Conserving energy rewarded

By Annie Cheung

Three students are working to make energy conservation rewarding, both for Mother Nature and for students' pocketbooks.

Senior Jasmine Blaine, sophomore Julie Peterson and Vice President of Associated Students Katherine Quinn-Shea are bringing Earth Aid, an energy conservation program, to the Santa Clara community. Earth Aid is a free online service that allows households to monitor electric, gas and water utility usage in one place. Households are able to sign up for free online and link their utility accounts with the Earth Aid system.

Each month, households are able to earn points by decreasing their energy, water and gas from the previous month's numbers.

One reward point is equivalent to either one kilowatt hour of energy saved, ten cubic feet of natural gas saved or twenty gallons of water saved.

Those points can then be redeemed for rewards at local businesses, which currently include The Hut, Togo's and Red Brick Pizza. Frozo's and Mondo Burrito also plan to join the program, according to Blaine, who has been in contact with over 30 different businesses.

Current redemption rewards include: Togo's sandwiches, buy one get one free (45 points); The Hut, two for one domestic drafts (50 points); Red Brick Pizza, purchase any large pizza get free salad and bread sticks (70 points).

"It takes very little effort to gain around 70 points in a month," Blaine said. "It's easy. Reduce consumption, get free drinks or pizza."

In addition to monitoring utility usage and offering rewards, Earth Aid offers tips on how to reduce energy consumption and information on the local, state and federal rebates and discounts available.

All three girls are tabling at Benson Memorial Center and local stores like Trader Joe's and canvassing the neighborhoods, with the help of volunteers, to spread word about the nationwide program and encourage people to sign up.

"Earth Aid was a fellowship opportunity offered to environmental studies majors and myself and Julie were the only ones who applied," said Blaine. "I'm estimating 30 to 50 households have signed up under our fellowship. We are supposed to get 350 people to sign up."

Said Quinn-Shea, "It's really a good opportunity for households and businesses. Businesses get their logo on the Web site and the coupons will bring in customers for them."

The program is currently in the pilot stage, which means that it is free for businesses and households to join.

At some point after December, there will be a fee for businesses, but households will be able to use the services at no cost.

Blaine, Peterson and Quinn-Shea hope to get many of the students living in off-campus housing to sign up for Earth Aid this quarter.

"Next quarter, we want to have a competition between the houses to see who can reduce their energy the most to get people excited about it," said Quinn-Shea.

Senior Amanda Sobrepeña was interested when she heard about the program.

"I think it's a good idea," she said. "That's an easy way to start getting people more involved in saving energy. Giving incentives is a good way to start that consciousness."

Junior Renee Eligio also saw Earth Aid as a good opportunity.

"The incentives sound really good, I mean two for one beer? And it's saving energy too, which is even better."

Blaine and Peterson began work on the fellowship a few weeks ago. When the pair asked Associated Students about tabling in Benson, they found Quinn-Shea was interested in helping with Earth Aid.

"I am glad we have Katherine working with us," said Blaine. "She is more focused on Santa Clara University, while I want to get the whole community involved."

"Together, we will be able to cover a lot of ground," she added.

In addition to Santa Clara, Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, are the two other schools from the Bay Area with Earth Aid fellowships.

To sign up for Earth Aid under the Santa Clara fellowship, go to www.earthaid.net/r/48.

Contact Annie Cheung at (408) 554-4546 or accheung@scu.edu.