Students learn under natureÂ’s light

TORONTO, ONTARIO - "It's so relaxing," says Grade 5 student Hailey White.

Yes, it is.

It's a Friday afternoon at Havergal College Junior School and walking into dimly lit classrooms where students only have the sunlight to do their work, there is indeed a relaxing feel to the place.

In support of the first Earth Hour three years ago, students at Havergal's Junior School turned out the lights a day before the global event, which happens on a Saturday.

That first Friday afternoon with the lights off has become a symbol and an important learning exercise that now takes place every Friday during class at the school.

"At the beginning, people said they couldn't see, but now you don't notice," says Grade 5 student Caroline Williams, talking about the practice of turning out the lights on Fridays, between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

"I think it represents you doing your part," White says. "If everyone in the world turned off a light it can add up to a huge thing."

Turning off the lights once a week, along with other recent energy-saving initiatives have resulted in significant reductions at the school. Electricity consumption dropped 400,000 kWh between the 2006-2007 school year and the 2008-2009 school year.

There are also plans to set up motion detectors in rooms so that lights will shut off when no one is inside, and a solar-power installation.

"I'm new here," says Grade 4 student Allie MacGregor. "At first I used to think it got pretty dark when we turned out the lights, but now it's just like a habit."