Thursday, January 24, 2008

Bobcats Make Personal Decisions to 'Go Green'

by Christina London
christinalondon1@gmail.com

Students living in residence halls at Ohio University have a new reason to reduce consumption: the Residence Hall Challenge 2008. The program kicked off Sunday and for the next seven weeks, students on the three residential greens will compete to see which hall can conserve the most energy.

Participants in the winning dorm will be awarded an all-expense paid trip to Cedar Point Amusement Park. However, OU Office of Sustainability Coordinator Sonia Marcus says this is not the only incentive for students to conserve. With the increased awareness about climate change, she says college students today are aware their lifestyle choices can affect the world.


Hear more from OU Sustainability Coordinator Sonia Marcus

Marcus says winning the Residence Challenge is not “rocket science.” She suggests three behaviors to guarantee success:


  • Turn off the lights and the air conditioning unit when you leave a room.

  • Shut down computers when not in use.

  • Take shorter showers.



Administrative Resident Assistant Dana Larsen heads the program in Treudley Hall, which won the challenge last year. Larsen, who has a concentration in Environmental Studies, has her own ways to reduce consumption.


ARA Dana Larsen shares her personal tips on how student residents can conserve

For a list participating halls, click here. The Residence Challenge will run through March 8.

Additional Resources:
Conservation Tips for Your Home
Energy Conservation Quiz

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