Austin College students are being challenged to flip the switch and unplug appliances this month in a residence hall competition to reduce energy use as part of the Think Green initiative launched on campus last spring.
Students in Baker, Dean, Caruth, and Clyce residence halls are part of the “AC Unplugged” challenge, which encourages students to reduce their electricity consumption from September 30 to October 28. The residents that most reduce building electricity consumption from usage levels a year ago will select a charity to which the amount of savings will be donated. Cost savings from the second-place hall will be donated at 50 percent, and the third and fourth place halls at 25 percent.
Residents in each hall selected a charity to support: Caruth will donate to Habitat for Humanity; Baker to Big Brothers/Big Sisters; Clyce to the Sherman Women’s Crisis Center; and Dean to the Greater Texoma Health Clinic.
Savings beyond the charity donations will go into the College’s general budget.
Residence assistants are encouraging students to reduce their consumption by turning off electrical devices when they aren’t in use; making sure there is nothing plugged in or turned on when they leave the hall (including computer and cell phone battery chargers, TVs, or even empty refrigerators); studying or playing outside or in public spaces where electricity is already in use; or by organizing social events where electricity can be shared by many people at once.
Electricity usage updates are posted in the residence halls each week.
Austin College uses approximately 13,000,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year. Each year that costs more than $1 million and generates close to 7 megatons of carbon dioxide, which contributes to climate change. Students are encouraged to reduce their energy use long-term to reduce on the electricity costs for the College and to lower the campus impact on the environment.
Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges that Change Lives.
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