The UW-Madison student organization Big Red Go Green began its third dorm energy competition on April 1. The competition runs during National Environmental Month, ending April 31.
Big Red Go Green campaigns for environmental awareness at state and federal levels as well as for UW-Madison’s chapter of Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group.
According to Anthony Uhl, coordinator of the dorm energy competition, Kronshage Hall won the competition last semester by cutting their energy emissions in half over a three-week period.
“We did it just for the lakeshore dorms last semester,” Uhl said. “This semester, we are changing … the organization and the implementation [of the competition] so it can run better. Ultimately, the main reason for doing it over and over again is for educational purposes.”
Uhl said the overall goal is to educates students who do not realize how much control they have over energy conservation.
“We want to show students that little behavioral changes actually go a long way. So far, each dorm has reduced their energy consumption and I expect to see another 15 to 20 percent reduction,” he said.
UW-Madison junior and Big Red Go Green intern Greta Vlock said she is part of a committee that deals with the education of students on campus.
“I would really like to encourage students on campus to reduce as much energy as they can and to be more environmentally aware,” Vlock said. “I love that we have green week but I would love to see people out there participating more.”
UW-Madison junior and visibility media intern for Big Red Go Green Alicia Geary said she relies on WISPIRG interns to help her with spreading the word on campus.
“The interns are students on campus that live in the dorms and work to promote awareness within those dorms. They put up flyers and have meetings to involve as many students as they can,” Geary said.
Students are encouraged to visit their dorm’s front desk to pledge to cut down energy usage. Those who pledge have the opportunity to win two Jack Johnson concert tickets. For more information visit http://wispirg.wikispaces.com/Big+Red+Go+Green+at+Madison
