Jumping on the Energy Conservation Bandwagon
Natalia Goh (NB), Contributing Writer
Issue date: 3/27/06 Section: News
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On the heels of the first-ever HBS Dorms Energy Competition, the Graduate Green Living Program has rolled out its green mascot in conjunction with an energy pledge drive for the residents of Soldiers Field Park (SFP) and One Western Avenue (OWA). Starting this week, residents in these two apartment buildings will be invited to participate in an energy pledge, endeavoring to change their behavior in order to conserve energy and reduce waste.
One month ago, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Bill Clinton declared, "Global warming is the only problem that has the power to fundamentally end the march of civilization as we know it, and render all the other efforts we are making irrelevant and impossible."
In the United States, electricity and heat generation are responsible for about one third of greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, the Green Living Program embarked on a drive to promote energy conservation.
The first part of the energy conservation drive was a three-week Dorms Energy Competition which concluded last month. Morris Hall achieved the highest percentage of energy savings relative to their consumption last year. In total, all dorms were able to save around 7 percent during the competition period, with Morris achieving 23 percent savings, followed by Chase at 4 percent savings. Residents in Morris Hall received movie tickets for their effort (they were given a choice of a Finale dessert buffet or free movie tickets). Due to the interest generated by the competition, the Green Living Program has decided to keep measuring energy consumption to see which dorm uses the least electricity each month.
Following the success of the efforts in the dorms, residents at SFP and OWA will be embarking on an energy-pledge competition. The deadline for the competition is March 31. The winning building will receive renewable energy vouchers to offset 25 percent of the building's electricity usage in 2005 through a renewable energy fund managed by the Harvard Green Campus Initiative. The energy pledge suggests small steps residents can take, not insignificant if one considers that to in order to offset the carbon dioxide generated by total energy usage at SFP and OWA in fiscal year 2005, would take the equivalent of 118,000 tree seedlings grown for ten years!
One month ago, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Bill Clinton declared, "Global warming is the only problem that has the power to fundamentally end the march of civilization as we know it, and render all the other efforts we are making irrelevant and impossible."
In the United States, electricity and heat generation are responsible for about one third of greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, the Green Living Program embarked on a drive to promote energy conservation.
The first part of the energy conservation drive was a three-week Dorms Energy Competition which concluded last month. Morris Hall achieved the highest percentage of energy savings relative to their consumption last year. In total, all dorms were able to save around 7 percent during the competition period, with Morris achieving 23 percent savings, followed by Chase at 4 percent savings. Residents in Morris Hall received movie tickets for their effort (they were given a choice of a Finale dessert buffet or free movie tickets). Due to the interest generated by the competition, the Green Living Program has decided to keep measuring energy consumption to see which dorm uses the least electricity each month.
Following the success of the efforts in the dorms, residents at SFP and OWA will be embarking on an energy-pledge competition. The deadline for the competition is March 31. The winning building will receive renewable energy vouchers to offset 25 percent of the building's electricity usage in 2005 through a renewable energy fund managed by the Harvard Green Campus Initiative. The energy pledge suggests small steps residents can take, not insignificant if one considers that to in order to offset the carbon dioxide generated by total energy usage at SFP and OWA in fiscal year 2005, would take the equivalent of 118,000 tree seedlings grown for ten years!