ..............................................................................................3.1 Action Jar ..............................................................................................3.2 Energy Relay Race .............................................................................3.3 Videotape GLEE News Segment...................................................3.6 Pledging ................................................................................................3.7 Relay Race Cards ................................................................................Insert GLEE Parent Newsletter 3 ...............................................................Insert Session 4: Role-playing Solutions through Tough Situations Overview ..............................................................................................4.1 Action Jar ..............................................................................................4.2 Role-playing and Videotaping GLEE News Segment ...........4.3 Pledging ................................................................................................4.4 Scripts for Role-playing ...................................................................Insert GLEE Parent Newsletter 4 ...............................................................Insert Session 5: Patch Ceremony and Video Screening Overview ..............................................................................................5.1 Action Jar ..............................................................................................5.2 Video Screening ................................................................................5.3 Patch Ceremony .................................................................................5.3 GLEE Parent Newsletter 5 ...............................................................Insert Certificate of Completion ...............................................................Insert

Table of Contents

Dear Girl Scout Leader,

Girls Learning Environment and Energy (GLEE) is a behavior change program developed by energy and environmental experts, environmental educators, and child and family behavior change researchers at Stanford University. The researchers partnered with the Girl Scouts of Northern California to develop and test the program. It is designed to reduce household energy use, both at home through the Home Energy Activity Guide and for food and transportation behaviors through the Food Sustainability and Transportation Activity Guide.

GLEE is the first step in responsible, intelligent energy use. With GLEE you will help Girl Scouts and their families discover simple ways to save energy. You will also be able to build an exciting troop environment where saving energy becomes the norm and too much energy use is unappealing. Reducing energy use will help your troop and their families achieve both immediate and long-term rewards that include cost savings, improved quality of life and preserving the planet.

The activities included in the GLEE program are designed to motivate Girl Scouts to monitor their own energy use habits and then set goals to reduce energy use. Sessions promote both independent thinking and cooperative problem solving, and Girl Scouts use their own experience and knowledge to tackle real-life situations. They have the added incentive of being recognized and rewarded for sticking to their plans to reduce energy use. Although Girl Scouts are ultimately responsible for their own success, the whole troop works together to support energy use reduction efforts.

The program includes a parent education component to complement the troop sessions. To encourage household involvement, parents receive the GLEE newsletter to keep them abreast of troop activities and offer advice and suggestions on how to support their child’s efforts to reduce energy use. Girl Scouts are also encouraged to involve family and friends in their goal to reduce energy use successfully.

We congratulate you for making the important choice of deciding to adopt concrete steps to reduce the energy your troop uses and the impact your troop has on the environment.

Sincerely,

June A. Flora, PhD

Hilary S. Boudet, PhD

Nicole M. Ardoin, PhD

Thomas N. Robinson, MD, MPH

T h e o r e t i c a l F o u n d a t i o n

The activities in this program are rooted in the principles of Social Cognitive Theory. Social Cognitive Theory developed out of extensive psychological and educational research, and is one of the most widely accepted models of human behavior and learning.

Social Cognitive Theory demonstrates that learning and behavior change occur through the interplay of personal, behavioral and environmental factors. The GLEE program targets these three factors to help Girl Scouts reduce their energy use.

* Personal: Girl Scouts learn about all the ways they use energy in their daily lives and the harmful effect this energy use has on their family, the community and the planet. They are encouraged to develop new attitudes about energy use, including the value of conserving energy.

* Behavioral: Girl Scouts learn and practice new skills to meet their energy conservation goals. For instance, they learn how to monitor their current energy use and ways to decrease unnecessary use. They learn to feel good about themselves, both personally and as a group, for achieving their goals.

* Environmental: Girl Scouts learn to identify and overcome environmental barriers that may hinder their energy conservation goals, which include pressure from friends or siblings to do things that waste energy. The troop environment is transformed to support efforts to conserve energy.

Social Cognitive Theory suggests that children learn new behaviors most effectively through observation, guided practice and successful experiences with the behaviors. Consistent with this learning model, this program includes activities that allow students to observe and practice energy conservation behaviors.

C u r r i c u l u m b a s e d o n p r i n c i p l e s f r o m s o c i a l c o g n i t i v e t h e o r y

Session 1: The Scavenger Hunt introduces Girl Scouts to common energy users in the home. This activity will help Girl Scouts recognize which items use energy, how much energy different items use, and what they can do to reduce their energy use.

Session 2: The Vampire Energy Activity introduces the concept of vampire energy. Some electronic devices use energy even when they are turned “off” or in “standby” mode. This wasted electricity is called vampire energy. Vampire energy can be eliminated or greatly reduced by unplugging these devices or by plugging them into power strips and turning the power strips off. In this activity, Girl Scouts will learn about vampire energy by acting out the process of electricity usage when a device is turned on, turned off, and plugged into a power strip.

Session 3: The Energy Relay Race is a timed competition that asks Girl Scouts to identify the most energy-efficient way to interact with different household appliances. In this activity, Girl Scouts will practice energy-saving actions they can do at home. They will compete as teams to respond to scenarios dealing with energy use in the home as quickly as possible.

Session 4: The Role-Playing Activity gives the Girl Scouts a chance to practice having conversations with others about saving energy. In this activity, Girl Scouts will work through situations they might encounter with people they know. They will work in pairs to come up with solutions for situations in which someone else wants to take an action that wastes energy. Once they develop appropriate responses, the Girl Scouts will role-play to practice these conversations.

Session 5: The Patch Ceremony and Newscast Screening are opportunities for the troop to celebrate the hard work the Girl Scouts have put in over the course of the GLEE Program and their new, more energy-efficient lifestyles. During this session, the Girl Scouts will watch GLEE Newscasts they have created and receive a GLEE patch and Certificate of Completion.

About GLEE Home Energy

Page ii

Estimated Time: 60 minutes O b j e c t i v e s

Þ Girl Scouts will learn how to monitor their energy-use behaviors at home.

Þ Girl Scouts will learn the relative impact of different energy-use behaviors at home, on the environment, and energy bills.

Þ Girl Scouts will practice teaching others about energy-use behaviors and their effects on the environment and energy bills.

Þ Girl Scouts will set goals for changes to make in their own energy-use behaviors at home before the next session.

S e s s i o n O v e r v i e w1. Introduction (10 Minutes)2. Action Jar Game (10 Minutes)3. Scavenger Hunt (20 Minutes)4. Explanation of Video and Demonstration (10 minutes)5. Pledging (10 Minutes)

M a t e r i a l s c h e c k l i s t τ Tall clear plastic

container (Action Jar)

τ Pom-poms (one color)

τ Clear cups (one per Girl Scout)

τ Printed images for Scavenger Hunt

τ Tape

τ Stickers

τ Demonstration video (Computer with sound)

τ Pencils (one per Girl Scout)

τ Newscast Module from GLEE Course

τ Energy Activities Logs and Pledge sheets (one per Girl Scout)

τ GLEE Parent Newsletter (one per Girl Scout)

T a k e - H o m e I t e m s c h e c k l i s t τ Energy Activities Logs and completed Pledge sheets (one per Girl Scout)


τ Reminder stickers for the Girl Scouts to put up at home (from curriculum, or PDF from online course, or those made by Girl Scouts). Print stickers on removeable labels as recommended on the sticker insert pages.

Quick Facts: Þ Residential buildings (homes and apartment buildings) account for 23% of the total energy consumed in the U.S.

Þ Heating and cooling systems are responsible for more then 50% of the average household’s energy use and utility bill in the U.S.—that’s more than any other system in your home!

Þ Water heating is the second largest consumer of energy in the home. In a typical U.S. household the water heater uses more energy than the lights, TV, telephone, or computer combined. Source: Energysavers.gov

Session 1: Scavenger Hunt

Page 1.1

1

Introduction to the GLEE

Program

Clear a space on the floor for the Girl Scouts to form a circle.

1. Ask the Girl Scouts to sit in a circle on the floor.

2. Ask each Girl Scout to say something she does to save energy at home. If she is unsure, have her name something that she does at home that she thinks saves energy.

3. Welcome the Girl Scouts to the GLEE program.

Leader: “GLEE stands for Girls Learning Environment and Energy. In the next few troop meetings, we will be learning about the environment and saving energy. We will also be making a newscast like the ones you see on TV! Each week, as we learn more about the environment and energy, we’ll add more to the newscast. Eventually we can show it to your parents, friends, and other Girl Scout troops.”

4. Continue by asking them:

Leader: “How does energy use affect the environment?”

5. After several Girl Scouts have answered:

Leader: “Did you know that the way you use some household items can affect how much energy they use? So, let’s start learning about how we save energy around the house.”

The purpose of the Action Jar Game is to track the Girl Scouts’ energy-saving be-haviors over the course of the GLEE program. Every session will begin with this activity. The goal of the Action Jar Game is to accumulate as many pom-poms as possible. Each Girl Scout will earn a pom-pom for each environmentally friendly behavior she reports having done. Each week you will use a different color of pom-poms so the Girl Scouts can visualize their progress from week to week.

1. Ask the Girl Scouts to gather in a circle on the floor. Once they are seat-ed, show them the empty plastic container, and tell them it’s called the Action Jar. Introduce the Action Jar Game. Include the following points:

• We are going to keep track of the ways we save energy at home.

• The GLEE Leader will describe an action, and if you have completed the action, you will pick up a pom-pom and place it in your cup.

• We will play this game at the beginning of each session to keep track of our environmentally friendly actions.

Page 1.2

Setup for GLEE Leader

1. Introduction to Session 1 - 10 minutes

Introduction

2. Action Jar Game - 10 minutes

Directions for GLEE Leader

Show and explain how the Action Jar and pom-poms are

used to play the game.


Notes

2. Place the Action Jar in the center of the circle and scatter the pom-poms around the jar. After reading a few of the actions, ask a Girl Scout to explain why the action is so important for the environment.

• Did you turn off the lights when leaving your bedroom?

• Did you turn off the TV when you were not using it?

• Did you turn off a computer when it wasn’t in use?

• Did you plug electronics into a power strip?

• Did you switch the power strip off at night?

• Did you replace a regular light bulb with a CFL or LED?

• Did you take a 5 minute shower?

• Did you put up reminder stickers for your family?

• Did you talk with your family members about energy?

• Did you use the energy-saving setting on the dishwasher or air-dry your dishes?

• Did you wash your clothes in cold water?

• Did you hang-dry your clothes?

• Did you think before opening the refrigerator?

• Did you draw the drapes in your room?

3. After completing all of the questions, ask each Girl Scout to move to the center of the circle and pour her pom-poms from her cup into the jar.

4. Lead a discussion about this activity, covering the following topics and questions:

• What does the level of pom-poms in the jar represent?

• Why are we talking about saving energy at home, and how does this affect the environment?

Read the Actions below one at a time.

Girl Scouts should take a pom-pom and put it into their cup when they hear an action they have done.

Lead a discussion about the activity

Notes

Page 1.3

5. Tell the Girl Scouts that at the end of the meeting they will each take home an Energy Activities Log.

6. Introduce the Energy Activities Log: “The Energy Activities Log includes the same questions I asked during the Action Jar Game. Using your Energy Activities Log to track your actions will remind you what actions are good for the environment and will help you remember to do them. It will be difficult to improve if you do not bring the completed Log to every ses-sion. Consider keeping your Energy Activities Log on your refrigerator or someplace else where you will see it often.”

7. Ask the Girl Scouts to help you clean up the unused pom-poms.

8. Videotape about five seconds of the Action Jar with pom-poms inside. (This can be done after the meeting instead.) This video footage will be collected after every session and put together for the Final Session to show girls their energy savings over the GLEE program.

This activity will help the Girl Scouts to recognize which items throughout their houses use energy and what they can do with these items to reduce their energy use.

Tape the pictures of the items with statistics on the back around the room. If any of the items pictured are present in the room, stick the picture to that item.

Videotape

Introduction

3. Scavenger Hunt- 20 minutes


Introduce the Energy Activities Log

A few tips on filming that will make a big impact!(Great to teach the kids too!)

• Rehearse one time before videotaping. It will make a big difference.• Get close: These videos are about the kids, so let’s see them! The closer you

get with the camera, the better the sound and quality of the image.• Spacing: Keep faces in the upper half of the screen. If only one person is

on screen, move her to one side or the other. If there are two people, put them close together. You can draw a tic-tac-toe on the camera with dry-erase markers to help!

• Tripod: A tripod can help to stabilize the image. Raise or lower the tripod to face-level to give a more natural shot.

• Film before the clap: Always film 1-2 seconds before starting dialogues to avoid an abrupt start when editing.

• Avoid backlighting: Just like when you take photos, try to have the light coming from behind the camerawoman onto the Girl Scouts (so they are not left in the shadows!)

Notes

Page 1.4

1. Begin by explaining the activity and the expectations for the activity. Include the following points:

• The Girl Scouts will work in teams of 2–5 (depending on troop size) to identify as many items as possible that use energy in the room.

• Each team will have a sticker of a certain color with which to mark energy users.

• Girl Scouts will have five minutes to mark as many energy users as pos-sible with the appropriate reminder sticker.

• Each team must stay together. Team members must walk from one des-tination to another.

• The winning team will mark the most energy users with the appropriate reminder stickers and will play the role of energy expert in the troop newscast.

2. Answer questions the Girl Scouts have, and tell them you will be walking around as they work if they have other questions.

3. Divide the troop into groups of 2–5 Girl Scouts. Ask the groups to stand in opposite areas of the room. Remind them that they will have five minutes, and then let them get started.

4. When time is up, ask for the Girl Scouts’ attention.

5. When they are quiet, bring everyone back together and have the Girl Scouts present a few of the energy users that they found. For example, you can ask each team to choose an item that they found during the scavenger hunt and answer the questions below about that specific item. During this discussion, the second leader (if available) can determine which team won.

• Ask them how much energy they think each appliance uses relative to the others.

• Ask them what they think they and their families could do to save the energy used by appliances in their home.

• Point out that on the back of each picture, there is information about how much energy each thing uses and different things the Girl Scouts and their families could do to save energy.

• Explain that the experts will use this information when you tape the newscast.

6. Announce the winning team for the scavenger hunt. The winners will play the role of expert in the newscast next week.

7. Tell the Girl Scouts that they will each receive or make their own set of 6 reminder stickers at the end of the meeting to put up around their house to help remind them and their family to save energy.

Discussion following the Scavenger Hunt Game

Play the Scavenger Hunt Game

Directions for GLEE Leader: Explain the activityNotes

See D14 series: stickers,

or GLEE website; http://glee.

stanford.edu

Page 1.5

Explain to the Girl Scouts that they will begin making their GLEE Newscast video at the next session. The first segment of the newscast will focus on the Scavenger Hunt activity they just completed.

1. Ask the Girl Scouts if they can think of people typically seen in a newscast. Once some of the Girl Scouts have volunteered answers, briefly describe the different roles that will be included in GLEE News.

Ϣ Anchorwomen

Ϣ Investigative Journalists

Ϣ Environmental Experts

2. Tell the girls that you will show them a sample newscast, and ask them to pay attention to the different roles they see in the video and what each person’s responsibilities seem to be.

3. Describe the flow of the scene before showing the demonstration:

• First, an anchorwoman (sitting in a studio) introduces herself, the topic, and the investigative journalist(s).

• Second, the investigative journalist (onsite with microphone) describes what she has been investigating and introduces the environmental expert.

• Next, the environmental expert(s) (onsite) tells the story.

• The investigative journalist (if needed) summarizes what the expert said. (Example: “So, we just saw that the hot water heater uses a lot of energy and that, by turning the temperature of the hot water heater down to 120°F, we can save energy and lower the utility bill.”)

• An anchorwoman then thanks the journalist and makes a sugges-tion about how to reduce the impact on the environment. (Example: “Thanks, Sally. I am going to make sure my hot water heater is set to 120°F.”)

4. The Girl Scouts who choose to remain off-camera can still participate in filming. (NOTE: Depending on the number of Girl Scouts, you may have more than one Girl Scout filling each role.) The off-camera jobs include:

Ϣ Clapper-board

Ϣ Scene setup

Ϣ Camera operation

5. Show the Newscast demonstration video.

4. Explanation of Video & Demonstration- 10 minutes

Directions for GLEE Leader: Explanation of how to make a Newscast

Show Newscast Demonstration video

NotesIntroduction

Page 1.6

At the end of each session, the Girl Scouts will pledge to do something before the next meeting that will be helpful to the environment. Ideally, this pledge should be an action related to saving energy in the home, and it should be something they do not already do. This is a time for them to reflect on what they learned that day and to think about environmentally friendly actions they can take. You will also videotape the Girl Scouts reading their pledges.

During this time, hand out their Energy Activities Logs and ask them to use the Log to track their actions between sessions. Remind the Girl Scouts to bring their Energy Activities Log with them to every session.

Leader says: “It’s time to reflect on what we have learned today. I will give each of you an Energy Activities Log and Pledge sheet that has a place for you to write a pledge. The pledge is an action you plan to take that will save energy. This should be something you don’t already do. If you are having trouble coming up with a pledge, think about all the actions we discussed and did in GLEE today. The Energy Activities Log is where you will record your energy-saving actions between now and the next meeting.”

1. Distribute the Pledge sheets and Energy Activities Logs.

2. Explain the format of the pledge. Ask the Girl Scouts to think of and write down a pledge. Give them about two minutes to do this.

3. Ask the Girl Scouts to share their pledge one at a time with the rest of the troop.

4. Videotape each Girl Scout making her pledge. Generally, you can get enough footage by only recording pledges during the first session. To aid in the editing process, it is best to tape each Girl Scout in a separate recording.

5. Hand out the GLEE Parent Newsletter and ask the Girl Scouts to take it home to their parents.

6. Handout the reminder stickers and ask the Girl Scouts to take them home and put them up around their house.

7. Ask the Girl Scouts to list the things they need to remember for the next GLEE meeting:

Ϣ Give the GLEE Parent Newsletter to their parents.

Ϣ Put up reminder stickers around their house.

Ϣ Complete their pledges.

Ϣ Complete their Energy Activities Logs and bring them to the next session.

Things to do

Introduction

5. Pledging- 10 minutes


Notes

Page 1.7

Cut-out pages

Cut out the following pages from this booklet in order to play the games and do the activities.

1. Nine Scavenger Hunt Cards (After session 1 curriculum pages)

2. Energy Activities Log and Pledge (After the Scavenger Hunt cards) Keep the Log and Pledge

sheet as the original and make copies to give to the Girl Scouts. Or, purchase the packet of 12

from the Girl Scout office.

3. Stickers (After the Log and Pledge sheet) Keep the three pages of stickers as the originals and

make copies on removeable label paper to give to the Girl Scouts.

4. GLEE Parent Newsletters (After every session’s curriculum pages) Keep one newsletter for each

session and use them as the originals. Make copies to give to the Girl Scouts. Or, purchase the

packet of 60 Newsletters from the Girl Scout office. (12 Newsletters for each of the five sessions)

5. Energy Relay Race Game Cards (After session 3 curriculum pages)

6. Role-play scenarios 1-6 (After session 4 curriculum pages) Keep all three pages as the originals

and make copies to give to the Girl Scouts.

7. Certificate of Achievement (After session 5 curriculum) Keep as the original and make a copy

for each Girl Scout, or purchase the set of 12 Certificates from the Girl Scout office.

Dishwasher

Energy Use:

1. 8th largest energy user of common household appliances*

2. Most of the energy used by a dishwasher is used for heating the water**

Ways to save: à Air-drying dishes can save up to 50% of the energy your dishwasher uses**

*Department of Energy “Energy Saver” Tips on Saving Energy at home. Energysaver.gov

**www.consumerenergycenter.org/residential/appliances/dishwashers.html

Clothes Washer

Energy Use:


2. Most of the energy used by a washing machine is to heat the water

Ways to save: à Washing clothes in cold water as opposed to hot water uses less energy and cleans clothes just as well


Clothes Dryer

Energy Use:

1. 2nd largest energy user of common household appliances*

2. Most of the energy used by a

clothes dryer is in the heating

Ways to save: à Hang-drying clothes


RefrigeratorEnergy Use:


2. Refrigeration uses approximately 5% of the home’s total energy expense*

Ways to save: à Turn up the temperature so it’s between 37 and 40°F; a refrigerator that is too cold can use up to 25% more energy*

à Think before you open the refrigerator


Computers

Energy Use:


2. Plugged in computers and other electronics use energy called vampire energy, even when they’re turned off

Ways to save: à Unplug electronics when you are done using them

à Plug electronics into a power strip and turn off the power strip when you’re done using them to eliminate vampire energy


TVs and related electronics

Energy Use:


2. Plugged in TVs and related electronics use energy called vampire energy, even when they’re turned off

Ways to save: à Turn off electronics when you are done using them–

don’t leave them in sleep mode

à Plug electronics into a power strip and turn off the power strip when you’re done using them to eliminate vampire energy


Air Conditioning and Heating

Energy Use:

1. The biggest user of energy in the home

2. 48% of average U.S. home’s energy use (heating and cooling)

Ways to save: à Keep the temperature as low as comfortable in the winter and as high as comfortable in the summer

à Turn heat or air conditioning off or very low at night or when no one is home

à By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can save 30% on your energy bill


Lighting

Energy Use:

1. 5% of total U.S. home’s energy use*

Ways to save: à Turn off lights when you leave a room

à Put stickers around your house to remind people to turn out lights

à Switch to CFLs or LEDs, which last longer and save 50%-75% of the energy that goes into lighting a house


Water HeaterEnergy Use:

1. 2nd largest energy user of common appliances

2. 18% of total U.S. home’s energy use

Ways to save:

à Ask your parents to turn down the temperature on your water heater to 1200F

à Use less hot water by taking shorter showers

à Wash clothes in cold water


Energy Activities LogWhat have you done to save energy this week? Circle a picture for each day that you did each activity.

Turned off lights when leaving my bedroom

Turned off the TV when I wasn’t using it

Turned off a computer when not in use

Plugged electronics into a power strip

Put up reminder stickers for my family

Replaced a regular bulb with a CFL or LED

Switched off power strip at night

Talk with my family members about energy

(Circle if you did it.)

(Circle if you did it.)

Energy Activities Log Page 1

Take a 5 minute shower

GLEEReminder

Stickers

I pledgeI, ___________________________, pledge to

(name)

____________________________________________(environmental actions)

_______ times before the next GLEE troop meeting. (number of times you’ll do it)

I will help myself do this by:(circle all that you’ll do)

talking to my parentsmaking a chart to keep track

using my Energy Activities Logother: __________________________________

Energy Activities Log

Hang dried clothes

Think before opening the refrigerator

Draw the drapes (blinds or shades) in my room

Energy Activities Log Page 2

Washed clothes in cold water

What have you done with your parents to save energy this week? Circle a picture for each day that you did each activity.

Used the energy-saving setting on the dishwasher or air dried dishes

Leaving?

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Recommended label: Avery® White Removable ID Labels for Laser and Inkjet Printers 6464, 3-1/3” x 4”, or use other easy to remove labels - test before handing out to girls.

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WELCOME TO GLEEWelcome to GLEE (Girls Learning Environment and Energy)! We’re so excited that you and your Girl Scout are participating in our program. For five troop meetings, your Girl Scout will learn how to save energy and protect the environment.

CHOICES MATTERThe ways we use energy have huge impacts on the planet and our families. Most of the energy we use in the United States comes from non-renew-able sources, which means that someday we will run out of our most important resources, such as coal. Burning coal and other traditional energy sources generates gases and other pollutants that dirty our air and water. This also contributes to cli-mate change. Cutting back on our energy use can go a long way toward solving some of the world’s biggest environmental challenges.

Cutting energy use also pays off for families. The average American family spends almost $2,000 every year on energy bills. Reducing energy use around the home means families can spend less on energy bills and more on other priorities.

GLEE Parent Newsletter Issue One

DID YOU KNOW?Almost all of the energy we use in the United States--92 percent--comes from non-renewable sources such as coal and petroleum.

Source: energysavers.gov

TARGET ACTIONSThrough this program, your Girl Scout will learn about things she can do at home to save energy, both alone and with your help. Some of the actions we’ll discuss include:

• Turning off lights, televisions, and computers when not in use

• Plugging electronics into a power strip and switching power strips off at night

• Changing standard incandescent light bulbs to more efficient CFLs or LEDs

• Layering up or down clothing before changing the thermostat, and taking shorter showers

By improving energy efficiency, your Girl Scout can conserve natural resources and help your family save money on electricity and gas bills.

GLEE SESSIONSEach session will include hands-on activities to help girls fit these actions into their daily lives. The activities include an Action Jar (which will allow Girl Scouts to monitor their progress), pledges to set goals for the following session, a self-made newscast about what they’ve learned, and a game or activity. We encourage you to become involved, too. For example, you can ask your daughter about each week’s GLEE activities and support her as she accomplishes her weekly pledge. You can see a video of your Girl Scout in each session by going to the GLEE.stanford.edu website and using the private password from your troop leader.

glee news for

IN THIS ISSUE• Welcome to GLEE• Target Actions• Session Overview• Session Schedule• Supporting Your Girl Scout

Parents

SESSION SCHEDULE

Session Goal Main activities

1 Learn about all the things in our homes that use energy

Energy Scavenger Hunt

2 Learn about vampire energy use and how to prevent it

Vampire Energy Game

3 Practice energy-efficient behaviors Energy Relay Race 4 Promote actions in the community Act out skits about engaging with friends, family,

and the community5 Celebrate achievements! Watch the “newscast” we made together

GLEE Parent Newsletter Issue One

ENERGY ACTIVITY SHEETAfter each session, your Girl Scout will bring home an “Energy Activities Log” to track her energy-saving actions. We’d like your help and support to ensure that she completes her sheet and brings it to the next GLEE session, so that she can share her progress with the troop.

REMINDER STICKERSTo help your Girl Scout remember some of the energy-saving actions, we’ll provide reminder stickers to use around the house. Don’t worry about these becoming a permanent part of your home’s decor--they’re removable!

SUPPORTING YOUR GIRL SCOUTHere are five ways you can help your Girl Scout learn more and do more with GLEE:

1. 1. Listen carefully to what she says.2. 2. Offer to discuss what she’s doing with the

family, perhaps at dinner time. 3. 3. Play some of the games or visit some

of the links on the GLEE website together. https://glee.stanford.edu

4. 4. Help her complete her energy-saving actios.

5. We encourage you to look around at all of the information on the website. Notice on the home page we tell you about the online course that troop leaders took to learn about how to teach GLEE (it’s free and anyone can sign up if you are a Girl Scout Volunteer or family member). On the home page we also make announcements about breaking news on energy, food choices, and the environment as well as new additions to the website. Take note of the Parents and Kids tabs to learn more about energy--and how to have fun reducing energy.


Tur

n me off!


Þ Girl Scouts will learn how to monitor their energy-use behaviors at home.

Þ Girl Scouts will learn the relative impact of different energy-use behaviors at home, on the environment, and on energy bills.

Þ Girl Scouts will practice teaching others about energy-use behaviors and their effects on the environment and energy bills.

Þ Girl Scouts will learn about vampire energy and how to reduce it.

S e s s i o n O v e r v i e w 1. Action Jar Game (10 minutes)2. Videotape the first GLEE News Segment (30 minutes)3. Vampire Energy Activity (10 minutes)4. Pledging (10 minutes)

M a t e r i a l s C h e c k l i s t τ Tall clear plastic container with

pom-poms from previous week

τ Pom-poms (different color than first session)



τ Video camera

τ Clapper-board

τ Microphone

τ Energy Activities Log and Pledge sheet


T a k e - H o m e I t e m s C h e c k l i s t τ Energy Activities Log and Pledge sheet


τ Power strip as “take away”

Quick Facts: Þ Replacing 15 inefficient incandescent bulbs in your home with energy-saving compact

fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) could save about $50 per year in electricity bills.

Þ Programmable thermostats—when used correctly—can reduce the energy used for air conditioning or heating by up to 30%.

Þ Vampire energy may cost your family more than $100 per year in electricity bills.

Source: EIA.gov

Session 2: Newsreporters Investigate Energy Use and Discuss Vampire Energy2

Page 1.3Page 2.1

Remind the Girl Scouts that the purpose of the Action Jar Game is to track their environmentally friendly behaviors over the course of the GLEE program. The goal of the Action Jar Game is to accumulate as many pom-poms as possible. Girl Scouts will earn a pom-pom for each environmentally friendly behavior they report having done.

1. Ask the Girl Scouts to gather in a circle on the floor. Once they are seated, reintroduce the Action Jar Game.

• Do you remember what this is called? (Action Jar)

• What do the pom-poms represent? (Actions we’ve done since the last meeting that are good for the environment)

2. Remind the Girl Scouts how the Action Jar Game works. Include the following points:


• I will describe an action, and if you have completed the action, you will pick up a pom-pom and place it in your cup.

• We will play this game at the beginning of each session to keep track of our energy-saving actions.

• The goal is to increase the number of pom-poms you earn each week.

• Notice that we have a new color this week!

3. Place the Action Jar in the center of the circle and scatter the pom-poms around the jar.

4. Read the actions from the Energy Activities Log. After a few of the actions, ask one Girl Scout to explain why the action is important for the environment.

5. Also read the following two actions:

• Did you bring back your completed Energy Activities Log?

• Did you complete your pledge from last meeting?

6. After you have read all of the questions, ask each Girl Scout to move to the center of the circle and pour her pom-poms into the jar.

Notes1. Action Jar Game- 10 minutes


Read the Actions from the Energy Activities Log

Introduction

Page 2.2

NotesLead a discussion about the activity

7. Lead a discussion about this activity, covering the following topics and questions:


• Why are we talking about saving energy at home? What is the relationship between the environment and saving energy at home?

Videotape

Remind the Girl Scouts about the Energy Activities Log

8. Remind the Girl Scouts to keep track of their energy-saving actions again in their Energy Activities Log and to bring their Log to the next troop meeting.


10. Videotape about five seconds of the Action Jar with all of the pom-poms inside. (This can be done after the meeting instead.)

Have the Girl Scouts help identify a good location and backdrop to film your scenes.

1. Ask the Girl Scouts to remember the demonstration video from the last session. Brainstorm all of the different roles that are available.

Ϣ Anchorwoman

Ϣ Investigative Reporter(s)

Ϣ Environmental Expert(s)

Ϣ Camerawoman

Ϣ Clapper-board

2. Remind the Girl Scouts that the winners from the Scavenger Hunt at the last session will play the part of the experts in this news segment. Ask for volunteers for the remaining jobs. If there are multiple Girl Scouts who want the same job, you can have a tiebreaker. Remind them, too, that you will be taping multiple times, and that everyone should get a chance to do each job. Also, depending on the number of Girl Scouts in the troop, more than one girl may be able to fill the same role.


Directions for GLEE Leader: Setting the scene for the Newscast

2. Videotape the first GLEE news segment- 30 minutes

Page 2.3

Notes3. Have each expert choose one card to discuss while videotaping. Ask

them to focus on one or two bullet points on the card. The anchors will introduce the topic in the beginning and sum it up at the end, recapping what they learned and stating one action they will take to save energy. The reporters will interview the experts about the relevant appliance (e.g., “What can you tell us about the hot water heater? And what is something I can do to save energy?”).

4. Give the Girl Scouts five minutes to decide what they are going to say and to practice. The Girl Scouts who want off-camera jobs should set up the news desk and decide the best places for the reporters and experts to stand.

5. Videotape the first GLEE News segment.

Vampire Energy is energy that is used by some devices—such as telephone chargers, TVs, and DVD players—when they are plugged in, even if the devices are turned off. Vampire energy can be eliminated or greatly reduced by unplugging these devices, or plugging them into power strips and turning off the power strips when the devices are not in use. In this activity, the Girl Scouts will learn about vampire energy by acting out the process of electricity usage when a device is turned on, turned off, and plugged into a power strip.

1. Ask the Girl Scouts if anyone knows what vampire energy is.

2. Vampire energy is energy that is used by some electrical devices such as telephone chargers and TVs when the devices are turned off but still plugged into the outlet. Like a vampire that sucks blood, vampire de-vices suck energy. You can avoid using vampire energy by unplugging devices that are not in use or by plugging them into a power strip and turning the power strip off.

3. Tell the Girl Scouts that to better understand how vampire energy works, they are going to act it out.

4. Ask for volunteers to play the following parts: Ϣ An electronic device that uses vampire energy of

the troop’s choosing (e.g., TV or computer)

Ϣ Outlet

Ϣ Power strip

Ϣ Girl Scout

Ϣ All of the remaining Girl Scouts will play the role of the current.

Introduction

3. Vampire Energy Activity- 20 minutes


Page 2.4

Notes5. The scene goes as follows:

• Girl Scouts playing the ‘current’ stand between the ‘device’ and the ‘outlet.’ The ‘Girl Scout’ plugs the ‘device’ into the outlet and turns on the ‘device.’ Ask the Girl Scouts what the ‘current’ should do when the ‘device’ is turned on. *Wiggle like crazy!* The ‘Girl Scout’ turns off the ‘device.’ Ask the Girl Scouts what the ‘current’ should do when the ‘device’ is turned off but plugged into the wall. *Wiggle a little bit.*

• The ‘Girl Scout’ plugs the ‘device’ into the ‘power strip,’ plugs the ‘power strip’ into the ‘outlet,’ and turns off the ‘power strip.’ Ask the Girl Scouts what the ‘current’ should do when the ‘power strip’ is turned off. *Stop wiggling.*

• Ask the Girl Scouts if anyone has questions about vampire energy.

• If you have enough Girl Scouts in your troop, you can have them play this activity as a race. Explain to the Girl Scouts that you are going to split them into two teams and see which team can repeat the exercise the most amount of times in two minutes.

• The Girl Scouts on the winning team will be the experts in the GLEE News Segment.

• Encourage the Girl Scouts to cheer for each other during the relay race.

6. If you have time you can also videotape the vampire energy activity–giving each girl a card saying what they are–electronic device, outlet, power strip, Girl Scout.

Remind the Girl Scouts that at the end of each session, they will make a pledge to do something before the next troop meeting that will be helpful to the environment. This pledge should ideally be an action related to saving energy in the home, and it should be something they do not already do. This is a time for them to reflect on what they learned today and think about the environmentally friendly actions they can take. Remind them to use their Energy Activities Log to keep track of their actions and to bring their Log to the next troop meeting.

1. Ask the Girl Scouts to sit in a circle on the floor. Leader: “It’s time to reflect on what we have learned today. I will give each of you an Energy Activities Log and Pledge sheet that has a place for you to write a pledge. The pledge is an action you plan to take that will save energy. This should be something you don’t already do. If you are having trouble coming up with a pledge, think about all the actions we discussed and did in GLEE today. The Energy Activities Log is where you will record your energy-saving actions between now and the next meeting.”

Introduction



Play the Vampire Energy Activity

Page 2.5

Notes2. Distribute the Pledge sheets and Energy Activities Logs.

3. Explain the format of the pledge. Ask the Girl Scouts to think of a pledge and write it down. Give them about two minutes to do this.

4. Ask the Girl Scouts to share their pledge one at a time with the rest of the troop. Videotape each Girl Scout making her pledge. To aid in the editing process, it is best to tape each Girl Scout in a separate recording.


6. Ask the Girl Scouts to list the things they need to remember for the next GLEE meeting.

• Give the GLEE Parent Newsletter to their parents.• Complete their pledges.• Complete their Energy Activities Logs and bring them to the next

session.

Page 2.6

VAMPIRE ENERGYLike vampires, many of the appliances and elec-tronics in our homes suck electricity when we least expect it. Most people think that when they turn off an appliance, it no longer uses energy. But many electronics and appliances are active energy users even when powered down so that they can display the time, receive a remote control signal, or be ready to turn on at any time.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, vampire energy “represents a relatively small but growing percentage of an individual home’s elec-tricity use (about five percent), but taken across all U.S. households, adds up to an estimated 65 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. This extra electricity costs consumers more than $5.8 billion annually and sends more than 87 billion pounds of heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.”

THE USUAL SUSPECTSIn most homes, computers, televisions, DVD play-ers, game consoles, and microwaves are the main offenders. Electronics and appliances with internal clocks, LED displays, or remote controls are culprits because they do not necessarily turn off when you hit the power button but instead go into stand-by mode. Chargers for your cell phone or portable music player are also guilty. These chargers draw power even once the device has finished charging and often when the device is disconnected.

GLEE Parent Newsletter Issue Two

DID YOU KNOW?The costs of vampire energy can add up. Here’s about what you’ll pay over the course of a year for vampire energy for some common house-hold appliances:

Cordless phone base: $3 Game console: $26Computer: $34Plasma TV: $160

Source: Sixwise.com

PLUG IN, POWER DOWNUnplugging devices when they’re not being used is the only way to eliminate potential energy loss. But that can be a hassle, especially in hard-to-reach areas or for systems with several components, such as a computer or home entertainment system. A power strip can help make

powering down easier, as you can turn off all the devices with the flip of a switch.

A power strip controls the electricity that flows to all the devices plugged into it. When you turn off the power strip, you cut the power to all the devices plugged into it, eliminating the vampire energy problem. Since U.S. households spend about $100 per year on average to power devices in low-power modes, using a power strip not only saves time, but also saves money.

glee news forIN THIS ISSUE

• Vampire Energy• Using a Power Strip• Online Energy Tools

Parents

Check out the GLEE website. There are two parts: One for the girls and one for families. You and your children can view each section and pick something fun to do before the next GLEE session. For parents, check us out on our GLEE Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you!

GLEE Parent Newsletter Issue TwoGLEE Parent Newsletter Issue Two

Most utility companies in California- PG&E, GCE, SMUD & SPG&E- offer online tools to help you track your home energy use. Having this information will help you and your Girl Scout understand how you’re using energy, identify ways

to cut down on energy use, and see what kind of impact your energy-saving actions are having.

LOG INTo see details about your energy use, you’ll need to log into your account. PG&E customers can log in at www.pge.com. If you don’t already have an account, click “Sign Up” to create one. Then, click “Usage” on the left menu to see how you’re using energy. Check out your own utility companies’ website to learn more.

TRACK YOUR ENERGY USEMost utility websites allow you to see your energy use over months, days, and even hours (if you have a Smart meter). Try seeing how your energy use varies throughout the day. Are there certain times of the day when your use is the highest? For many families, energy use peaks in the morning as everyone gets ready and again in the evening around dinner time. You can also see how your energy use varies day by

CONDUCT YOUR OWN ENERGY AUDIT:USING ONLINE TOOLS TO ANALYZE YOUR ENERGY USE

day, or as the weather and seasons change. And for a longer-term view, click on “Usage History” to view historical electricity and gas usage by month and year.

OTHER ONLINE TOOLSEARTHAIDEarthaid.net helps you track your energy use, provides you with energy-saving tips, and gives you rewards when you save energy.

HOME ENERGY SAVERThe tools at hes.lbl.gov will compute your home’s energy use using models and data developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It will also provide energy-cutting suggestions to help you save energy.

ENERGY CHECKUPVisit energycheckup.com to find out how your energy bills compare to your neighbors’, learn about energy audits and find an inspector, and connect with rebates and other energy-saving incentives that might be available to help you.

See the GLEE website for more information and tools for saving energy.

Quick Facts: Þ An old inefficient refrigerator costs you as much as $280 more per year to run than newer, more efficient models.

Þ The average clothes dryer costs about $85 a year to operate or approximately $1,530 over a typical lifetime of 18 years.

Þ Air-drying dishes instead of using a dishwasher’s heat-dry setting will reduce the dishwasher’s total energy use by up to 50%. Source: http://www.consumerenergycenter.org


Þ Girl Scouts will learn and practice energy-saving behaviors around the house.

Þ Girl Scouts will practice teaching others about daily energy-use behaviors, and their effects on the environment and energy bills.

Þ Girl Scouts will set goals for changes to make in terms of their own energy-use behaviors at home before next session.

S e s s i o n O v e r v i e w1. Action Jar Game (10 minutes)2. Energy Relay Race (20 minutes)3. Videotape GLEE News Segment (20 minutes)4. Pledging (10 minutes)

M a t e r i a l s C h e c k l i s t

T a k e - H o m e I t e m s C h e c k l i s t τ Energy Activities Logs and Pledge sheets (one per Girl Scout, as seen in Session 1) τ GLEE Parent Newsletter (one per Girl Scout)

τ Octopus clothes hanger or clothes pins/hanger made by Girl Scouts

τ Tall clear plastic container with pom-poms from previous weeks

τ Pom-poms (different color than previous sessions)


τ Power strip

τ Two or three sample electronics to plug in (e.g., phone charger, computer, etc.)

τ Mock readouts from refrigerator thermometer

τ Mock refrigerator temperature dial

τ Mock dishwasher with drying options dials

τ Several scenarios for heating/air conditioning system

τ Mock adjustable thermostat for heating/air conditioning system

τ Suggested thermostat settings

τ Washcloth

τ Mock washing machine with water temperature options dials

τ Octopus hang dryers

τ Two or three clothing items

τ Sticky dot labels

τ Timer

τ Video camera

τ Tripod

τ Clapper-board

τ Microphone


τ Energy Activities Log

τ Pledge sheet

τ Parent Newsletter

Session 3: Energy Relay Race3

Page 3.1

Notes

Remind the Girl Scouts that the purpose of the Action Jar Game is to track their environmentally friendly behaviors over the course of the GLEE program. The goal of the Action Jar Game is to accumulate as many pom-poms as possible.

Girl Scouts will earn a pom-pom for each environmentally friendly behavior they report having done.




2. Remind the Girl Scouts how the Action Jar Game works. Include the following points:




• The goal is to increase the number of pom-poms you earn each week. Notice that we have a new color this week!

3. Place the Action Jar in the center of the circle and scatter the pom-poms around

4. Read the actions from the Energy Activities Log. After a few of the actions, ask one Girl Scout to explain why the action is important for the environ-ment.





Introduction:



Read the Actions from the Energy Activities Log one at a time.

Page 3.2

Notes7. Lead a discussion about this activity, covering the following topics and questions:


• Why are we talking about saving energy at home?

• What is the relationship between the environment and saving energy at home?



10. Videotape about five seconds of the Action Jar with all of the pom-poms inside (this can be done after the meeting instead).

In this activity, the Girl Scouts will practice energy-saving actions they can do at home. They will compete as teams to quickly and appropriately respond to scenarios dealing with residential energy use.

Set up the relay race stations, as follows:

• STATION 1 - ELECTRONICS: Power strip in ‘on’ position, 2–3 electronics (unplugged)

• STATION 2 - REFRIGERATOR: Mock readouts from refrigerator thermometer, mock refrigerator temperature dial

• STATION 3 - DISHWASHER: Mock dishwasher setting displays, sticky dot labels

• STATION 4 - HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING: Scenarios for heating/air conditioning system, suggested thermostat settings, mock adjustable thermostat

• STATION 5 - SHOWER: Washcloth

Videotape

Remind the Girl Scouts about the Energy Activities Log

Introduction

2. Energy Relay Race - 20 minutes


Lead a discussion

Page 3.3

• STATION 6 - WASHING MACHINE: Mock washing machine setting display, sticky dot labels

• STATION 7 - CLOTHES DRYING: Octopus hang-dryer, 2–3 clothing items

Explain the activity to the Girl Scouts. Include the following points:

• The Girl Scouts will be divided into teams of 4–7 (depending on the number of Girl Scouts in the troop). Each team will be timed while completing the relay.

• Each station of the relay represents an appliance commonly found in the home. At each station, the Girl Scouts are tasked with determining the action they can take that will save the most energy.

• Each Girl Scout should take responsibility for one relay station (or more than one station, if there are fewer than seven Girl Scouts in the relay).

• Once the Girl Scout at Station 1 correctly completes her action, she will tag the Girl Scout at Station 2, who will complete her action and tag the Girl Scout at Station 3, and so forth.

• One team at a time will complete the relay, and the GLEE Leader will use the stopwatch to keep time. The winning team will be the one that correctly completed all of the actions in the shortest amount of time.

• The Girl Scouts on the winning team will be the experts in the GLEE News segment.

• Encourage the Girl Scouts to cheer for each other during the relay race.

• ELECTRONICS: Plug all of the appliances into the power strip and turn the power strip to the ‘off’ position.

• REFRIGERATOR: Turn over a mock readout from the refrigerator thermometer and adjust the temperature dial accordingly. The ideal refrigerator temperature is between 37°F and 40°F.

• DISHWASHER: Place the sticky dot label on the correct button for air-drying on the mock dishwasher setting displays.

• HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING: Turn over a scenario card. Using the suggested thermostat settings as a guide, adjust the temperature dial.

• SHOWER: Use the washcloth to pretend to take a short shower.

• WASHING MACHINE: Place the sticky dot label on the correct button for a cold-water wash on the mock washing machine setting displays.

• CLOTHES DRYING: Hang the clothes on the octopus dryer.

Directions for GLEE Leader: Explain the activity

Walk through a demonstration of each of the stations.

Notes

Page 3.4

1. Divide the troop into teams, each with 4–7 Girl Scouts. If you have fewer girls make smaller teams and reduce the number of stations.

2. Start the race! Teams will go through the relay one at a time, and the GLEE Leader will time them.

ELECTRONICS: N/A

REFRIGERATOR THERMOMETER: Answers below pictures.

DISHWASHER: Put sticky dot above heated dry to remind you to turn it off, or air dry.

Play the Relay Race!Notes

42.2°F–This is too warm. Dial should be moved slightly to the right to make it cooler.

33.7°F–This is too cold. Dial should be moved slightly to the left to make it warmer.

37.1°F–This temperature is perfect. No adjustments necessary.

36.5°F–This is slightly too cool. Dial should be turned to the right to make it slightly warmer.

Answer Key for Energy Relay Race!

Page 3.5

HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING:

ELECTRONICS: N/A

SHOWER: N/A

WASHING MACHINE:

CLOTHES DRYING: N/A

Have the Girl Scouts help identify a good location and backdrop to film your scenes.

1. Ask the Girl Scouts to recall from the previous meeting how the taping of the GLEE News segments works.

Notes

3. Videotape the GLEE news segment- 20 minutes



It is the Fourth of July, and your whole family is going to an all-day picnic.

What temperature should you set the thermostat?82°F

Your family is celebrating New Year’s Eve at your house.


It is February, and everyone in your house is going to bed.


It is August, and your family is hanging out inside playing a board game.


Announce the winning team. These Girl Scouts will be the experts in the GLEE News segment.

Page 3.6

2. The winners of the relay race will play the part of experts, acting out the relay race for the news segment. Ask for volunteers for the remaining jobs:

Ϣ Anchorwoman


Ϣ Camerawoman

Ϣ Clapper-board

3. The anchors will introduce the topic in the beginning and sum it up at the end, recapping what they learned and stating one action they will take to save energy. The experts will demonstrate what they did at each station of the relay race. Each expert should explain what she is doing and why during the videotaping.

4. Give the Girl Scouts five minutes to decide what they are going to say and to practice. The Girl Scouts who want off-camera jobs should set up the news desk and decide the best places for the reporters and the experts to stand.

5. Videotape the GLEE News segment.


1. Ask the Girl Scouts to sit in a circle on the floor. Leader: “It’s time to reflect on what we have learned today. I will give each of you an Energy Activities Log and Pledge sheet that has a place for you to write a pledge. The pledge is an action you plan to take that will save energy. This should be something you don’t already do. If you are having trouble coming up with a pledge, think about all the actions we discussed and did in GLEE today. The Energy Activities Log is where you will record your energy-saving actions between now and the next meeting.”

2. Distribute the Pledge sheets and Energy Activities Logs.

3. Explain the format of the pledge. Ask the Girl Scouts to think of a pledge and write it down. Give them about two minutes to do this.

4. Ask the Girl Scouts to share their pledges one at a time with the rest of the troop. Videotape each Girl Scout making her pledge. To aid in the editing process, it is best to tape each Girl Scout in a separate recording.

Videotape


Introduction


Notes

Page 3.7




session.

Notes

Page 3.8

�Recommended refrigerator temperature setting:

370F

�

Recommended thermostat settings:

Winter Summer

When you’re home 680F 780F

When you’re sleeping or not at home 600F 820F

Recommended hot water temperature setting:

1200F

It is the Fourth of July, and your whole family is going to an all-day picnic.

What temperature should you set the thermostat before you leave?

It is February, and everyone in your house is going to bed.

What temperature should you set the thermostat?

Your family is celebrating New Year’s Eve at your house.


It is August, and your family is hanging out inside playing a board game.


�

ADJUST TO SAVEMany of the electric appliances in our homes use more energy than necessary because they’re not properly adjusted. Fixing this problem usually takes just a few minutes, and you—and the planet—will enjoy the benefits for years to come. During the meeting, your Girl Scout learned and practiced (through a simulation) how to make these adjust-ments around the house. She might want to follow through with some of them at home, with your permission. Rest assured that these changes to your appliances are safe—they have been devel-oped and vetted by many energy-efficiency and home-improvement experts. And the appliances should work just as well with the new settings. If necessary, you can tweak the adjustments slightly to find a setting that works for everyone.

HOT WATER HEATERYou can reduce your water-heating costs by low-ering the thermostat setting on your water heater. For each 10ºF reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3% and 5% in energy costs. Most people don’t notice a difference in their hot

water after they’ve lowered their water heater’s thermostat because we rarely use pure hot water—we almost always cool it by mixing it with cold water. Most health experts recommend that you don’t lower your water heater’s temperature below 120ºF.

GLEE Parent Newsletter Issue Three

DISHWASHERYou can pay to have your dishwasher dry your dishes, or you can let the air do it for free. Switch off the automatic-dry option on your dishwasher to let the dishes air dry. Or, if you don’t have an automatic air-dry switch, turn the dishwasher off after the final rinse cycle, and prop the door open slightly to help the dishes dry more quickly.

REFRIGERATORRefrigerators are big energy users in the home: On average, a refrigerator consumes about one-sixth of the household’s energy, so making sure it’s prop-erly adjusted can make a difference. In general, re-frigerators should be set at 37°F and freezers at 3°F. (You should check with your manufacturer for the best setting for your refrigerator). Settings below these temperatures are probably using more ener-gy than you need to keep your food fresh.

LAUNDRYAs much as 90% of the energy used to wash clothes in a conventional machine is used to heat the water. And washing in hot water can generate five times as many greenhouse gas emissions as washing in cold water. But hot water doesn’t do a better job at getting most clothes clean. Unless you’re working with oily stains, warm or cold water will work just as well as hot. And you can save even more energy when you hang clothes up and let the air, not your dryer, do the work.


• Adjustments for Home Appliances• Home Heating and Cooling• How to Become an ENERGY STAR

Parents

GLEE Parent Newsletter Issue TwoGLEE Parent Newsletter Issue Three

According to the US Department of Energy’s “Energy Savers Booklet,” heating and cooling systems in American homes:

• Use more energy and drain more energy dollars than any other system in people’s homes.

• Emit 150 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, adding to global climate change.

• Generate about 12% of the nation’s sulfur dioxide and 4% of the nitrogen oxides, which are the chief ingredients in acid rain.

Keeping your home heating and cooling system properly adjusted will translate to energy savings, and help keep dangerous pollutants out of the air.

A QUICK GUIDE TO KEEPING YOUR HOME AND THE PLANET AT A COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE

The easiest way to quickly cut your heating and cooling costs is to set your thermostat lower in the winter and higher in the summer. Setting it back 10°F to 15°F for eight hours a day can save you about 10% in annual energy costs. This big of an adjustment might be tough while you’re awake and in the house, but many people find it easy to set the thermostat back during times when they are sleeping or out of the house.

A programmable thermostat can make it easier to create settings that automatically adjust depending on your schedule. And you might also find that adjusting the settings by just a few degrees while you are in the home might not affect your level of comfort.

THE GLEE WEBSITECheck out the website to find embedded games, crafts and field trips for girls and families on saving energy. In particular, check out the Power House game where you can begin game play immediately and you can compete with family members, friends and relatives. If you live in California and are really ambitious, you can sign up to have your “real” electricity consumption embedded in the game and see how game play can help you save energy.

BECOME AN ENERGY STARWhen the time comes to replace an appliance, you can add energy efficiency to the mix of features you consider when making your choice, and the ENERGY STAR program can help. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. ENERGY STAR certifies energy-efficient appliances so they’re easy for consumers to find. According to ENERGY STAR, “Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2010 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 33 million cars—all while saving nearly $18 billion on their utility bills.” Just look for the ENERGY STAR logo (pictured above) for qualified appliances.


Þ Girl Scouts will monitor their energy-use behaviors at home.

Þ Girl Scouts will develop solutions for overcoming barriers to energy-saving actions.

Þ Girl Scouts will practice overcoming barriers and advocating energy-saving actions.

Þ Girl Scouts will practice teaching others about daily energy-use behaviors and their effects on the environment and energy bills.

Þ Girl Scouts will set goals to change their own energy-use behaviors at home before next session.

S e s s i o n O v e r v i e w1. Action Jar Game (10 minutes)2. Role-playing and Videotaping GLEE News Segment (40 minutes)3. Pledging (10 minutes)

M a t e r i a l s C h e c k l i s t τ Tall clear plastic container with pom-poms from previous week.


τ Clear cups

τ Tear out role-play scripts

τ Video materials: tripod, camera, microphone, clapper board, newscast props


τ Energy Activities Logs and Pledge sheets (one per Girl Scout)


T a k e - H o m e I t e m s C h e c k l i s t τ Energy Activities Pledge and Log (one per Girl Scout)


Session 4: Role-playing Solutions to Tough Situations4

Quick Facts: Þ Almost 20% of the total electricity consumed by home appliances becomes vampire

energy, or energy that is drawn from appliances while they are in standby mode.

Þ Replacing 25% of the lights used most often in your house can save about 50% of your lighting energy bill.

Þ During the summer, you can save 1–3% of your air conditioning bill for each degree the thermostat is set above 720F. Source: http://www.consumerenergycenter.org

Page 4.1





2. Remind the Girl Scouts how the Action Jar Game works. Include the fol-lowing points:




• The goal is to increase the number of pom-poms you earn each week.



4. Read the actions from the Energy Activities Log. After a few of the ac-tions, ask one Girl Scout to explain why the action is important for the environment.





NotesIntroduction:




Page 4.2

Notes7. Lead a discussion about this activity, covering the

following topics and questions:

• What does the level of pom-poms in the jar repre-sent?





10. Videotape about five seconds of the Action Jar with all of the pom-poms inside. (This can be done after the meeting instead).

In this activity, Girl Scouts will work in pairs to develop solutions for situations in which someone wants to take an action that wastes energy. Once the Girl Scouts develop appropriate responses, they will practice using those responses through role-playing conversations.

Role-playing

1. Ask the Girl Scouts to sit in a circle. Once they are seated, ask if any of them have ever performed in a play or skit. If a troop member says yes, then ask her to describe a skit.

2. Respond with a remark that good plays, TV shows, and movies often have tough situations that are then resolved. The technique of creating a rising tension in the storyline and then resolving that tension is commonly used in drama.

3. Tell the Girl Scouts that they will perform skits about finding ways to address difficult situations. Tell them that you will present them with difficult situations, and they will develop ideas for how to resolve the situations, help write the skit, and then perform the skit for the next segment of the GLEE Newscast.

4. Divide the Girl Scouts into pairs and give each group a set of role-play situation papers.

Lead a discussion

Videotape

Energy Activity Logs

Introduction:

2. Role-playing and Videotaping - 40 minutes


Page 4.3

5. Tell the Girl Scouts they have about 10 minutes to develop and practice their skits.

6. Bring the groups back together for videotaping.

1. Ask the Girl Scouts to recall from the previous meeting how the taping of the GLEE News segments works.

2. Ask for volunteers for each job. Ϣ Anchorwoman


Ϣ Environmental Expert(s)

Ϣ Camerawoman

Ϣ Clapper-board

3. Give the Girl Scouts five minutes to decide what they are going to say and to practice. The Girl Scouts who wanted off-camera jobs should set up the news desk and decide the best places for the reporters and the experts to stand.

4. Videotape the GLEE News segment. In this segment, the anchors will in-troduce the topic in the beginning and sum it up at the end. The reporters will introduce the role-play scenarios. The experts will perform the skits.

Notes


1. Ask the Girl Scouts to sit in a circle on the floor.

Leader: “It’s time to reflect on what we have learned today. I will give each of you an Energy Activities Log and Pledge sheet that has a place for you to write a pledge. The pledge is an action you plan to take that will save energy. This should be something you don’t already do. If you are having trouble coming up with a pledge, think about all the actions we discussed and did in GLEE today. The Energy Activities Log is where you will record your energy-saving actions between now and the next meeting.”

2. Distribute the Energy Activities Logs and Pledge sheets.

Introduction



Videotaping

Page 4.4

Notes3. Explain the format of the pledge. Ask the Girl Scouts to think of and write down a pledge. Give them about two minutes to do this.

4. Ask the Girl Scouts to share their pledges one at a time with the rest of the troop.

5. Videotape each Girl Scout making her pledge. To aid in the editing pro-cess, it is best to tape each Girl Scout in a separate recording.




session.

Page 4.5

R o l e P l a y # 1

Scenario: Your dad is putting a load of laundry in the washing machine. You notice that he’s setting the machine to wash with hot water.

Girl Scout: _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Dad: But I thought using hot water in the washing machine made clothes cleaner.

Girl Scout: ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Dad: OK, I’ll wash them in cold water, then I’ll switch them to the dryer and we’ll head out to your game.

Girl Scout: ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

R o l e - P l a y # 2

Scenario: You are playing a computer game at your friend’s house after school. The two of you decide to go play outside while it’s still light out, and your friend leaves the computer on.

Girl Scout: ___________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Friend: Nah, let’s just go outside. It’s a pain to turn it off and I don’t want to lose my game

Girl Scout: ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Friend: But my brother is going to want to use the computer when he gets home in a couple hours, so it’s better if I just leave it on.

Girl Scout: ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

R o l e P l a y # 3

Scenario: Your family has a Friday Movie Night in your living room. When the movie is over, your mom says it’s time for everyone to go to bed and turns the TV off.

Mom: Bedtime! Since we’re finished with the TV and DVD player for the night, I’m turning them off.

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Mom: But I’m turning them off. That should keep them from using energy during the night.

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Mom: But there are so many electronic devices here – TV, DVD player, DVR. It’s too much of a hassle to reach back behind there and unplug all of them.

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

R o l e - P l a y # 4

Scenario: The light bulb in your bedside lamp has burned out. Your mom says she’ll pick up a new one at the store tomorrow.

Girl Scout: _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Mom: But those light bulbs cost more. I’m going to get the regular kind.

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Mom: Hmm, that’s interesting. But don’t you think they look kind of weird?

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

R o l e P l a y # 5

Scenario: Your grandmother is staying with you. Before bed, you notice that she turns the thermostat up to 72 degrees.

Girl Scout: ____________________________________________________________________

Grandma: What??? That’s too cold. My old bones will freeze in those temperatures!

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

Grandma: OK, fine. I guess I can use extra blankets at night, but first thing in the morning I’m going to crank the heat up to 75 degrees.

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

Grandma: I will be way too cold during the day at that temperature, when I can’t just snuggle up under the covers.

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

R o l e - P l a y # 6

Scenario: You notice a lot of places around school where students and teachers could be saving energy (leaving lights on, leaving computers plugged in, etc). You decide you want to talk to the principal about organizing a energy team to monitor energy use and make changes to reduce your school’s energy use.

Principal: I hear you wanted to talk to me. What can I do for you?

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

Principal: How would this be good for the school, the kids and the parents?

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

Principal: I am concerned about how students and teachers may react to these changes. How do you plan to get them excited about making these changes?

Girl Scout: __________________________________________________________________________

KNOWLEDGE IS POWERMaking small changes around the home to save energy is easy and effective. You are virtually guaranteed to save money and reduce pollution. But you can boost your efforts by putting information on your side.

Energy audits can help uncover your biggest energy hurdles, and identify fixes that will put money in your pocket. And new in-home energy monitors that provide real-time feedback about energy usage can make it easy to see how you’re using energy in your home, and the differences you’re making when you take action to cut energy use.

CUT BACK WITH FEEDBACKMost people today have to wait until they receive their energy bill to see if and how their actions add up. PG&E’s account information can give you more detail, and new in-home energy monitors take this kind of feedback a step further. These monitors can provide second-by-second feedback about your energy use. Turn on a hair dryer or start toasting a piece of bread to see how your energy use increases. Switch off a light or change a setting on an appliance, and watch your energy use fall.

Research suggests that having this kind of feedback can help reduce household energy use by 4% to 12%. And if you think reducing your energy use by just 5% won’t make a difference,

GLEE Parent Newsletter Issue Four

consider this: researchers have estimated that well designed feedback program broadly implemented in U.S. households could save 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity by 2030.

glee news forIN THIS ISSUE• Understanding Your Energy Use• Energy Audits

• Reminder stickers for friends and family

Parents

DID YOU KNOW?Each year, nearly $13 billion worth of energy in the form of heated or cooled air escapes through holes and cracks in residential buildings.

Source: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

HOME ENERGY MONITORSTED (The Energy Detective) is an example of a sim-ple home energy monitor that allows you to see electricity usage in real-time. You no longer have to wait for the “electricity bill surprise!” TED will ac-curately tell you what your bill is going to be long before the electric bill arrives. Meanwhile, you will learn more about conserving energy, saving mon-ey, and helping save the environment.

Real-time feedback on your electricity consump-tion will help you better understand your own energy usage patterns and identify ways to save energy. You can even subscribe to plotwatt.com to help you interpret your TED data and break your electricity usage down to an appliance level. Cou-pled with the energy-saving tactics your Girl Scout is learning in GLEE, you’ll be armed with a strong set of tools to reduce your energy bill.

GLEE Parent Newsletter Issue TwoGLEE Parent Newsletter Issue Four

ENERGY AUDITSEnergy audits involve a thorough analysis of your home energy use, with a focus on opportunities to save energy. You can do an audit yourself by ana-lyzing your past energy use and doing a room-by-room assessment of where you’re using and wast-ing energy. You can also use an online tool, such as Energy Star’s Home Energy Yardstick (available at energystar.gov), to compare your household en-ergy use with that of other households in your area to get a rough idea of how you’re doing.

Professional audits can provide more detail. Pro-fessional auditors thoroughly analyze your ener-gy use, and use advanced equipment to look for places where energy is being wasted. For example, many auditors use tools such as blower doors that can find leaking air, or infrared cameras that detect hidden areas of missing insulation.

But it’s important to remember that audits only identify problems and solutions. It’s up to you to implement them to realize the energy savings.

ENERGY AUDITING TIPSIn its “Energy Savers Booklet,” the US Department of Energy provides the following tips to anyone that wants to take a closer look at where they might be wasting electricity around the home:

• Check the insulation levels in your attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces. Visit www.energysavers.gov for instructions on checking your insulation levels.

• Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.

• Check for open fireplace dampers.• Make sure your appliances and heating and

cooling systems are properly maintained. Check your owner’s manuals for the recommended maintenance.

• Study your family’s lighting needs and use patterns, paying special attention to high-use areas such as the living room, kitchen, and outside lighting. Look for ways to use lighting controls—like occupancy sensors, dimmers, or timers—to reduce lighting energy use, and replace standard (incandescent) light bulbs and fixtures with compact or standard fluorescent lamps.

DID YOU KNOW?Residential LEDs -- especially ENERGY STAR rated products -- use less energy, last much longer, and emit less heat than incandescent light bulbs or compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs.

LEDs have the following advantages:• LEDs are safer: LEDs are much

cooler than incandescent or CFL lights, reducing the risk of combustion or burnt fingers. They are also made with epoxy lenses, not glass, and are much more resistant to breakage.

• LEDs last longer: One LED bulb is equal to five CFL bulbs or 40 incandescent bulbs!

• LEDs cost less: Initially, LEDs cost more, but in the long run, LEDs cost less than CFLs and are four times cheaper than incandescent bulbs!

Session 5: Patch Ceremony and Video Screening5

Quick Facts: Þ Washing your clothes in cold water can cut the energy-use and cost of a washing machine

by up to 90%.

Þ Using water heater blanket on your hot water tank could save as much as 10% in water heating costs.

Þ If your refrigerator is set 10 degrees colder than necessary it will use 25% more energy. Setting your refrigerator 37°F will keep your food safe and save energy.

Source: http://www.consumerenergycenter.org

Estimated Time: 60 minutes

O b j e c t i v e s Þ Girl Scouts will monitor their energy-use behaviors at

home.

Þ Girl Scouts will see themselves modeling energy-saving behaviors.

Þ Girl Scouts will feel pride and a sense of achievement for their work.

Þ Girl Scouts will review what they have learned and the changes they have made to save energy and benefit the environment during the GLEE program.

S e s s i o n O v e r v i e w1. Action Jar Game (10 minutes)

2. Video Screening (30 minutes)

3. Patch Ceremony (20 minutes)

M a t e r i a l s C h e c k l i s t τ Tall clear plastic container with pom-poms from previous weeks



τ Patches (one per Girl Scout)

τ Certificates of Completion (one per Girl Scout)

τ Projector

τ Projector Screen

τ Computer with sound

T a k e - H o m e I t e m s C h e c k l i s t τ Energy Activities Log and Pledge sheet (one

per Girl Scout, as seen in session 1)


Page 5.1





2. Remind the Girl Scouts how the Action Jar Game works. Include the fol-lowing points:





4. Read the actions from the Energy Activities Log one at a time. After a few of the actions, ask one Girl Scout to explain why the action is important for the environment.





NotesIntroduction




Page 5.2

Notes7. Lead a discussion about this activity, covering the

following topics and questions:




8. Remind the Girl Scouts to keep track of their energy-saving actions again in their Energy Activities Logs, even though this is the last GLEE session.

9. Congratulate the Girl Scouts on their accomplishments as represented by the Action Jar!


Place the projector screen in a convenient spot in the room. Set up the computer, the projector, and the speakers. Test the projector before the Girl Scouts arrive.

1. Direct the Girl Scouts to find a seat.

2. Introduce the video:

Leader: “Welcome to the premiere of the Troop _____ GLEE Newscast! You have all worked so hard over the last several weeks to create this video, and it’s finally ready. So now, THE GLEE NEWSCAST!”

1. Thank the Girl Scouts for their hard work.

Leader: “To earn a GLEE patch, you participated in the GLEE program, learned about protecting the environment, and created a video to show what energy-saving actions you can take. You have reflected on energy use in the home and the decisions that you can make every day to save energy in the home. Today we are celebrating the completion of the GLEE program and all the progress you have made. I am very proud of all the hard work each of you has put in over the last several weeks. When I call your name, please come to the front of the room to receive your GLEE patch and Certificate of Completion. While you’re up here, tell us something you learned in GLEE and an action you are particularly proud of.”


1. Video Screening- 30 minutes



3. Patch Ceremony- 20 minutes

Lead a discussion

Page 5.3

2. Call each Girl Scout up, allow her to share an action she is proud of, and present her with her patch and certificate.

3. After all of the Girl Scouts have received their patches, congratulate them on everything they have accomplished and encourage them to keep up their environment-saving actions.

4. At the conclusion of the patch ceremony, give each Girl Scout one final Energy Activities Log, a Pledge sheet and one final GLEE Parent Newsletter and encourage them to keep up the great work.

Notes

Page 5.4

CONGRATULATIONS!The energy we use to power our homes makes many wonderful things possible: computers that connect us with the world, appliances that save us time and effort, lights that illuminate our lives. But we have to pay for that energy, and the planet pays too. In addition to costing the average family about $2,000 per year, burning coal and other traditional energy sources generates pollutants and contrib-utes to climate change. Most of the energy we use in the United States comes from non-renewable sources, and many experts are concerned that we’re using these resources—which are difficult to get from the ground and take millions of years to produce—too quickly. But your Girl Scout has not become deterred by any of this! Instead, she has learned about and practiced ways to do something about it. Please share our congratulations with her—she is an energy-saving superstar!

VIEW THE GLEE NEWSCAST ONLINEEach week, the Girl Scouts have been working on a newscast that sums up much of what we’ve explored in GLEE. They did a terrific job: their newscasts are creative, fun, and informative. And they’re just waiting for you to view them on the secure GLEE website where just you, the Girl Scouts, and troop leaders can view them.

In this last Parent Newsletter of the GLEE program, we encourage you to keep using the website with your family to contribute to protecting the envi-ronment and learn to advocate for others to do the same. We will keep updating the website - so let us know how we are doing by emailing us at [email protected].

GLEE Parent Newsletter Issue Five

SMALL CHANGES, BIG IMPACTOur GLEE sessions have focused on making small, targeted changes in how we use energy in the home. Although the changes are small, they can go a long way toward reducing pollution, addressing climate change, and saving valuable resources. Some of the actions we’ve discussed include:

• Turning off lights, televisions, and computers when not in use

• Plugging electronics into a power strip and switching power strips off at night

• Changing standard incandescent light bulbs to more efficient CFLs or LEDs

• Washing clothes in cold water and hang drying the laundry

• Adjusting the temperature settings on the re-frigerator, layering up or down before changing the thermostat, and taking shorter showers.


• Congratulations• Newscast Online• Target Actions• Supporting Your Girl Scout

Parents

GLEE Parent Newsletter Issue Five

LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE: MAKING ENERGY SAVING A LIFESTYLEOur GLEE sessions are coming to an end, but your Girl Scout’s new energy-smart lifestyle is just starting, and she might want your support to keep up her actions. Here are some tips you can try to help her–and your family–keep up with the energy-saving actions we’ve talked about.

Revisit, refine, and reset goals–We’ve set goals for energy saving during our GLEE sessions, and you can too. Just be sure that they’re goals you can measure (for example, by checking your electric bill) and that they’re doable. For example, you might set a goal as a family to turn off all power strips every night for a week.

Consider a family award for energy saver of the month–Celebrate your success by creating an award similar to an “employee of the month” award (complete with a photo of the award winner) for the family member who makes the most effort to save energy.

Schedule a monthly family meeting on energy saving–Make energy use a common topic of conversation in your family. Use the meeting to revisit, refine, and reset goals. Talk about what works and what doesn’t. For example, if you’ve tried changing the temperature setting on your thermostat, you might talk about whether everyone is comfortable. Could you make an even bigger adjustment to save more energy? If you like, you can take a vote. Try to keep your Girl Scout and other children as involved as possible in your energy-saving choices.

Girl Scouts Save The Bay (GSSTB)Girl Scouts of Northern California’s “bold audacious project” – girls, their families, neighbors and adult leaders working to protect and restore the bay, the creeks, the rivers and the ocean in their watershed. This initiative offers badge work, restoration and stewardship activities as well as community service to help girls work together to make the world a better place.

Eco-Choices Program – Create Environmental LeadersEco-Choices, a 5-module curriculum, is designed to enhance learning experiences about nature and the environment. Each Eco-Choice topic has three fully scripted lessons lasting 1.5 hours each as well as all the necessary materials. These tools are availalbe for JUST $5/girl per topic. Can’t beat that for great programming!

Cool the Community – Climate ChangeTake advantage of this great easy-to-lead 4-meeting series on climate change. Take Action by taking charge of your carbon footprint. A great “side trip” on a Journey series this year that helps girls accomplish their goals, gain skills and change the world.

GREENBY NATUREis the environmental initiative of Girl Scouts of Northern California!

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Current Team LeadersJune A. Flora PhDHilary S. Boudet PhDNicole M. Ardoin PhDThomas N. Robinson MD, MPH

Online Course Developmentand Curriculum Adaptation TeamAshley JowellKelly GahertyKathleen M. O’ConnorDaniel ProppChloe RasmussenKosar HomamiVictoria RodriguezKira SmileyHoushmand Shirani-Mehr

Research Curriculum TeamHilary S. Boudet PhDShana L. KarpKathayoon A. Khalil PhDKathleen M. O’ConnorK. Carrie Armel PhDJune A. Flora PhDNicole M. Ardoin PhDThomas N. Robinson MD, MPH

Current Communication & Dissemination TeamJackie MogensenEliza LiittschwagerKathayoon Khalil PhDPatricia Flores

Designer and production managerJerrie L. Moo-Thurman

GLEEGirls Learning Environment and Energy

This curriculum, the online course for Troop leaders, the website and Facebook page were developed by GLEE team at the Stanford University Solutions Science Lab.

Solutions Science Lab Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University School of Education, Human Sciences & Technology Advanced Research Institute, Precourt Energy Efficiency Center at Stanford University & Department of Public Policy at Oregon State University

With Thanks to Girl Scouts of Northern California

Kymberly Miller, Senior Director of Programs,Jean Fahy, Program Director – STEM/Environment

Jennifer Diaz, Program Manager – STEM/Environment

We thank and acknowledge the work of the Girl Scouts in Troop 62004 from Northern California

for their help in creating the GLEE practice teaching videos inside the online course. We also acknowledge the work of the troop leaders of Troop 62004

and the parent volunteers whose support allowed us to build this informative teaching program.

girls learning environment & energy - Stanford University · Stanford Solutions Science Lab,...

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