Christmas Switch Off
December 2024 - January 2025
Various, Newcastle University
What is the Christmas Switch Off?
The Christmas Switch Off is a University-wide campaign where we encourage staff and students to turn off any electrical items that can be switched off instead of leaving them on standby over the Christmas break.
Why is the Christmas Switch Off important?
By turning off everything that can be turned off, we will reduce our energy consumption across the campus. The Christmas Switch Off campaign has been run for a number of years to minimise energy wastage and contribute to our carbon reduction targets.
We also hope that promoting of the Christmas Switch Off will promote positive behaviour change more widely and remind colleagues and students to minimise their energy wastage by remembering to switch off what they can every day.
Who participates in the Switch Off?
We would like everyone at the university to participate if they are able to, that includes staff and students across labs, offices, and accommodation. The advice on what to turn off will vary for each location – guidance on what should be switched off is in this blog post.
When switching off your work area, it can be helpful to organise a switch off team that can check each area after most people have left for the term to ensure everything that can be switched off, has been.
Advice for Labs
Similarly to offices, ensure lights, computers and monitors have been switched off. In terms of equipment, turn off any microscopes, fume cupboards, sterilisers, dishwashers, ovens and drying cabinets that will not be in use over the break.
NOTE: please do not turn off any equipment that is in use.
Advice for Accommodation
Clean out and defrost your fridges and freezers the day before you leave by turning them off at the wall and popping a towel underneath to soak up the melted ice. Turn off your kettles and toasters at the wall. If there is a wall switch for your oven this is also a good thing to turn off easily, as well as lights and plug sockets.