Energy Week 2009

Building on the success of last year’s program, Notre Dame held its third annual Energy Week September 13-19 on campus. Several activities throughout the week focused on educating students about the world’s energy crisis, and informing them about what the University is doing in terms of energy-related research to address these energy challenges. 

This year, Energy Week had a three-pronged goal: First, it aimed to make students aware of the current energy problems, its causes, and its manifestations. The second goal was to explain solutions being developed in today’s laboratories and political forums. And finally, students were shown ways in which they can make changes in their personal habits to decrease their negative impact on the environment.

“People need to realize why it's important to make smart energy choices, particularly students who live on campus and don't pay for their electricity, and seemingly don't have an incentive to conserve,” explains Laura Moore-Shay ’10, a major in environmental geosciences and anthropology, and vice-chair for the Energy Center Student Advisory Board. “Quantitatively, we also hope to see a reduction in campus energy use.”

The week began with a Sunday-night screening of “Too Hot Not to Handle,” a documentary about the effects of global warming on the United States. And, as proof that “going green” is not simply a trend that rose with recent oil prices, students also were able to watch episodes of “Captain Planet,” the ’90s cartoon created by Ted Turner about a superhero who saves the planet from pollution.

As with previous years, there were tours of the Notre Dame Power Plant, which helped students understand how ND’s campus is powered through energy-efficient operations. Engineering and science professors conducted lectures on the current trends in energy conservation, as well as tours of college labs to explain the research being conducted in these areas. On Thursday, Sept. 17, Rev. Paul Kollman, C.S.C. ’84, ’90 M.Div. presided over a Grotto Mass to promote spiritual reflection upon the energy crisis, and to pray for sustainable solutions.

Similar to last year, the University held a “Lights Out” campaign, encouraging everyone to turn off their lights for a period of time. This year, the effort took place on Monday, Sept. 14, from noon to 3:00 p.m. Last year, in just one hour, ND decreased its energy usage by 5.3 percent, simply by turning off lights during the specified period of time. By expanding the event to three hours, the University hoped to increase significantly the amount of energy conserved.

Energy-related companies, organizations, and groups including BP, General Electric, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and GreeND, participated in a South Quad Display. Here, students learned first-hand from energy professionals about new technologies in energy, and participate in interactive displays to increase their energy knowledge. Between 900-1,000 students stopped by to discuss energy issues with the vendors. In addition, about 100 undergraduate and graduate students representing all colleges attended the career luncheon sponsored by BP, General Electric, and ExxonMobil in McKenna Hall. Representatives from these companies discussed with students career opportunities in the energy field.

For more information about the Notre Dame Energy Center and the efforts to improve ND’s impact on the environment, visit the ND Energy Center website.