VCU to recognize Earth Day 2005 with celebration and energy challenge

By Mike Frontiero and A. Nikki Ahmadi-Nabi

To mark the 35th anniversary of Earth Day, Virginia Commonwealth University will host a celebration, and challenge students, faculty and staff to improve energy efficiency and water usage.

The celebration – featuring exhibitors, prizes and music – originally scheduled for Earth Day, Friday, April 22, was rescheduled because of rain for Friday, April 29, outside the VCU Student Commons from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The VCU Department of Environmental Conservation will sponsor the event, which also will include activities and refreshments.

The VCU community also can learn new ways to help the university reduce its utility costs and reliance on natural resources by visiting the VCU Energy Challenge Web site.

Features added recently include Bright Ideas, which gives students the opportunity to submit ideas on saving energy and water on campus. Students can win prizes if their ideas are picked.

Another feature introduced to the Web site is the Waste Watchers message board, which allows students to voice problems about their dorms or other campus buildings directly to facilities management.

VCU Energy Challenge, which was launched last fall, aims to increase energy awareness and to encourage the VCU community to view differently the way it uses energy and water resources, saving money and improving environmental quality.

Also on the site, www.vcu.edu/energychallenge, are tips and information about energy conservation, including the cost of operating personal computers, alternative energy resources and purchasing energy efficient appliances.

The effort is one of the university’s answers to an executive order from Gov. Mark R. Warner, requesting state agencies be prudent in their use of energy. The order sets a short-term goal for all institutions in the state to reduce energy consumption by at least 7 percent and a long-term goal of 10 percent by 2006. VCU is challenging students, faculty and staff to start now, by saving 10 percent over the next year.