A Community Action Toolkit for Inspired Youth (11–18 years)
Part of our Save Our Sea Ice campaignw w w. p o l a r b e a rs i n t e r n at i o n a l . o rg
POWERDOWN
POLARBEARSF
OR
Take the Power Down Challenge!
photo © Dan Guravich
Community Action Toolkit Contents
POLARBEARSF
OR
Action Toolkit
Save Our Sea Ice www.polarbearsinternational.org
Take the Power Down Challenge!
Your guide to what, why, and how . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2Sample emails to businesses and schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Talking points for businesses and schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Sample letter to the editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Social media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Pledge cards and stickers
Power Down pledge cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Power Down static cling decals or stickers . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Save Our Sea Ice stickers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Phantom Power Hunt
Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Phantom Power Hunt board and playing pieces . . . . . . . . 11-12
Tips for adult advisors
Your role in supporting enthusiasm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
POWER
DOWN
photo © Dan Guravich
DID YOU KNOW that many electronic devices continue to draw power even when not in use? Greenhouse gas pollution from wasted energy is part of the reason the polar bear’s home is melting. You can help by powering down and—most important—speaking up for community action.
[Visit polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears/global-warming]
Power Down for Polar BearsStop phantom power by unplugging electronic devices or using a power strip and turning it off when not in use. You’ll save energy and reduce greenhouse gas pollution.
Here are some clues to recognizing a product that draws power continuously: u It has a remote controlu It requires an external power supplyu It has a digital display, LED status light, or digital
clocku It contains or is a battery chargeru It has a soft-touch keypad
What’s the Impact? YOU CAN CALCULATE THE DIFFERENCE BY MEASURING THE ELECTRICITY USED BY EACH OF YOUR ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH A KIL-A-WATT METER. LOOK UP THE COST PER KILOWATT HOUR ($/KWH) ON YOUR ELECTRIC BILL. THEN MULTIPLY THE SAVINGS BY THE DAY, WEEK, OR YEAR.
You’re INSPIRED. You want to HELP. Here’s HOW!
2 UP2 DOWN
POLARBEARSF
ORPOWER
DOWNPOLARBEARSF
OR
© shamsanor / 123RF Stock Photo
photo © Dan Guravich
Electronic devices and appliances with a stand-by mode are increasing in households around the world, sucking up energy even when not in use. The energy wasted by this phantom power varies by country, accounting for 5-13% of household electricity use. By unplugging these devices or using power strips you can reduce energy consumption.
Chart source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Residential Energy Consumption Survey 1980 and 2009. Visit http://www.eia.gov/* The most recent year for which data are available**Includes refrigeration***Does not include wood
Families, schools, and businesses can help reduce greenhouse gas pollution by powering down—but the real impact comes when we scale up and invite others to join us. Check out the impact from inviting 20 other families.
Invite your friends and extended family to join you in the Power Down Challenge. Share information at a family gathering or through social media. Use the pledge card to sign people up and give them a sticker as a reward.
Ask your teacher if you can give a speech to your class; also reach out to elementary school principals to see if you can speak to classes of younger children. Use our sample email to request a meeting. Share handouts of the Phantom Power Hunt.
Prepare a presentation on the Power Down Challenge with the help of the talking points. Reward those who join in with a static cling decal for their window so others can see they are making a difference.
Do the same with local shops, churches, and offices. Use our sample email to request a meeting. Be prepared to make the case for why the Power Down Challenge is important and what benefits each of us will gain by not wasting energy. (See the talking points.) Reward those who take the pledge with a static decal cling.
Think big. Write letters to your local paper and your government representatives inviting them to Power Down. A heartfelt letter from a young person who cares will help inspire action.
Reach even wider! Host a booth at a school event or at a community festival or farmer’s market. (Look for applications on your city’s website or in the volunteer section in your local newspaper.)
Expand to Your Community
3
3
3
3
3
Tell Your StoryCelebrate your success! Share a photo and caption of your action on the community page of our SAVE OUR SEA ICE campaign at polarbearsinternational.org/saveourseaice
Your Actions Matter!
Air Conditioning
Water Heating
Appliance & lighting
Space Heating
5%
3
1980 2009
10
8
6
4
2
0
4%
19%
21%
56%
6%
18%
35%
42%
Quadrillion BTU
POLARBEARSF
OR
Action Toolkit
Save Our Sea Ice www. polarbearsinternational.org page 3
POWER
DOWNEmail template for a business in your community
Principals and business owners are busy! The following are sample
emails to get you started.
GETTING STARTED. The purpose of this email is
to introduce yourself and explain why you want to
meet. At this point, all you want is a response
regarding a meeting. You’ll describe your
project later on.
Before writing the email, do your homework and
find out the name of the principal, school district
supervisor, or business owner so you can address
the email personally. After you’ve scheduled
a meeting, see our resource, Talking Points,
for suggestions on how to make your pitch.
Sample Emails
TO: (NAME and TITLE of business)FROM: (NAME)SUBJECT: Ideas for saving energy from a __th grade student at
__________ [name of school]
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. _____:
My name is ____ and I’m ___ years old. [If applicable, personalize the note: “My family banks with you/My parents buy insurance from you, etc.]
I’m volunteering with a community project called the ____ [insert name of your city] Power Down Challenge for Polar Bears. I have some ideas on how you can save energy and money and show customers that you care about the environment. I have a cool static cling decal to share to show you’re taking part!
Could I stop by on ___ (DATE and TIME) to introduce myself and talk about the project?
Sincerely,[Your name and contact information]
Email template for your teacher or principal of elementary schools to ask to make presentations:
TO: (NAME and TITLE)FROM: (NAME)SUBJECT: Ideas from a student on saving energy
Dear Mr./Mrs ____:
My name is ____ and I’m a ___ [insert grade level] student at ____ [name of school].
I’m volunteering with a community project called the ____ [insert name of your city] Power Down Challenge for Polar Bears. I have some ideas on how our community can save energy and money and would like to make presentations in classrooms to invite others to join me. I have a cool static cling decal and Phantom Power Hunt game to give to students who take part!
Could I stop by on ___ [DATE and TIME] to introduce myself and talk about the project? Or would another time be better?
Sincerely,[Your name and contact information]
photo © Dan Guravich
POLARBEARSF
OR
Action Toolkit
Save Our Sea Ice www. polarbearsinternational.org page 4
POWER
DOWN
Talking Points to involve local businesses or your school/campus in your Community Action Plan
GET STARTED. Introduce yourself and talk about why the Power Down Challenge is important to you. Express your interests and concerns. Clearly explain what you are requesting: “Please join me in taking the Power Down Challenge for Polar Bears by reducing phantom power from electronic devices. You can either unplug them when not in use or switch to smart power strips that turn them off for you.”
GET TO KNOW THEM.Talk with them about how many electronic devices they have—and which ones draw phantom power. Find out about their procedures at night. Do they turn off computers and printers and unplug chargers? Do they use smart power strips? Make sure they understand that you know not all devices can be turned off.
SHOW BENEFITSu Consumers want action on
climate change. Community members want schools to run within budget. By taking part in the Power Down Challenge and displaying the static cling decal on a door or window, a business/school can show its commitment to saving energy.
u Emphasize how easy it is. Talk about the value of switching to smart power strips, new technology that can detect when a device is in standby mode and automatically switch it off. [Visit: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/smart-power-strip.htm]
u Peer pressure works! Have other businesses/schools joined the campaign? Be sure to share this news and let the business/school know this is a community effort.
u Money talks: by stopping phantom power, businesses/schools will not only stop wasting energy, they’ll reduce their energy bills.
STAY IN TOUCH Nearly everyone enjoys an encouraging word and needs support. Use phone calls, emails, and visits to see how they’re doing.
BE READY TO HELP!Offer to make presentations to their employees or staff a table outside to talk with customers. Then, celebrate the success by submitting a photo about the business and its participation to the community page of our Save Our Sea Ice campaign.
The key to launching a successful Power Down Challenge is being able to explain what you are
asking others to do.
Following are suggested topics to cover. Whether
you put together a PowerPoint or one-page paper, these topics will
help the listener feel your passion for the
project, understand what you are asking for, and become motivated to
join you. (See our sample email resource for
help with setting up a meeting.)
Talking Points for the Power Down Challenge
photo © Dan Guravich
POLARBEARSF
OR
Action Toolkit
Save Our Sea Ice www. polarbearsinternational.org page 5
POWER
DOWN
Sample Letter to the EditorA good way to spread the word to a wider audience is to write a letter to the editor of your
local paper. Following is a sample. Feel free to adapt this to make it your own.
A Greener ____ [insert name of your city here]
My name is ____ and I’m a ___ [insert grade level] student at ____
[name of school].
I’m volunteering with a project called the Power Down for Polar
Bears to help reduce greenhouse gas pollution in our community.
My family has installed smart power strips on our electronic
devices to reduce phantom power and save energy.
Will you join us in this action? It’s SO easy to do! The more families,
schools, and businesses that take part, the greener ______ [insert
name of city] will be and the brighter the future for our planet.
I think it would be cool to have EVERYONE take part. I learned
about this on the Polar Bears International website. Let’s show
the world that ______ [insert name of city] cares about the
environment and we’re doing our part!
[Your name]
POLARBEARSF
OR
Action Toolkit
Save Our Sea Ice www. polarbearsinternational.org page 6
POWER
DOWNSocial Media Following are some sample tweets and posts for use on social media. If you create your own, use the hashtags #PowerDown and #SaveOurSeaIce to help build momentum.
SAMPLE FACEBOOKPOSTS
Ask me about the Power Down Challenge for Polar Bears! Visit Save Our Sea Ice, polarbearsinternational.org
I’m Powering Down for Polar Bears! Will you join me? Save Our Sea Ice, polarbearsinternational.org
Power Down for Polar Bears! Save Our Sea Ice, polarbearsinternational.org
Join me in stopping phantom power! Take the Power Down Challenge for Polar Bears! Save Our Sea Ice, polarbearsinternational.org
SAMPLETWEETS
Ask me about the #PowerDown Challenge for Polar Bears! Visit http://ow.ly/sZCiH Via @PolarBears
Stop phantom power: Take the #PowerDown Challenge for Polar Bears! http://ow.ly/sZCiH #SaveOurSeaIce
I’m taking the #PowerDown Challenge for Polar Bears: http://ow.ly/sZCiH Via @PolarBears #SaveOurSeaIce
Join me in taking the #PowerDown Challenge for Polar Bears: http://ow.ly/sZCiH Via @PolarBears #SaveOurSeaIce
FO
R
I pledge toPOWER DOWN
POLAR BEARSw w w. p o l a r b e a r s i n t e r n a t i o n a l . o r g
FO
RPOLAR BEARSw w w. p o l a r b e a r s i n t e r n a t i o n a l . o r g
FO
RPOLAR BEARSw w w. p o l a r b e a r s i n t e r n a t i o n a l . o r g
FO
RPOLAR BEARSw w w. p o l a r b e a r s i n t e r n a t i o n a l . o r g
FO
RPOLAR BEARSw w w. p o l a r b e a r s i n t e r n a t i o n a l . o r g
FO
RPOLAR BEARSw w w. p o l a r b e a r s i n t e r n a t i o n a l . o r g
FO
RPOLAR BEARSw w w. p o l a r b e a r s i n t e r n a t i o n a l . o r g
FO
RPOLAR BEARSw w w. p o l a r b e a r s i n t e r n a t i o n a l . o r g
Power Down Challenge Pledge Cards Instructions: Print out this page, cut on dotted lines, and have pledgers sign their names.
I pledge toPOWER DOWN
I pledge toPOWER DOWN
I pledge toPOWER DOWN
I pledge toPOWER DOWN
I pledge toPOWER DOWN
I pledge toPOWER DOWN
I pledge toPOWER DOWN
POLARBEARSF
OR
POLARBEARS F
OR
www.polarbearsinternational.org
POLARBEARSF
OR
POLARBEARS F
OR
www.polarbearsinternational.org
For
prin
ting
inst
ruct
ions
and
info
rmat
ion
abou
t w
here
to
obta
in s
ticke
r pa
per
or p
rint
clin
gs, v
isit
pola
rbea
rsin
tern
atio
nal.o
rg/p
ower
dow
n-st
icke
rs
POWER
DOWN
POWER
DOWN
PO
LA
RB
EA
RS
FOR
PO
LA
RB
EA
RS
FOR
ww
w.p
ola
rbe
ars
inte
rna
tio
na
l.o
rg
PO
WER
DOW
N
PO
WE
R
DOWN
POWER
DOWN
POWER
DOWN
PO
LA
RB
EA
RS
FOR
PO
LA
RB
EA
RS
FOR
ww
w.p
ola
rbe
ars
inte
rna
tio
na
l.o
rg
PO
WER
DOW
N
PO
WE
R
DOWN
PO
LA
RB
EA
RS
FOR
PO
LA
RB
EA
RS
FORw
ww
.po
larb
ea
rsin
tern
ati
on
al.
org
PO
WER
DOW
N
PO
WE
R
DOWN
PO
LA
RB
EA
RS
FOR
PO
LA
RB
EA
RS
FOR
ww
w.p
ola
rbe
ars
inte
rna
tio
na
l.o
rg
PO
WER
DOW
N
PO
WE
R
DOWN
Save Our Sea Ice stickersFor printing instructions and source information visit polarbearsinternational.org/powerdown-stickers
POLARBEARSF
OR
Action Toolkit
Save Our Sea Ice www. polarbearsinternational.org page 10
POWER
DOWN
Even when electronics and appliances aren’t powered on, they’re often still using energy if they’re plugged in. Americans have 20-40 products that constantly draw energy when plugged in, accounting for about 10% of electricity use.
Here are some clues to recognizing a product that draws power continuously:
u It has a remote controlu It requires an external power supplyu It has a digital display, LED status light, or digital clocku It contains or is a battery chargeru It has a soft-touch keypad
Of course you aren’t going to unplug all of these every time you use them, but which ones do you use only occasionally that you can cluster onto a single power strip and turn off when not in use?
Whatever you call it—vampire power, phantom power or standby power—it’s easy to save save energy to reduce CO2 emissions—and save money in the process!
Learn more at:
http://standby.lbl.gov/standby.html http://energy.gov/articles/resolve-save-energy-year
Standby Power. Phantom Power. Vampire Power.
Phantom Power HuntHere’s a fun way to find the sources of phantom power in your home!
1. Print the attached Phantom Power Hunt bingo board and Save Our Sea Ice playing pieces. 2. Explore your office or home, unplugging each item as you find it—don’t forget to ask Mom & Dad!3. Cover the square containing each item you unplug with an SOS playing piece.4. Check your electric bill before the hunt and again a month later. When the kilowatt hours you
use go down, you win!
Notice the blank squares at the bottom of the bingo board? We challenge you to fill in those squares with energy-sucking items we forgot—bonus points if you can find an extra nine!
photo © Dan Guravich
photo © Dan Guravich
Rechargeabletoothbrush
Cell phonecharger
Microwave Television Cablebox
DVDplayer
Coffeepot
Headphones Gamingstation
Printer Computermonitor
Camera
Rechargeabletools
Batterycharger
Coffee GrinderComputer
tower/desktop
Laptopcomputer
Tabletcharger
Fax
Modem Clockradio
Nightlight Answeringmachine
Cordlessphone
charger
Rabbitears
Stereo iPodComputer speakers Timers
Garagedoor
opener
Surgeprotector
Rechargeablecandles
Dockingstation
PHANTOM POWER HUNT
PHANTOM POWER HUNTPLAYING PIECES
POLARBEARSF
OR
Action Toolkit
Save Our Sea Ice www. polarbearsinternational.org page 13
POWER
DOWNYour Role as an Adult in Supporting Enthusiasm to Fix a Global Problem
Young people have an amazing capacity to make a difference. Here are a few tips to successfully support your budding activists, beginning with the golden rule: be a hands-off supporter! First, ask what type of support would help. Then, create an agreement about how you will communicate to make sure expectations are met.
MAKE IT FUN & SOCIALCollaborative work is fun and actually more productive. Help young people work through the challenges. Encourage them to learn from other successful projects. A good place to start is by looking in your local community for efforts they could join. Support excellence in teamwork by encouraging them to listen with an open mind, compromise, stay focused, and be respectful.
REMEMBER, IT IS THEIR PROJECTIf you want to do a community-based action project, go ahead, start your own effort! But let the young people do their own—your role is to mentor, coach, and most important, be a cheerleader, problem-solver, and supporter.
YOU HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLEGuiding young people in a project is a delicate balance. You want to provide sources of new information when they are stuck, not step-by-step instructions. Let them create their own path! You can help make that path smoother by looking ahead to the next step and anticipating challenges. Most important, provide encouragement.
JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT A successful challenge arouses emotions that motivate individuals to take action. This holds true for young people trying to lead a community conservation action. As an advisor, your role is to apply just the right level of expectation and emotion—too much causes anxiety, too little causes apathy and disinterest.
TAKE TIME TO CELEBRATECommunity efforts are a process. Celebrate the steps that are accomplished, whether they are a success or not. If a school principle says “no” to the full proposal, celebrate the success of holding the meeting and having the opportunity to educate someone about the issues. Share your successes on the community page of PBI’s Save Our Sea Ice campaign.
MANAGING SOCIAL MEDIA Our action toolkits include sample social media content that students can share. Please remind students that they must be 13 to be on Facebook and other sites. Also discuss privacy settings with them.
photo © Dan Guravich
