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SHERMAN, TEXAS—Austin College students again are being challenged to save electricity in daily living in the second annual “AC Unplugged” residence hall competition. The month-long effort is offered as part of the Thinking Green initiative, the Austin College campaign related to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.
Students in Baker, Dean, Caruth, and Clyce residence halls are part of the AC Unplugged challenge that encourages students to reduce electricity consumption from September 28 to October 26 to levels below last year’s usage in the same time period. The residents that most reduce building electricity consumption from usage levels a year ago donate the amount of savings, up to $500, to a selected charity. Cost savings, up to $250, from the second-place hall will be donated at 50 percent, and the third and fourth place halls at 25 percent, up to $100. The additional savings will remain a part of the College’s general operation fund.
Residents in each hall have selected a charity to support: Caruth Hall will donate to St. Jude’s Hospital; Baker Hall to Big Brothers/Big Sisters; Clyce Hall to Hannah’s Horseshoes of Hope; and Dean Hall to Habitat for Humanity.
Organizers are encouraging students to turn off lights, electrical devices, and chargers when not in use and to think creativity about free time involvement, like outdoor activities, group television viewing or social activities where several people can use the same electrical equipment, or playing games that don’t require electricity.
Though only the traditional residence halls are competing as the living situations are similar enough for accurate comparisons, the coordinating committee encourages residents of all campus housing to “Think Green” during AC Unplugged and beyond.
Austin College’s goal as a member of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment is to reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions and eventually have no net emissions. Thinking Green coordinators explained that since electricity use is the number one contributor of the campus’ greenhouse gases, reducing electricity consumption will help achieve the goal of carbon neutrality.
Electricity usage updates are posted in the residence halls and in Wright Campus Center each week.
Austin College uses approximately 100,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year, at a cost over
$1 million and generating close to seven megatons of carbon dioxide. Students are encouraged to reduce their energy use long term to reduce the electricity costs for the College and to lower the campus impact on the environment.
Brad Smucker, associate professor of chemistry, is director of the Austin College Thinking Green Campus Awareness initiative. A committee of faculty, students, and staff works to create activities and educational campaigns in keeping with the program. Student leaders are senior Chris Donovan of Mansfield, Texas, completing majors in environmental studies and political science, and junior Rachel Sims of Dallas, Texas, completing majors in economics and environmental studies.
Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives.
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