Campus Wars: Keep up your energy-saving efforts
From the UST Green Team
Two weeks into Campus Wars and it's time to re-examine what Campus Wars is. Campus Wars is a campaign to try to reduce energy and heating consumption on the St. Thomas St. Paul campus for the month of February and compare that figure to the last three February averages.
Fifteen Minnesota schools, including the University of St. Thomas, Macalester, Carleton, the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and others, will vie this month for an energy-saving title.
Come to the free showing of the film “Kilowatt Ours” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20, in Room 126, John R. Roach Center for the Liberal Arts. Free popcorn will be available. “Kilowatt Ours” is a film that reveals the consequences of our coal-powered economy and a plan to re-energize America.
Tuesday also is “Do it in the Dark Day.” Try to do the majority of your activities in the dark. It's easy, fun and provides a new challenge in your daily life.
Energy saving tip of the week:
Learn and take action by joining campus climate initiatives on campus. The Green Team has entered in the Campus Climate Challenge along with other Minnesotan universities with these success stories:
- In 2004, Carleton College used $1.8 million from its endowment fund to build a 1.65 MW wind turbine. The college has entered a 20-year power purchase agreement with Xcel energy at 3.3 cents per kilowatt hour. With state financial incentives, the wind turbine will realize payback within 10 to 12 years. The turbine’s useful life is 25 years, providing 15 years of earnings on the investment.
- Macalester College installed a wind turbine on campus to increase awareness of renewable energy and energy conservation in the student body. A local utility offered to purchase the turbine, if the campus would pay to install it. The $15,000 installation cost initially was covered by Physical Plant, and then repaid from funds raised for the Senior Class gift.
- In July 2004, St. Olaf University received a $98,000 grant from the Kresge Foundation to make its new science complex environmentally friendly. The school is taking a holistic approach, examining siting, daylighting, renewable energy and sound water sustainable water management. The school hopes to earn LEED accreditation.
- In 2000 and 2003, the University of Minnesota added E85 (a 15-percent gasoline/85-percent ethanol blend) fueling stations at two of its campuses. Between 60 and 70 university vehicles will be able to refuel at the outlets. The additions earned Bill Roberts, Fleet Services director, the American Lung Association’s Extra Mile Award.
Source: Apollo Alliance.
