by Abby Wester
The two week long War of the Watts competition kicked off with some friendly, environmental, inter-hall competition on November 4th, finishing on November 18th. War of the Watts, challenged students to reduce their energy usage by rewarding the residential hall with the greatest decrease in energy usage over the two week span with a pie party held during the winning residential hall’s evening Milk and & Cookies (M&C)s.
This year, Pearsons Hall came in first place with a 36.96% energy reduction over the two weeks, setting a record for the most energy reduced in the history of the competition! Second place went to Pearsons Annex with a 10.71% reduction, third place was taken by Buckland Hall with a 7.69% reduction and Torrey Hall rounded out the competition with a 6.84% reduction.
The semesterly competition brings together the efforts of Facilities Management, the Miller Worley Center for the Environment and the student Eco-Reps. Facilities Management measures the energy use of each residential hall over the course of the competition. A week prior to the competition, they take a “baseline” measurement of each hall’s energy use. Over the course of the competition, they continue taking these measurements, and the hall with the largest decrease in energy use wins.
War of the Watts is an initiative supported by the Miller Worley Center for the Environment. Located in Dwight Hall, the Miller Worley Center works to educate Mount Holyoke students about their global environment, preparing them to be knowledgeable citizens and leaders. It also works to promote a culture of sustainability on campus, helping students recognize the changes they can make in their daily lives to help the environment.
The Eco-Reps, student sustainability educators who work under the Miller Worley Center, organize the competition each semester and promote it on campus. They work with residential life staff to reduce students’ energy use in their living spaces.
Although the competition has come to a close, there’s no reason to stop conserving energy. To be more environmentally conscious in your living space, keep these simple tips in mind:
Turn off lights when not in use.
Turn off computers when not in use.
Adjust mini-fridge temperature to the middle range.
Take the stairs.
Wash laundry with cold water.
Unplug chargers when not in use.