Spring energy challenge begins campus-wide

The spring energy challenge kicked off last week, and the IU Office of Sustainability has issued a campus-wide challenge to cut back water and electricity usage. The residence halls, fraternities, sororities and apartments are now all in competition during the month of April.

Freshman Erin Davidson, a resident of Teter Quad, said he has noticed a large amount of signs and banners around the property compared to last semester.

Teter is the current leader in water conservation, while Ashton Center is leading in electricity conservation, among the residence halls.

“I always try to conserve energy, so I’m not really doing anything different for the energy challenge,” Davidson said. “I think it is pointless to waste energy. Growing up, my family emphasized being careful about usage, and I guess that stuck
with me.”

Each week, the buildings’ standings are recorded and compared. The Office of Sustainability provided students with tips about how to decrease their adverse environmental impact while on campus. The tips are as simple as turning the lights off when leaving a room, unplugging unnecessary wires and turning off the water faucet.

On the other hand, some tactics require a noticeable effort, such as washing dishes in the sink, air-drying clothes and studying outside instead of using the indoor lighting.

“I don’t think people realize how much they use because they don’t take the time to think about it or know enough,” Davidson said. “Here (at IU), we don’t see any kind of energy bill.”

This semester, instead of promotional programs that deal with saving energy, the challenge is centered on the educational impact. Students are getting hit with the facts.
Graduate student Kelly Grab is the advisor for the Gone Green Committee at Forest Quad.  

“Our goal this semester is to help people realize that living sustainably doesn’t require a ton of extra work,” Grab said. “Small lifestyle changes do make a difference. Let’s face it, it’s cheaper to make waste, but I think we all need to do our part even in an economic environment that is not conducive or supportive of sustainable business practices.”