The Exponent

Issue date: 1/23/03 Section: News

Southeast Central Housing has just launced an energy conservation plan that will force students to foot light bills that exceed $85 in attempts to curb soaring utility costs.

Lights on in the bathroom and in the kitchen, who cares? Television and stereo blaring, no problem! You're on your way out the door in a hurry to class. Halfway out the door you pause and remember that you left the heat on 85 degrees. It sure was cold last night and even though you wouldn't have turned the heat above 70 degrees if you had to pay the utility bill, you don't care because you don't have to pay the utility bill.

You're wasting enough energy each month to power a few small homes. Oh well, why should that be your concern? You paid your tuition already and it's not your money that you're wasting. You glance over at the light in your living room and decide to just leave it on. Why turn it off anyway? You're going to be back in a couple of hours from class and it won't make a difference because you don't have to pay for it, or do you?

Campus administrators have sought to combat that very attitude for many years. This school year, UAH administrators have introduced their Energy Conservation Program to help students be more conscious about their use of school resources. The Energy Conservation Program is an initiative that will reward on-campus students who conserve energy.

"Utilities are the second highest cost for the SECH," said John Maxon, Director of Housing and Campus Business Operations. "Our intent with the entire process is to convince students to turn the lights off and the heat off when they are not there."

The Energy Conservation Program is currently in place in the SECH. Students living in one-bedroom apartments and suites are encouraged to keep their monthly utility bills below 85 dollars. Due to the fact that Huntsville Utilities bills UAH separately for each apartment and suite in the SECH, students whose bills surpass the 85-dollar threshold are required to pay the difference.

Campus administrators hope that students will see the benefits of saving energy especially during the extreme hot and cold seasonal temperatures. They hope that students will see the benefits of learning to conserve energy as they gradually prepare to live in their own residences in the future.

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