Facts and Myths
Take this test and see how you do.
Fact or Myth:
It's better to leave a computer running all the time. Turning it on and off all the time is bad for it!
Myth! Today's operating systems count on being turned on and off to help with system resources. Hard drives are designed for 10,000 or more on/off cycles and a monitor will last longer if turned off for the night.
Florescent lights should be left on all the time. It costs more to turn them off and on if you're only out of the room for a minute or two.
Myth! Old florescent light fixtures had a magnetic ballast and used a lot of current when starting up. The lights in our school use a solid state ballast to power the tubes. Savings start in as little as 5 seconds after you turn them off.
Setting back the thermostat at night is a waste of energy. It costs more to heat the building back up than if you left it at the same temperature all the time.
Myth! This is probably the most misunderstood concept in energy conservation. Government studies and statistics from our own program have proven that setbacks work. The 55-degree setback temperature that we use for our schools has been proven throughout the country and across all climates.
Even if I don't cooperate or participate in our energy program, we'll still have to heat and light our schools, so why bother?
Fact! Yes, the schools must be heated and the lights must be on for our students to learn. But every dollar spent on wasted energy is a dollar that could have gone to another school program, teaching position or building improvement. Individuals have little impact on our program, but together we can make a huge difference!
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