Green House and Willard are dominating the second week of the Green Cup competition, with Jones and Elder trailing close behind.
The Green Cup competition, sponsored by the Students for Ecological and Environmental Development (SEED), includes all residence halls and the Greek community. Its aim is to promote efficient energy use throughout campus. This competition, offering $1000 of incentive to dorms, offers creative strategies to reduce electricity.
According to McCormick senior and SEED Green Cup Chair Phil Dziedzic, the points are calculated based on a percentage reduction off of the 2010 baseline. The 2010 baseline is created by looking at historical data from previous years and also data for this year up to the start of the competition.
A flier outside of Green House reads: “Green House is in THIRD PLACE in Green Cup!!! UNACCEPTABLE. Every Resident is hereby FORBIDDEN to shower in GREEN House. Shower in SPAC or a friend’s dorm instead.”
Furthermore, the flier states that dryer use is forbidden and that every plug should be unplugged.
Many Greenhouse residents abide by the rules.
Weinberg freshmen and Green House resident Daniel Oh said: “Admittedly, my showers are shorter. I use the blinds more instead of the overhead light. Some people in Greenhouse have gone to SPAC to shower.” Green House also has shower timers to promote shorter showers.
“They designated blackout times: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 6-11 p.m. Next week they’re thinking about increasing the times,” said an anonymous Green House resident.
Green House currently holds first place in the no-dining hall division, with a 75.3 percent reduction in electricity, and a 46.6 percent reduction in water.
Other dorms have taken measures as well.
Elder Hall has a 4.9 percent reduction in electricity and a 35.8 percent reduction in water in the first week. “There are no lights in the hallways in Elder. We shower less and waste less in the dining halls. I don’t think it will last past Green Cup, though, because we miss the lights,” said Weinberg junior Meg Murphy.