The
University of Massachusetts Amherst over the last few years has made
a concerted effort to
upgrade utility systems to make them more energy efficient.
Due to
the importance of energy conservation to the University, renovations
to lighting and plumbing have been made in the residence halls.
Specifically, the lighting and lighting controls were upgraded and
there was an
installation of low flow toilets and energy efficient showerheads
in the bathrooms across campus.
Steam and electric distribution
improvements have taken place as well. As part of this project,
meters have been installed in the
residence halls that will monitor the minute by minute usage
of electricity, water, and steam in each building.
We are counting
on you , as a resident here, to make your contribution to our
efforts to conserve energy.
Earth First Quiz
See how environmentally
friendly you are. Answer the following questions truthfully:
Do
I….
______ Forget to shut lights off when I leave
______ Leave the water running while I brush my teeth or shave
______ Take long and frequent hot showers
______ Use hot water when I really do not need to
______ Forget to close my window
______ Forget to shut my shade at night to conserve heat
______ Leave my computer on when I am not going to be using it
for more than 15 minutes
______ Turn my printer on even though I will not be printing
right away
______ Use my computer on and off all day when I could have done
it in one shorter sitting
______ Keep the TV on even though I am really not watching it
______ Wash my clothes with less than a full load
Scoring for the Earth First
Quiz!
Why Conserve Energy?
The simplest
energy conservation measures can save the University millions
of dollars in costs annually. But, energy conservation does more
than
just save money; it reduces damage to the environment and helps
minimize social costs.
Just to get a feel for how
important energy conservation is, here are a few of the social costs
attributed to
energy consumption:
diminishing wilderness areas due to oil and gas exploration,
our growing dependence
on foreign oil and the risk of conflict over shrinking energy
resources. Remember, conservation reduces air and water pollution,
acid rain, and global
warming.
Just to get an idea of the
amount of money the University would save, check out these facts:
-
4.6 million dollars
a year goes to water and electrical utilities – 13%
of your housing bill pays for the 420 dollars of utilities
you use.
-
If each student uses
two 60 watt light bulbs at .12 cents an hour, the University
pays out $134.40/hour just
to turn on
the lights.
-
If 50% of the students
at UMass use a hair dryer for 10 minutes a day, it would cost
the University $11,200/day.
-
If 75% of UMass students
leave their computer on for 12 hours straight, it costs $4,032/day.
-
If
117 laundry dryers are used for 5 hours a day, it would cost
$234/day.
-
If all 11,200 students
take a 15 minute shower every day, it costs the University $13,440/day.
Energy Conservation Facts
The
United States comprises 5% of the world’s population, yet
we produce 25% of all greenhouse
gases. Electricity production is the largest contributor to greenhouse
gases. In Massachusetts, the fuel mix for electricity production
is:
37% Oil
31% Coal
22% Nuclear
7% Natural Gas
1% Other
Energy Conservation Tips:
-
Last one out, turn
off the lights
-
Buy Energy Star appliances,
computers, and electronic devices
-
Do not turn on electronic
devices until you are ready to use them
-
Turn off computers
and all accessories when not in use
-
Recycle because it
costs lots of energy to make new paper, plastic and aluminum
-
During
heating season, be sure your window is securely closed and
locked
-
At night, pull your
shade down and conserve heat
-
During the day, put
your shade up and gain natural light
-
When your room gets
too hot, let us know
iService
-
Keep the laundry
room door propped open when
dryer is
in use
Water
Conservation Facts
Daily indoor water
usage in the typical single family home is about 70 gallons.
Here is how it breaks down:
| Use |
Gallons per |
% of total daily use |
| Toilets |
18.5 |
26.7 |
| Clothes Washers |
15.0 |
21.7 |
| Showers |
11.6 |
16.8 |
| Faucets |
10.9 |
15.7 |
| Leaks |
9.5 |
13.7 |
| Other uses |
3.8 |
5.3 |
Water
Conservation Tips
-
Take brief showers – a
shower uses 1.6 gallons per minute
-
Turn off the water
while brushing your teeth or washing your dishes – only
run it when you are actually using it
-
Rinse your razor
in the sink instead of under running water
-
Only wash your
clothes when you have a full load
-
Report constantly
running toilets or dripping faucets to
iService
-
Report any leaking
plumbing fixture (toilet, sink, pipes, etc.) to
iService
Computer Conservation Tips
Personal
computers account for approximately 1.5% of all energy consumption.
One computer left on 24 hours
a day uses between $65 and $115 annually and dumps 850-1,500
pounds of carbon dioxide into the
air.
Here are a few things you can do to help conserve energy:
