Students turned on by switching off!

Students living in University of Bath accommodation will be encouraged to have fun in the dark this academic year by taking part in The Student Switch Off where halls will compete against each other to come top of the class in energy efficiency.

Prizes will be given out over the course of the year to encourage students to save energy and do their bit to tackle climate change. These prizes will specifically be given to students who sign up to become Eco-Power Rangers – residents who pledge to use their energy carefully and encourage their friends to do so as well.

Prizes on offer to Eco-Power Rangers include weekly tickets to Elements, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, tickets to Odeon, NUS Extra cards and energy-saving gadgets.  On top of all this, the winning hall will receive a celebratory meal and drinks towards the end of the academic year.

The actions encouraged by the Student Switch Off are simple, but those that can sometimes get neglected when you're living in halls. They include switching lights and appliances off when not in use, putting a lid on the pan when cooking, not overfilling the kettle and putting on an extra layer of clothing rather than turning up the thermostat.

This is the 4th year that the University has run such a competition, but the first time it has teamed up with the Student Switch Off campaign. In previous years some excellent savings have been seen, including one block cutting their bills by 27%. Overall the student residences have saved 300 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions since the competition started. This is part of the University's overall drive to minimise its impact, where electricity use is down by 9% in 3 years despite new buildings being added, saving over 1400 tonnes every year (roughly equivalent to about 800 UK houses electricity bills for a year).

The Student Switch Off also is being supported by the conscious group "True Ingredients" who will be storming the freshers weeks and Universities throughout the year, with some of the hottest events to help raise and maintain the profile of the campaign.

To become an Eco-Power Ranger and maximise your chances of winning some of these great prizes, e-mail ecopowerrangers@studentswitchoff.org or join the “ University of Bath Eco-Power Rangers ” Facebook group.

To go to the Student Switch Off website, click here.