The Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group, a UW-Madison student organization, launched the Residence Hall Energy Competition Thursday, to challenge UW-Madison housing residents to conserve energy as part of WISPIRG's Big Red Go Green campaign.
This project fulfills so many different goals,"" said Anthony Uhl, BRGG campaign co-coordinator. ""It reduces CO2 emissions, and that's part of what the university wants to encourage - o - ofor kids to be more environmentally friendly. All segments of the university have been involved in it and supportive.""
Uhl said the winning dormitory would pick a prize provided by WISPIRG, such as a pizza party or an ice cream social where they will raffle off various prizes. He stressed that to be eligible, students are required to sign a pledge card agreeing to reduce electricity use during the competition and into the future.
To get students started, WISPIRG suggested energy-saving strategies such as turning off computers, switching off lights and taking shorter showers.
""We are asking students to stop and think about how their actions impact the environment,"" BRGG campaign co-coordinator Nathan Schmidt said in a statement. ""It is the little things that count.""
These small efforts have added up in years past, according to Uhl. Last spring's competition reduced energy use in each UW-Madison residence hall by at least 20 percent, and over 40 percent in the winning dorm.
An environmental car show officially starts the competition Thursday on Library Mall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ryan Hanke, a WISPIRG member, said he was most looking forward to the car show, which would offer students the ability to see new electric and hybrid cars from local dealerships, the UW Physical Department and the Department of Engineering.
Uhl said other events throughout the competition would include an incandescent light bulb exchange for free fluorescent light bulbs, and ""Wisconsin's Inconvenient Truth,"" a locally focused spinoff of former Vice President Al Gore's environmental movie.
The residence hall competition ends Nov. 21.
