UF residence halls have been participating in a friendly fight for the environment.
The halls are involved in an annual eco-challenge competition, which began Jan. 4 and encourages students living in dorms to conserve water, reduce energy consumption and reduce waste.
“The main thing is to promote environmental awareness,” said Bo Chulawan, the director of the challenge. “We want students to feel they can make an impact, no matter how big or how small.”
The competition ends April 21 during the campus Earth Day celebration, when one residence hall will be proclaimed the winner.
To win the challenge, a residence hall must show the biggest improvement in energy savings per resident. The improvement is measured by comparing the results of this year’s competition with the those of last year’s competition.
Chulawan said prizes for the most sustainable residence hall will include a trophy made from recycled material and items to make the hall even “greener,” including infrared light switches.
The challenge has different contests for different months.
January’s contest involves reducing the amount of water usage per resident, February’s contest focuses on waste reduction, and March and April’s contest focuses on recycling efforts.
Robby Perreault, a sophomore industrial and systems engineering major and a Thomas Hall resident assistant, said the hall’s walls are decorated with posters. Bulletin boards are to raise awareness about shower timers installed in the hall’s bathrooms, he said.
The timers serve to remind students to take shorter, cooler showers to save water.
Leah Zigelsky, a UF freshman who lives in Jennings Hall, said the challenge has also encouraged her to recycle.
“I’ve definitely realized a lot more ways that I can make changes in my routines, which would help this cause a lot,” Zigelsky said.
The group’s Facebook page also said the challenge awards individual students for any extra efforts they make toward being more eco-friendly.
They may be awarded for using reusable to-go boxes from Gator Dining, for example.
Britany Ziems, the eco-challenge representative for Reid Hall, Yulee Hall and Mallory Hall, said the halls will host events to help promote environmental awareness.
Ziems said snacks will be served and Wall-E will be shown at the Yulee Hall basement Thursday.
She said she wants to encourage students in a relaxed way rather than hosting formal speaking engagements.
“We want to get our message across by having fun, not [by] boring people,” said Zeims.
For more information about the challenge, visit http://www.sustainable.ufl.edu.
