Green Kids Program

Students Receive CFL Bulbs For Their Bedroom and Save Approximately 89,000 Pounds of Carbon Emissions Per Year

During the 2009-10 school year the Manitou Springs Climate Protection Campaign (MSCPC) worked with School District 14 to create the Green Kids Program.  This environmental protection program supported Manitou Springs’ goal of reducing green house gas emissions 10% by 2010.  The Green Kids Program goals were:

Encourage every child to have compact fluorescent lights [CFLs] in their bedroom.

Inform children and families about the city goal to reduce carbon emissions and why it is important.

Teach children and families effective inexpensive ways to save energy and help the environment

Teach children and families about the proper, safe way to cleanup and recycle CFL bulbs

The Green Kids Program was a great success.  The MSCPC raised money through donations and events to purchase over 1000 Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL’s). These 20-watt bulbs emit as much light as a 75-watt incandescent bulb and last many times longer. In all, each CFL saves about 89 pounds of carbon pollution per year.

In addition Elementary Schools sent out green articles in their monthly e-newsletters about how kids and families may save energy, money and the environment.  Many classrooms displayed a poster picturing Planet Earth in space as a reminder that we must protect our home in space.

The teachers, students and parents did a great job of getting these lights into kids’ bedrooms and around the homes.  When all the CFLs were installed, students, parents and teachers have saved over 44 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.  Manitou’s students should be very proud of what they have accomplished.