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Becky Leuer, left, holds one end of the banner the North Branch School District Board was given to display. The district is a winner of an energy reduction "Energy Star" award. The district achieved a nearly 20 percent energy cost decrease by participating in a program that conserves lights, heat, reduces waste disposal, etc. Leuer said the district will work towards an even bigger percentage reduction in the coming year. The energy cost savings and conservation measures in the North Branch school facilities, from springtime 2009 to July 2010 saved the equivalent of the annual emissions of 297 cars or 3 million pounds of carbon dioxide. The Schools for Energy Efficiency Program, a program of Hallberg Engineering Inc., directed the district's efforts.

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