Energy conservation can be difficult, especially for students who are unaware of basic conservation strategies.
University of Oregon seniors and environmental science majors Laura Krogman and Aaron Chernus, both members of the Fraternity and Sorority Life community, wanted a way to help educate people and save energy all while helping a good cause.
Krogman, a member of Chi Omega, and Chernus, member of Phi Kappa Psi, have began the Greek Life Energy Challenge, which started this past week and will continue until the end of winter term.
They first had the idea when they both were living in their own houses and realized that a lot of energy was being wasted.
“It was so much fun living in, but there was also a lot that could be changed,” Krogman said.
The two began drawing up plans and contacting FSL through the Fraternity Housing Corporation and Panhellenic Counsel. After getting approval from the boards, they went and talked to each of the 19 chapters on campus to try and get everyone to participate.
The way the competition works, according to the project proposal, is an entry fee of $300 from each chapter will fund the contribution to the winner’s philanthropy. The more energy a house conserves, the more money a house saves and the faster it will make back its entry fee.
“It benefits everyone. We help save the environment, the house saves money and the winner gets to donate money to their philanthropy,” Chernus said. “In essence the entire competition is just one big charity.”
Krogman and Chernus will document how much energy is saved each month. They have been researching the logistics and working out all the details, while running into a few minor problems.
“At the end of each month we’re going to be publishing the data, percentage of reduction, but before we publish that information we have to make sure that legally we can do that,” Krogman said.
So far, only a few chapters have hopped on board, but the ones that have are going all in. Participating chapters include Chi Omega, Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Phi, Phi Kappa Psi and Delta Sigma Phi.
Sophomore Emily Buswold is a member of Alpha Chi Omega and lives in the house.
“As a sorority, we try our best to be environmentally aware in our everyday activities,” she said. “It’s very important to Alpha Chi Omega to be sustainable and to live an environmentally-friendly life and when you get to potentially help your philanthropy in the process, it’s a win-win.”
Chapters that enter receive free energy audits, a chance to save money on monthly electric bills and the winner will receive $1,800 donated to their philanthropy.
“It sets a really good example for not just Greek life, not just the University of Oregon, but for the community in general,” Krogman said.
Overall, the pair is most interested in educating the campus about energy efficiency and conservation.
“There are definitely a lot of people who are unaware of basic energy conservation strategies that you can use on an everyday basis and we want to change that,” Krogman said.