University of Oregon
ER-2: Student Sustainability Outreach Campaign

1) During fall quarter 2010, all dorms at the UO competed in the Conservation Nationals; a 3-week competition that pits 40 institutions of higher education in a challenge to see which can reduce electricity and water use the most. UO dorms competed in the electricity portion of the competition. 2) In the fall of 2009 and 2010, the UO and Oregon State University competed in the Energy Civil War to see which school could generate the most energy from their Recreation Centers' ReRev(TM) elliptical machines during the week of the Civil War Football Game. The event was coordinated by the UO Office of Sustainability and the OSU Student Sustainability Initiative. 3) The UO participated in the 2009 and 2010 Recyclemania; a well known national recycling competition.

1) This competition involved taking baseline energy use in all UO dorms from the last two weeks of October, and comparing dorm energy use between November 1st and November 19th to that initial baseline. Schools with the largest percent reduction from their baseline during the competition period won a real time energy dashboard from Lucid Design Group. Competition Results: At the UO, every residence hall in the competition reduced its electricity use below its baseline for at least six days day during the 20 day event. More information about this campaign is found here: http://www.competetoreduce.org/ 2) The UO produced more energy during both Energy Civil Wars. Combined, the two schools generated about 23,000 watt hours of energy on their elliptical machines in 2009, and about 40,000 watt hours of energy in 2010. 3) During the 2009 Recyclemania competition, 164 tons of recyclables (paper, cardboard and glass/metal/plastic containers) were collected in 10 weeks. During the 2010 competition, the total of recyclables collected increased to 183 tons in 10 weeks. There were several other anecdotal positive outcomes of the Recyclemania competition. There was an inaugural RecycleMania Civil War between OSU and UO with a trophy created to be held by the winner, several successful scrap art workshops focusing on reused materials, a well-attended movie night, an inter-complex competition between groups of residential complexes to increase interest, and funding and continued support and involvement from RHA and University Housing’s Sustainability Quality Circle. These outcomes resulted in greater interest and participation in the competition and overall education of students on waste reduction, recycling, reuse and resource conservation. For more info, visit: http://www.recyclemania.org/