Broward County Conservation and Climate Change (C3) Challenge

1. Broward County Conservation and Climate Change (C3) Challenge Scott Strauss Broward County Air Quality Program

2. Overview • Local Climate Change Impacts • Climate Change Communication: Psychological Perspective • What is the C3 Challenge? • Marketing • Results • Lessons Learned

3. Local Climate Change Impacts • Increasing Temp (2 to 10°F) by 2100 • Increasing occurrence of extremeweather • hotter summers • drier droughts • wetter rainy seasons • Change in the growing season • Sea level rise (2-5 feet) by 2100 • Change in the frequency & intensity of tropical storms

4. Climate Change Communication: Psychological Perspective Background: May 2008 survey of attitudes toward climate change issues

5. Climate Change Communication • Recommendations for effective C3 communication • Use communications that make future consequences personal and vivid – but avoid scare tactics • Eliminate the “when” decisions – provide time frames, cut-offs (C3 Challenge was 3 months with a due date) • Let friends and neighbors do the talking; emphasize programs that develop a social norm

6. What is the C3 Challenge? The C3 Challenge is an educational competition intended to engage students, teachers, school administrators, staff, and parents in practical strategies to reduce CO2 and other GHG emissions school-wide and at home.

7. Goals of the Challenge • Educate students about climate change and everyday actions they can take to reduce their impact • Reduce carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gas emissions in and around schools • Encourage student leadership and empowerment • Foster a community of teachers/students working together to engage their parents,  colleagues, and the community to reduce their carbon footprint • Foster a new generation of environmental advocates.

8. C3 Challenge Design • Short Term: October – December 2009 • Designed to make it easy for teachers to participate • Immediate Results • Electronic Pledge • Classroom activities for elementary, middle & high schools aligned with State standards • Energy Conservation, Solid Waste, Transportation and Water Conservation activities

9. C3 Challenge Toolkit • Teachers and students use the Toolkit to learn more about how to reduce their carbon footprint at school and at home. • Includes detailed information on 4 steps of challenge, ideas, sample memos, classroom audit and all activities. • All educational activities are aligned with the Florida Dept. of Education Sunshine State Standards

11. C3 Challenge Marketing

12. C3 Challenge Marketing • Press Release • Broward County School Environmental Newsletter announcement • Environmental Education Council • Climate Change Task Force • Other County Divisions (Waste & Recycling/Natural Systems) • Phone calls to Science Dept Head/Coach • Follow up with e-mails

13. C3 Teacher Pledge • Designed to measure GHG reductions in: • Energy Reduction • Waste Reduction • Transportation • Water Reduction

14. C3 Teacher Pledge

17. Results • 42 elementary, middle and high schools participated • 520 teachers pledged to educate over 57,080 students • An estimated 9 million pounds of carbon dioxide will be reduced through actions pledged during the campaign by all the schools. This is equivalent to the energy used to power 530 households.

18. Classrooms Energy Audit Results Turn off electronic equipment (TV, VCR, projector) when not needed 503 Shut computers OFF at the end of the day (not just sleep mode) 474 Unplug TVs/Computers to stop vampire power 284 Reduce the sun's heat coming through the windows when needed 356 Keep the air conditioning vents open (not blocked) 372 Keep thermostats turned up after occupied hours (78 F) if possible 255 Keep exterior doors and windows closed to prevent A/C loss 426 Total Number of Computers 2187

19. Classrooms Waste Results Recycle paper 502 Recycle aluminum cans 355 Use classroom materials made from post-consumer materials 337 Use reusable water bottles (instead of individual water bottles) 383 Use reusable cups or mugs 349 Take lunch to school in reusable containers/bags 417 Limit the use of plastic storage bags & aluminum foil 385

20. Students Transportation Results Carpool to/from School 9,440 Ride their bicycles to/from school 8,180 Walk to/from school 10,440 Ride the school bus 13,500 Take mass transit (Tri-Rail, BCT) to/from school 2,280 Not idle while dropping/picking up from school 7,440 Inform the school bus drivers to turn off the engines (not idling) 5,800

21. Classrooms Water Conservation Results Plant native trees & plants at school & home 306 Look for and report leaky sinks and water faucets 451 Look for and report running toilets/urinals 444 Limit the time faucets are on and turn off when done 480

22. Calculations & Assumptions Turn off electronic equipment (TV, projector) when not needed: Saves 1,000 lbs of CO2 per yr Calculation-(503 classrooms pledged) x (1,000 lbs of C02)= 503,000 lbs of C02 per year Shut computers OFF at the end of the day (not just sleep mode): Saves 259 lbs of CO2 per computer per yr Calculation-(474 classrooms pledged a total of 2187 computers) = 566,000 lbs of C02 per year Sources: Energy Star and stopglobalwarming.org

23. Calculations & Assumptions Recycle paper, aluminum cans, use reusable water bottles and mugs, take lunch to school in reusable containers Calculation- (389 classrooms pledged) x (1000 lbs of C02)= 389,000 lbs of C02 per year Carpool to/from School Calculation- (9440 students pledged) x (790 lbs of C02)= 7,457,600 lbs of C02 per year Plant native trees & plants at school & home Calculation- (306 classrooms pledged) x (2000 lbs of C02)= 612,000 lbs of C02 per year Total Reductions: Over 9,000,000 lbs of C02 reduced through actions pledged during campaign

24. Winning School Gator Run Elementary • 72 teachers participated • Total Reductions - over 1 million lbs of C02 reduced through actions pledged during campaign • Prizes Include: • Family Fun Day Celebration • Sustainable School Plaque • C3 E-Certificates & C3 Sustainability Kit • C3 winning banner for school • Recognition from the Board of County Commissioners at a commission meeting • Climate Change Collection (26 books, documentaries, movies) for school library

25. Sustainability Kit

26. Included Broward County Air Quality Program 2010 Calendar, Car Care Log Book & Carbon Footprint Fact Sheet

28. Other Schools Participated Lyons Creek Middle

29. Lessons Learned • Need to determine winning school by the highest % of teachers participating (not total # of teachers) • Better account for # of students that participated • Calculate GHG reductions from water conservation • Initiate marketing earlier • Four step process…too cumbersome…teachers don’t have time for more work (perception) • Enhance marketing tools and resources • Close the loop…follow up with schools

30. Website: www.broward.org/air/c3challenge.htm • News Release with links available on www.broward.org/gogreen • Toolkit also available on www.airshare.info Conservation and Climate Change Challenge

31. Questions? Scott Strauss Broward County Air Quality Program (954) 519-1278 sstrauss@broward.org