UF's 7,600 on-campus students have a chance to save money and energy for The Biggest Saver: Battle of the Halls Energy Challenge beginning Friday.
The challenge asks students to cut back on electricity and water used in their halls to celebrate National Campus Energy Reduction month. The "Biggest Saver" will be one of the 12 residential areas on campus that conserves the most energy. The winning area will be announced in March and will get a party with food, prizes and a trophy.
"I want Beaty to win," said Alexandra Klein, the environmental concerns director for the Inter-Residence Hall Association. "That's my hall, so I'm going all out."
Klein suggested students unplug computers, lamps and other electronic devices while not in use because many people don't realize that energy is still used when something's plugged in, even if it's turned off.
The Office of Sustainability is working with IRHA to promote the competition and with the Physical Plant Division to measure the energy, said Claire Long, an intern at UF's Office of Sustainability.
"We don't want this to be about saving energy in February," Long said. "The hope is that students will take these habits into their lives past college."
