Green Cup: compete to conserve

From October 20 to November 16, students living on-campus, off-campus, and in Greek houses competed to reduce their energy consumption and water use. This year, students saved 91,142 gallons of water (think of this in relation to a gallon of milk) and nearly 15,013-kilowatt hours of electricity (enough to power 17 American homes for a month). “Eco-Reps and SEED really made a push to ensure students were aware of Green Cup and the numerous ways they can get involved this year,” stated Manager of Sustainability and Resource Management Julie Cahillane.

Organized by Students for Ecological and Environmental Development (SEED), with support from Eco-Reps, the Office of Sustainability, and Facilities Management, Green Cup engages students in behavior change and teaches them the impact of daily activities. Easy steps to reduce energy usage and water consumption include turning off lights when leaving a room, unplugging “vampire” appliances when not in use, taking shorter showers, and checking faucets to insure they aren’t leaking.

Aside from conserving energy and water, students also earn points by attending Green Cup events, taking the Green Pledge, and earn Green Room Certification. This year, 400 students took Green Room Certification, 575 students took the Green Pledge, and there were more than 20 Green Cup events throughout the month.

The competition is divided into 5 categories: residence halls with dining, residence halls without dining, fraternities, sororities, and off-campus teams. Winners of this heated competition earn bragging rights, a prize, and the right to the Green Cup trophy for the year (excludes off-campus winners). Winners this year were Sargent, Greenhouse, AEPi, and Kappa Delta. Check out the Green Cup Facebook page for more information.