Mrs Whomsley (Year 5 Teacher and Eco Coordinator)

This week, our Eco Club created colourful posters to launch Switch Off Fortnight, which runs between 10th–23rd November. This important national initiative reminds everyone to switch off electrical items when they’re not in use to help save energy and protect our planet.

As part of our Eco Club this week, we learned about fossil fuels, how electricity is generated, and the impact of global warming on our environment. We discussed how small everyday actions—like turning off lights, our whiteboards, and chargers—can make a big difference when it comes to reducing our school’s energy use. We also learnt some fun facts, including:

• If everyone in the UK turned off just one light for an hour, we could save enough energy to power over 1,000 homes for a whole year!
• Many devices still use electricity even when they’re on standby – this is called “phantom energy” or “vampire power.”

Our school takes part in Switch Off Fortnight every year, showing our ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental awareness at Bedford Girls’ School. We hope everyone will do their bit to save energy both at school and at home!

Our Eco Club’s Top Tips for Switch Off Fortnight:

• Turn it off! Always switch off lights, screens, and whiteboards when leaving a room.
• Switch off chargers fully or unplug them once your device is fully charged – they still use energy if left plugged in!
• Don’t leave electrical appliances on standby – this is using ‘vampire power’