This Spring, DePauw is continuing on its quest to becoming a more GREEN campus with the Energy Conservation Challenge. In past years the campus wide activity was known as Energy Wars, but was re-named this year to make the campus more aware of the reason for the challenge. The Energy Conservation Challenge was created to see which dorms and Greek living units could reduce their electricity consumption the most, in a time span of three weeks.
DePauw’s Office of Sustainability is in charge of the entire challenge and is working hard to push for people to conserve energy on campus. Little things such as unplugging electronics (laptops/cellphone chargers), turning off the lights when you leave the room, and taking shorter showers to conserve energy can make a big difference.
According to Madeline Piscetta, an Eco-rep on DePauw’s campus, a few of the goals of this challenge are to help people create habits conducive to conservation, help people realize how much energy they waste doing little things, and to show people that changing to a more sustainable lifestyle doesn’t lower their quality of life. The hope is that by focusing on energy conservation for three weeks students will create good habits to conserve energy.
Another change to this year’s challenge is that Duke Energy is doing the meter readings to improve accuracy. In past years the Eco-reps have done the meter readings, which can be difficult because different living units have different meters. Since this year there is a $700 monetary prize for the winner of the challenge, having Duke Energy complete the calculations will ensure that the meters are accurately read.
The Energy Conservation Challenge is not the only way DePauw is working to make its campus more Green. Green Greeks has started a project of its own to help eliminate disposables in Greek houses. They are ordering Nalgene water bottles that will hopefully cut back on waste.
If you are interested in helping DePauw’s campus become more environmental friendly be sure to talk to the Office of Sustainability or talk to an Eco-rep on campus. Sometimes the smallest acts can add up to the biggest results!
Images:
http://conservationmagazine.org/2010/06/change-does-begin-at-home/
http://www.keepcalmandposters.com/poster/keep-calm-and-conserve-energy-its-in-your-hands
http://www.onedropworld.org/resources/one%20drop%20go%20green%203.jpg?ti…