Gustavus students, faculty, and staff transferred power to an electrical generator supplied by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. (Photo by Ashley Henningsgaard)
On Feb. 28, students and administrators at Gustavus Adolphus College pedaled stationary bicycles in competition to see who could pump the most energy into an electrical generator supplied by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. The event marked the culmination of Campus Energy Wars, a month-long competition among a dozen Minnesota colleges and universities. The Campus Energy Wars challenge was to see which campus can conserve the most energy throughout the month.
“Students are excited about this and they are eager to participate,” said Gustavus student Lisa Raetz, a senior from Owatonna. Raetz is co-president of the Gustavus Greens, a student-run environmental advocacy organization dedicated to energy conservation among other topical concerns.
Gustavus students and faculty made a concerted effort to change their behaviors during the month by turning off unused lights in their dorm rooms or classrooms, unplugging appliances, and lowering thermostats to reduce energy consumption. At the initiative of a Gustavus student, St. Peter Municipal Utilities provided 2,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs to further improve energy efficiency on campus.
In March, participating Campus Energy Wars colleges will determine an overall winner based on campus energy reduction during the month of February. The rock band Cloud Cult will perform on the winning campus.