Luther, Wartburg rivalry goes green

Wartburg is competing in a Sustainability Challenge against Luther College during the month of February.  

The goal of the challenge is to see which college can reduce its energy consumption by the greatest percentage compared to the previous years’ figures.

“It’s not our energy against their energy.  It’s basically us against us,” campus sustainability officer Tammy Faux said. 

Each week in February will have a different focus.  The main themes for the weeks are: “do it in the dark,” “bundle up,” “slow the flow” and “unplug it.” 

Different activities will occur each week to promote awareness around campus.  For example, blankets will be handed out during “bundle up” week.

“Our goal is to reduce energy consumption by four percent over the average of the previous two years,” Faux said. 

The college spent around $217,000 last February on gas, electricity and water usage.  Reducing energy consumption by four percent would save the college around $8,000.

“It wouldn’t hurt to save money, but it’s more than just a financial thing,” Faux said. “We need to find ways to make ourselves better stewards of the environment.”

Although the main goal of the challenge is for the Wartburg community to be more environmentally aware, there will be a trophy awarded to the college that reduces the highest percentage of energy consumption.  Luther art students are making the trophy. 

Co-coordinator of the Sustainability Challenge, Eric Dreibelbeis, hopes the challenge will continue in the future and students become more educated on how to reduce energy usage through this year’s challenge. 

“There are so many things that we as Americans do that are so wasteful. … It’s predicted that about eight percent of the energy used in America is from energy-sucking devices that don’t need to be plugged in,” Dreibelbeis said.