Ecolympics are a powerful call to action

Photo by Braylan Enscoe, Staff Photographer

Did you know that the average dorm room wastes 30% of its energy while unoccupied?

This semester, Chapman’s Ecolympics is tackling this issue head-on. Focused on reducing energy consumption with this year’s theme “A Race to Reduce Energy Usage” highlighting practical ways for students to lower their electrical footprint within their dorms.  

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, residential and commercial buildings account for 40% of total energy use in the United States, including 75% of all electricity use and 35% of the nation’s carbon emissions. Tackling energy use at the university level is a crucial step toward curbing rising greenhouse gas emissions.  

Chapman’s Ecolympics is a friendly competition between all on-campus residence halls designed to encourage students to adopt energy-saving habits. By raising awareness of conservation measures, such as unplugging chargers or unused appliances and using energy-efficient LED or power strips, the event helps students incorporate sustainability into their daily lives.  

The Ecolympics kicked off in October, and the winning residence hall will be announced in early December. Each resident from the winning hall will receive $50 in Panther Bucks — a fun incentive to save energy.  

But Chapman’s Ecolympics isn’t just a competition, it’s an opportunity for students to take sustainability and energy efficiency into their own hands. Jenny Kaufman, the energy conservation and sustainability manager at Chapman University, highlights Ecolympics as a learning opportunity. 

“I think it's especially important just because we're in a unique position where you all are kind of at a time in your life where you're living on your own for the first time and controlling your own water use and energy use,” explained Kaufman. “It's a good time to kind of build those habits into your routines — so that when you're living on your own outside of Chapman and paying your own electricity and water bills, it's only going to benefit your wallet and the environment.”

Shanna Marie Antonio, a sophomore business administration major and her roommates who live in the Glass Apartments, have embraced energy-saving habits since the start of this year's Ecolympics.

“My roommates and I reduce using as much of our lights until it gets dark,” Antonio explained. “We also don’t have our (air conditioner) AC running as often because of how cold it is now.”

Small changes like these not only reduce energy use but also help build sustainable habits that students can carry with them beyond campus life. For example, a senior psychology major Ceterra Wilcox, who now lives off campus at the Chapman Grand apartments learned a lot of valuable lessons from taking part in Chapman’s Ecolympics in previous years.

“I tried to participate by making sure we weren’t leaving things on for longer than necessary, such as the lights,” explained Wilcox. “Now that I live in Chapman Grand, and alone, it is much easier to hold myself accountable. I try my best to turn off lights when I’m not in a room, unplug chargers when my devices are fully charged, and turn off the AC or heat when it’s enough.”

This year’s Ecolympics highlights not just our role in reducing Chapman University’s energy consumption but also the significant impact we can have in addressing global environmental challenges. Whether it’s turning off unused lights, unplugging chargers, or adjusting the thermostat, small daily actions add up to meaningful change.

Residents can keep up with this year’s Ecolympics @sustainchapman on Instagram. As of Nov. 5, the Davis apartments were leading the on-campus dorms, with Morlan Hall and Harris Apartments and Pralle Sodaro Hall close behind. Keep an eye out in early December for the announcement of this year’s winner.