EcoZone/Green Florida

Miami Dade Plans To Shutdown Schools Over Summer

MIAMI DADE (CBS4) ― The Miami Dade school district has come up with a unique way to save money and help Mother Nature in the process; they plan to turn off the lights and power at some schools this summer.

In just about a week, the school year will come to a close and school officials are hoping to save a little money one light switch at a time.

"We're looking at two to three week intervals where we will close down completely," said school district spokesperson Jaime Torrens.

Under the energy conservation program, 200 elementary and middle schools will be completely shut down over the summer months.

Schools that host summer session programs will be closed for two weeks while schools where summer camps are held will be closed for about three weeks. Schools without any summer programs will be closed for four weeks.

"The big focus is air conditioning, lighting, computers," said Torrens, "all equipment will be shut down completely."

In addition to being good for the environment, the school closures will also save the district close to $2 million.

"Every dollar we save goes directly back into the general fund," said Torrens, "from 1.5 to $2 million that will go right back to the education fund."

Broward County schools will also be going green. Over the summer break, more than 600-thousand light bulbs will be replaced with more energy efficient ones. Many schools also plan to install motion sensors that will turn off the lights when students and staff are not in the room. The school district will also be installing low-flow toilets and faucets to conserve water.

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