Students, Faculty and Staff Can 'UnPlug for the Holidays'

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The U of A Office for Sustainability is sponsoring the 3rd annual “Unplug for the Holidays” event. It’s a way to save energy on campus while you are off for the winter break.

On a typical December day the University of Arkansas burns about 12 megawatts of electrical energy. On December 25, when there is almost no one on campus, electricity consumption only drops to about 9 megawatts.

Some of that power goes to keep lights on in the empty buildings for security reasons, or to maintaining a minimum temperature.

But a significant amount of electricity is used up by electrical devices that are turned off but still plugged in.

It’s easy to be a part of this campus wide campaign. Before you leave your office or residence hall:

1. Turn off everything that uses electricity.
2. Unplug your power vampires – equipment that consumes energy even when it’s turned off.

The fact is that electrical devices large and small use energy until they are unplugged. What devices? Here’s an easy checklist:

• Computers, computer monitors, video monitors
• Power strips
• Chargers
• Printers, copiers 
• Space heaters
• Office lights
• Refrigerators, microwaves, coffee-makers, other small appliances

Quick reminder – empty your refrigerator before you unplug.

“Unplugging for the holidays is a great way to save the university money on electricity and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – all while you relax on vacation,” said Marty Matlock, executive director of the Office for Sustainability. “A huge part of our campus carbon footprint comes from the carbon dioxide produced by the power plants that provide our electrical power. Anything we can do to cut electrical consumption helps us meet our Campus Climate pledge to be carbon neutral by 2040.

“You can think of ‘unplugging’ as your gift to the campus and to the planet.”