2/15/07

RESULTS OF OUR JANUARY POLL ARE IN! Over 50 of you took our poll about January’s Cooling Challenges, a great response. Thank You! The graph below represents how many of those polled were "Already Doing" each Challenge, how many adopted each Challenge since signing the Peninsula Cool Campaign Pledge (Did It!), and how many are still plotting how to get started (Not Yet).



WOW! Our team was inspired to see such positive numbers: they tell us that many of you are being conscientious and getting engaged in doing what you can to reduce your energy use. For the survey respondents’ new actions alone (not including those who’d already done the challenge items prior to our campaign), over 17.11 TONS of CO2 will be saved! This roughly translates to the amount of CO2 saved by planting 1369 new trees, or taking 3.1 cars off of the roads for one year. And that is from just 30% of pledging families completing just a few challenge items: Imagine how much CO2 we can save together if we all keep working on new monthly cooling challenges to reduce our energy use at home! Feels good, right?

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK! Check out the February Cooling Challenges at peninsulacool.wetpaint.com. Now that we know that almost 75% of the Peninsula Community is interested in reducing their energy use, we want to keep encouraging you to explore new things you can do. The Monthly Challenge write-ups on the web site are chock-full of useful information. You may be surprised at how much you can save, in energy and $, by making very simple and affordable changes.

THE PENINSULA COOL LENDING LIBRARY IS HERE! Located in Marion’s classroom. The “Library” (box) is available to parents during drop off each morning from 8:45-9:00, during lower school pick-up from 12:30-12:45 and anytime after upper school pickup from 3:00-5:30, every day. We are adding new things regularly, but for now you can borrow:

• Digital Thermometers—instructions included—to identify how you can save energy by readjusting your water heater, refrigerator and freezer thermostats.
• Caulking Guns to seal air leaks at your doors and windows
• Magazine Articles you might enjoy
• FREE 2007 Wildlife Calendars, great for your child’s room.