Learning and living have cultivated an inextricable link. For sophomore Emily Forinash, information extracted from environmental studies is apparent in her behavior and efforts throughout POWERless competition.
“My major is environmental studies, and I’ve realized that the stuff I’ve been exposed to are along the lines of environmental duties,” Forinash said. “I think educating people to have a sustainable lifestyle now in college is a way to promote that lifestyle throughout their lives.”
Elon’s seventh POWERless competition encourages students to assume more ownership of the competition, according to Elaine Durr, director of sustainability. POWERless, a three-week program that ended March 13, is designed to encourage students to improve energy habits and raise awareness of energy conservation.
Residence areas compete to have the lowest energy. Residence halls and Loy Center courts also compete. This year, members of the Office of Sustainability asked students to serve as hall captains to promote the objectives of the competition.
Forinash, an eco-rep for the Danieley Center, volunteered as a hall captain and described her position as a liaison between Residence Life and the Office of Sustainability. Throughout the competition, she informed her residents of feasible ways to reduce energy consumption.
“We have seen in past efforts if it is coming from a peer it is better received,” said Thomas Bowie, assistant director of Residence Life in Danieley Center.
The program’s new initiative empowers the students and develops a sense of community among the residents, Forinash said.
“I know when I was a freshman, the competition was there and it was promoted, but there wasn’t a sense of ‘I can do this’ or ‘I can make a difference,’” she said. “Having a peer that is constantly there promotes a sense of a sustainability lifestyle.”
The student leaders demonstrate each individual’s potential to positively influence the environment.
“It serves as a reminder of what each of us can do to save energy on a daily basis,” Durr said.
While all on-campus residents participate in POWERless, not all halls and areas have had students volunteer to serve as captain during the three-week competition.
“We did not have any students that came forward as a hall leader for our area,” said Scott Hendershot, assistant director of Residence Life for West Area.
Sustainability efforts are most frequently communicated to his residents through emails from their respective eco-rep and fliers he posted on light switches reminding students to conserve energy, Hendershot said. Regardless of the messenger, witnessing sustainable behavior still motivates students to reduce energy use, according to Hendershot.
“I expect students will gain information during POWERless and continue that throughout the rest of the year,” he said.
The competition illuminates small actions individuals can continuously do to reduce their carbon footprint, according to Bowie.
Environmentally-friendly practices during the three-week period cultivate habits, Forinash said.
“Having this experience to show how easy it is (to conserve energy) and how harmless it is to themselves will make it last throughout the rest of the semester and time at Elon,” she said.
Engaging the whole community also opposes what Forinash called the tragedy of the commons, where each person believes his individual effort does not have a great influence and discourages each person from acting positively, she said.
The building dashboard, an online tool that indicates the amount of reduction in energy and carbon dioxide emission shows the results of daily actions. According to Hendershot, the dashboard best communicates how student conduct relates to global issues.
“They see immediately what is happening when they turn off the lights and unplug unused electronics,” he said.
The dashboard indicates participation in POWERless has saved more than 12,000 kilowatt-hours, which signifies the amount of energy needed to operate for one hour. Additionally, more than 14,000 pounds of carbon dioxide and more than $800 have been saved.
Each POWERless competition has reduced overall energy use from 6 to 20 percent, Durr said. For the spring competition, she said she hopes to see a cumulative energy reduction of at least 10 percent.