Most people know that when they leave an appliance plugged in it still uses some energy. But what most people do not know is that 75 percent of the electrical energy used to power the appliance is still used when it is turned off, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Every day, energy is wasted that no one is using! This is what the Eco Hall challenge, a friendly competition between freshman dorms to conserve energy, is all about: a practical way of educating people about the effect of their actions.
The real message is, “To make a difference, you don’t have to do much.” It really is not much work to unplug appliances when you are done with them, or to plug them into a power strip and turn the strip off once you’re done (which in essence will produce the same effect as unplugging the appliance altogether). And that is just scratching the surface of what students can do to conserve energy. The number one and two appliances that use the most energy in households are the refrigerator and dryers. To reduce energy use, students can simply share refrigerators or use the common fridge in the lounge kitchen. A lot of energy can also be saved by using the dryers on the low heat setting or even simply not using the dryers at all (save some money too). Last year, one of the freshman halls hung dryer lines in the basement so that students could line dry their clothes. And surprisingly, it is pretty easy to hang-dry clothes in dorm rooms as well. So save a little or save a lot, but whatever you choose, just save.
In the end, this competition is not really the about the energy we save over the next couple of weeks; it is about getting informed and making lifestyle changes that will make a big difference in the long run. Get excited, get creative, and get involved!
Editor’s Note: “Liberal Bias” runs biweekly and is an opinion column granted by the Editorial Board to the College Democrats.
