Campaign Urges Energy Efficiency

Saving the world is now easier than ever—you could have started over the Thanksgiving holiday by turning off your computer, according to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Computer Energy Reduction Program (CERP).

The “Go Cold Turkey” campaign urged students to sign a pledge promising they would turn off their electronic appliances over the break to conserve resources and minimize greenhouse gas emission. CERP says computers use the most energy at Harvard—at 39 percent—followed by lights at 26 percent, citing the results of a student’s senior thesis.

“The most important aim of the pledge is to raise consciousness of energy use,” said Rachelle K. Gould ’03, student co-captain of the Resource Efficiency Program, which is also sponsoring the campaign. “We want you to be proud of your commitment to the environment.”

About 2,000 students, or a quarter of the students at the College, pledged to do their part to reduce waste on “the natural environment, the United States and the world” by turning off their computers, according to Antje Danielson, CERP program manager.

Leverett and Mather garnered the most pledges among the Houses. Mather House had a 45 percent participation rate, securing 187 pledges. Leverett gathered 197 pledges for a 44 percent participation rate. Straus gathered the most among the first-year dorms with 49 pledges for a 51 percent participation rate.

The winning House or dorm, which will receive a study break, will be determined by both the percentage of pledges gained and the amount of actual energy used, figures which will be compiled next week.

Although campaign organizers said they consider the participation rate impressive, Danielson said the request for name and e-mail addresses on the pledge form might have deterred some potential participants.

Gould said the lack of publicity about environmental issues might also have affected participation.

“I think people are not used to hearing environmental messages, and when we conducted the campaign this year, some people confused this with another campaign last year,” Gould said.

Some students initially thought the “Go Cold Turkey” campaign dealt with politics.

Gabrielle A. Harding ’02-’03 initially thought the campaign was political, but made an effort to conserve energy when she noticed the posters around campus.

“I turned off the computer and the power strip and unplugged the stereo,” Harding said. “Also, because I live off-campus, I feel the electricity bill.”

Gould said students living on campus might overlook the importance of energy conservation because they do not feel the economic repercussions of their energy usage—even if it skyrockets.

“People here are totally disconnected from the outside world, but the fact that you don’t have to pay for it doesn’t mean you can ignore it,” Gould said.

Misinformation could also contribute to energy waste on campus. According to CERP, using screen savers and “stand-by” mode do not save energy, contrary to popular belief.

Some students said that despite a degree of apathy, there is also enough awareness to mitigate waste.

“I didn’t see any of the campaign posters in Weld, but the proctors and other people here do make an effort to conserve,” Ivona Josipovic ’06 said. “But there is this one girl who left her alarm clock on, and it has been beeping nonstop for the past three days.”

Danielson said the group is currently focusing on undergraduates but plans to target the University as well. Currently, approximately 50 to 60 percent of the University staff leaves their computers on all the time, she said. Over Thanksgiving, the computer kiosks in the Science Center and the lights in Widener’s stacks remained on.

If students conserve energy by following the suggestions set by CERP, Danielson estimated the University would save $50,000 annually, which is equivalent to approximately 700,000 pounds less greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere.

When environmentally friendly behavior reaches across the University to include faculty and graduate students, for example, the savings could reach $250,000 per year.