Central Oregon Community College and Oregon State University Cascades residence hall students are currently competing in the second annual Beavers & Bobcats Energy Challenge. Both campuses are trying to conserve the most energy during the month of February.
The competition was started in 2022 by both schools’ sustainability committees, and during this month they plan to encourage residence hall students to conserve energy, such as turning off lights, unplugging unused devices, taking shorter showers and washing clothes with cold water. According to COCC’s sustainability committee, shortening showers by just five minutes can save up to 12 gallons of water each time.
Residents of Wickiup Hall are asked to fill out a pledge card about the actions they will take to save energy, and will be entered into a raffle. The winning residence hall will receive a pizza party.
According to Noelle Copley, sustainability coordinator at COCC, coordinators of the competition are tracking energy through bills received and meters for gas and electricity. They plan on comparing the month of January to the month of February to determine which residence hall decreases its energy usage the most.
Taleah Zueger, COCC student and Campus Services Sustainability Assistant, is managing the competition at COCC this year, in collaboration with Noelle Copely and the sustainability coordinators at OSU-C.
Although the competition was held last year as well, this was Zueger’s first year managing it, and she made some changes. These included introducing pledge cards and raffles to motivate residents to participate.
Raffle prizes include sweatshirts with the Beavers & Bobcats Energy Challenge logo as well as prizes from the Energy Trust of Oregon such as blankets, cups and power strips.
Zueger said that managing future competitions at COCC is something she would like to continue to do as a student and the sustainability assistant, as well as “doing all [she] can to improve the competition along with other energy saving and sustainability efforts.”
“I try to keep the advertising with flyers light, meaning not plastered on every wall you see because that becomes annoying … I change the posters often because the info becomes old and known so it’s time for a change. We’re college kids, we get bored,” said Zueger, regarding the advertising for the event.
For more information on the competition or how to participate, click here or visit the Wickiup Hall lobby for pledge cards.
Miina McCown
Editor in Chief
