This week marks the halfway point in Bowdoin's energy saving competition. The 21 residence halls on campus have been competing for cash prizes by conserving energy use since the competition began on October 1.
Coordinator for Sustainable Bowdoin Keisha Payson said that this year, energy savings are being calculated by dividing the number of kilowatt hours per building by the number of residents in each residence hall.
"It may produce sort of different results this year than we've had in the past," said Payson.
In previous years, the overall energy usage in residence halls was measured in September, without informing students, and was then compared to the results of the competition. This process did not take into account the number of residents in each building.
Payson also said the competition was only one week long in the past which encouraged students to adopt unnecessary and extreme energy saving practices.
The month-long competition began as a way to help students develop daily, energy-conscious behavior more so than a week-long period would.
Bowdoin wants to "encourage every day habits people can do. Habits people can sustain for the long term," said Payson.
For the purposes of the competition, the 21 residences on campus are divided into three groups: first-year bricks, college houses and upperclass dorms, which will all compete for cash prizes in different categories.
Prizes will be awarded at the end of October to the most energy efficient first-year brick, college house, upperclass dorm, and college house-brick combination.
The success of each year's competition is greatly due in part to the work of student EcoReps on campus who work closely with affiliate first-year bricks, said Payson.
"The energy saving competition is the EcoReps' big intro to the first-year dorms," said Osher Hall EcoRep Andrew Cushing '12.
According to Payson, the EcoReps have visited their respective first-year bricks over the past few weeks, giving candy to the residents who have been using the energy-efficient light bulbs provided to them during orientation, handing out "Do it in the Dark" magnets, and having students sign an energy saving pledge.
Cushing also commented on the need to help create long-lasting energy saving practices that will continue over a student's four years at Bowdoin.
But the effects of the energy saving competition influence more than just the energy use in dorms.
Head Proctor of Hyde Hall Joshua Magno '11 said the energy saving competition is a "weird way to bond with other people".
He said residents of Hyde have been gathering in larger common spaces to do work rather than using individual lights in separate rooms.
But the competition is not to be mistaken as an exercise designed for first-year students.
In an attempt to reach out to all students on campus, energy efficient light bulbs will be handed out in Smith Union this week, said Payson.
In the meantime, though, a lot can be accomplished by merely turning off lights in empty common rooms, unplugging charged computers, lowering mini-fridge temperature settings, and resisting the urge to use elevators, said Payson.
"Lights in the hallways are shut off...I don't hear the ding of the elevator," said Magno.