Low wattage, high drive

Skidmore Unplugged starts Feb. 11 with activities to promote energy conservation. The residence hall with the lowest energy consumption wins the trophy, presented by Captain Killowatt.

The fourth annual Skidmore Unplugged competition returns to campus residence halls next week. Beginning Feb. 11 and ending March 4, the activities—with themes like “Do It in the Dark” and “Keep Calm and Unplug”—aim to inspire behavior change toward an energy-conscious lifestyle. Kimball Hall will be defending its championship from Skidmore Unplugged 2012, when it reduced energy consumption by 5.5 percent or 938 kWh, about the same as consumed by a household refrigerator for an entire year. 

The competition is part of the Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN), the largest nationwide contest for electricity and water use reduction among colleges and universities. Skidmore’s eight residence halls will vie for the largest per capita percentage reduction in energy consumption. Anyone can follow daily results on the Skidmore Unplugged Facebook page, or see real time data on the building dashboard once the competition begins.

Skidmore will also be competing regionally against Hobart & William Smith and Hamilton colleges and St. Lawrence and Colgate universities for the largest total percentage in energy reduction among the schools. The results from each school will be compared nationally through the CCN network.

For a third year Skidmore is partnering with Chipotle Mexican Grill to reward students for positive behavior change in reducing their electricity use. Students can win prizes by answering trivia questions on the Skidmore Unplugged FB page, attending campus events, and signing pledge cards. 

Skidmore Unplugged’s success will again be fostered by 10 “sustainability representatives” and two S-Rep managers who have been educating their peers and promoting sustainable behavior change both on and off campus. During Skidmore Unplugged, S-Reps will host several campus events and collaborate with various student groups, highlighting the connections between sustainability and numerous student interests. 

Below are some events hosted by student groups as part of Skidmore Unplugged. More events are being created each day; updated news is at Skidmore Unplugged on Facebook.

Skidmore Unplugged events

• Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Feb. 11, 13, 14 -- “Do It in the Dark” Tabling 5:30 p.m-7 p.m., Murray-Aikins Dining Hall: Tabling in the d-hall with the peer health educators and Center for Sex and Gender Relations. Condom-grams will be handed out.
• Wednesday, Feb. 13 -- Moonlight Walk in the North Woods 7 p.m., begins at Falstaff’s: Moonlight walk in the North Woods with the Outing Club and North Woods stewards. 
• Sunday, Feb. 17 -- Lecture-demo by shaman Ray Christ 2 p.m., Wilson Chapel: For “Keep Calm and Unplug” week, Religious Life and Sustainable Skidmore present Ray Crist, founder of the Jaguar Path, yoga teacher, healer, shaman, and certificate holder in several healing arts, who has studied from Thailand to Mexico and Peru.  
• Saturday, Feb. 23 -- Improv in the Dark 9 p.m., Gannett Auditorium: Comedy night in the dark with Awkward Kids Talking.