GLENDALE, CA – Glendale teachers and students have a new hands-on way to teach and learn about energy efficiency and conservation. Glendale Water & Power (GWP) debuted a free web-based Green Allowance program for local schools earlier this year. The website (www.greenallowance.com) gives kids the tools and motivation to champion energy efficiency and actually earn a Green Allowance by making a deal with their parents to share energy savings they achieve on their electric bill.
Glendale Water & Power became the first utility in the nation to offer this energy savings program to students. Once registered, students can complete any or all of the 70 energy-saving activities on the website to save energy in their homes. Parents can also enter their GWP customer account number and when they do the family receives a scorecard each billing cycle showing calculated energy and estimated monetary savings compared to the same time last year. Then the parents give their kids an allowance for the amount of money saved.
April Faieta’s 5th grade class at Mark Keppel elementary school is already on board with Green Allowance. “We hope to change the world one class at a time,” said Gabrielle Glasson, one of Faieta’s students. She and fellow students Monte Iskandaryan and Talin Shahnazaryan surveyed their classmates about their home energy and water use and then made a Green Allowance video to persuade their class and others to save energy and protect our natural resources. The students recently submitted their video to the national “We Can Change the World Challenge.”
“By integrating actual past energy consumption data right into the program, kids can see the fruits of their labor – and get rewarded by their parents,” said GWP General Manager Glenn Steiger. “This also helps kids become active civic participants at a young age and develop an efficiency and conservation ethic that will carry into adulthood. We’re thrilled to be the first in the nation to bring this innovative program to our customers and help adults and children make saving energy a true family activity.”
Besides offering GWP customers a fun, family-friendly way to save on their bills and help the environment, the Green Allowance program aligns with fifth-grade California State Standards.
“This program is an essential learning tool in my classroom,” said teacher Faieta, noting that students can use the site either individually or through school teams. “It is completely standards-based, and also incorporates math, science and computer technology. The kids are so excited about this program. They are bringing this enthusiasm home, and when everyone is conserving it is a win-win situation.” Faieta added. Teachers can encourage students to go onto www.greenallowance.com and sign up. The website provides many classroom teaching tools and activities.
Green Allowance is one of the featured programs in GWP’s “Smart Kids for the Smart Grid™” initiative, part of the City of Glendale AMI-Smart Grid Initiative. The initiative includes the upcoming installation of Smart Meters to assist customers in making smarter choices to save energy, money and the environment.
The Green Allowance website was developed through a first-in-the-nation agreement between the Southern California Public Power Authority, of which GWP is a part, and Green Allowance LLC in New York. Those in Glendale who would like more information about participating in Green Allowance should call (818) 548-3870. For more information, also visit www.greenallowance.com.