This week marks the beginning of the Tenth Annual EcoMadness Competition! Over the month of October, students in over twenty residence halls will be competing to reduce their water and energy consumption.
There are four categories to measure the dorms’ progress:
- Per Capita Water Reduction
- Per Capita Energy Use Reduction
- Percent Water Reduction
- Percent Energy Use Reduction
To reduce their dorm’s energy and water consumption, students undertake a variety of tasks. Energy can be saved by using desk lamps with LED bulbs, unplugging devices when not in use, and washing clothes with cold water. Water can be saved by taking shorter showers, doing laundry with full loads, and shutting off the sink while brushing teeth.
These simple activities have reduced some residence halls’ energy and water consumption by as much as 35%!
To lead their dorms to victory, the Office of Environmental Policy calls on residents to volunteer as EcoCaptains. These students post fliers and posters around their residence halls, organize activities, and provide weekly updates to the OEP on how the dorms are doing.
The winning dorm for each category will receive a certificate and a free ice cream party in November featuring Dairy Bar Ice Cream!
Find out more about EcoMadness here!