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Energy

What can you do?

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Computers and Appliances

  • Turning off your computer when you leave it for the day saves 65% of this energy.

  • If you’re not using your computer, make sure it’s off or on sleep mode and the screen is black!

  • Standby power (also known as vampire power), or electric power consumed by products when they are switched off or in standby mode, accounts for between five and ten percent of residential energy use. Simply unplugging your electronics and appliances when not in use can reduce this energy waste. Using a power strip that can switch on and off is a great way to turn off all of your unused electronics with the press of a button. 

  • Make sure that your dishwasher, washing machine, and clothes dryer are full before you run them! Washing dishes by hand or hanging your clothes to dry can also save this energy.

  • Check out a Watt meter from the Norlin circulation desk to discover how much electricity you can save by unplugging your electronics and appliances when not in use.

desk lamp

Lights

  • Incandescent lights are the least efficient type of light, as 90% of its energy is given off as heat, while only 10% is used to light your space. If sunlight can light your room naturally, or if you are leaving the room, turn your lights off to reduce energy use. 

  • When possible, change out your incandescent bulbs for LED lights. LEDs use between 25-80% less energy and can last up to 25 times as long as traditional incandescent bulbs. 

What is CU doing?

cu boulder campus aerial photo
  • CU’s steps towards becoming more energy efficient, including the student-assisted Energy Outreach Program, have earned the school a STARS Gold Rating. 

  • Through the purchase of offsets, both the UMC and the Student Rec Center are carbon neutral.

  • CU has enough solar installations on campus to power 1,500 homes.

  • ECO-Visits is a free service from CU that helps students living off-campus save energy in their homes! 

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Environmental Center

CUSG | Division of Student Affairs 
University of Colorado Environmental Center
207 UCB, UMC 355, Boulder, CO 80309-0207 
To contact us please leave a message at 303-492-8308 or email ecenter@colorado.edu
Office Hours Monday - Friday 9:00a-5:00p

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