The first Energy Idol competition is under way and all submissions are due by Jan. 15, as reported in The Eastern Echo back in December.
The contest, which started Dec. 7, is to find the greenest student at Eastern Michigan University. To do so, students are asked to submit entries explaining why they deserve the title.
Submissions can be made in a variety of ways, including an essay less than 500 words long, an online video no longer than 90 seconds, an original song or another piece of art work.
No submissions may contain profanity or copyrighted material – even songs. Any submissions breaking these rules will be disqualified.
Though this is the contest’s first year, EMU’s Energy and Sustainability Manager Steven Moore II hopes it will be a positive experience that will start a new tradition on campus.
“What we’re looking for is someone that believes in sustainability and clean energy and recycling, things of that nature,” said Steven Moore II, Energy and Sustainability Manager at EMU.
“We’re looking for submissions that will catch other student’s attention, that are show your dedication to being green and what you’ve done on campus, what you’ve done in your own home or own dorm room and also what you’ve done outside of campus.
“Basically, simple things like—maybe you recycle everything that you can, or maybe bigger things like maybe you start up a program in your local area at home, or something like that.”
After all submissions have been turned in they will be checked over to make sure they comply with the rules.
Students, staff and faculty will then have the opportunity to view the submissions and vote for their favorite on the sustainability Web site. Voting is expected to open at the end of January and will remain open until mid-February.
In the first round of voting, 12 submissions will be scrutinized with two submissions being eliminated in each subsequent round. Though a prize has yet to be chosen, Moore said it will have at least a $1000 value.
Energy Idol is one of three similar contests planned for the 2009-10 school year that are meant to spread awareness of the university’s commitment to improving its environmental track record, while also getting students, faculty and staff involved in doing their part.
Last semester the first contest, dubbed the “Recyclethon,” searched for the most energy efficient residence hall and was won by the residence complex of Dining Commons I (Best, Wise, Buell and Downing).
A third contest, which will end at the end of this semester, encourages individual buildings on campus to reduce their energy use from last year.
“The one thing about the recycling contest is we more than tripled the recycling rate in some of the buildings just through this contest, and that was really encouraging just to see that these contests do have an effect and it does actually show up in results and students seem to be taking to it,” Moore said.
Energy Idol is only a small part of the university’s plan to reduce energy, increase recycling and promote sustainability that has already resulted in a 3.5 percent decreased from last year.
For a full list of requirements, and to enter the contest, visit www.emich.edu/physplant/energyidol.html
