CU Campus Works to Reduce Energy

It is a known fact that currently the US, which makes up only 5 percent of the world’s population, consumes 24 percent of the world’s energy. This is certainly not a trend that needs to continue into the future, and CU Boulder is working hard to instill positive energy habits into their students, according to the university.

This month, in order to help with state and campus goals to reduce both energy and water usage by 2012, the CU Environmental Center has initiated an energy challenge, or what the CU students are calling an “energy smackdown.” Students in two residence halls are competing to see which hall can use the least amount of energy.

Hayley Gilreath, a Sr. majoring in environmental studies and an energy outreach team member, commented on the program.

“Our goal with this competition is not just to educate students, but help them change their behaviors and form good habits that they can use long after they’ve moved on from residence hall living,” she said in a press release.

The residents of the competing halls were given a series of tips and good energy habits to help them with their conservation of energy. Tips given were things like: utilizing natural light, working with small desk lamps as opposed to overhead lighting, doing laundry in cold water, not using trays in the dining halls and unplugging electronics and appliances while they aren’t being utilized.

Gilreath hopes that students will grasp onto the tips, which are seemingly minor changes to everyday life, and “even down the road, students can apply what they’ve learned during the competition to their own homes and other spaces, being more conscientious of the environment and reducing utility bills.”

George Brunet, a freshman in marketing living in one of the competing residence halls, is taking advantage of some of the tips given to him; he has been unplugging unused electronics and had a lot to say about his energy use for years to come.

“Two weeks ago, I actually started unplugging appliances from the outlet just above my desk, which I thought would be a hassle, but it’s actually really easy with the way I’ve got everything hooked up to a power strip,” he said in a press release. “My roommate and I have to pay all our own utilities next year, and we’re definitely going to unplug power strips and use little lamps instead of overhead lights and stuff, because it’ll make a big difference in our bills.”