For the first time, the University will compete against other schools during a portion of the annual Eco-Challenge, a contest promoted by the Office of Sustainability encouraging students to consume less energy.
 
The inter-collegiate competition between GW, American and Howard universities will be the first conservation contest held on the east coast by the Alliance to Save Energy, an organization that promotes energy efficiency worldwide.
 
The alliance, which has organized challenges on California campuses, will provide two months of training for student sustainability volunteers, “eco-reps,” and their counterparts from competing universities.
 
“We hope that these trainings give the GW eco-reps the tools and skills needed to both promote the GW contest and the [Alliance to Save Energy] challenge so that we can have a strong showing against our area schools,” Sophie Waskow, sustainability project facilitator for the Office of Sustainability, said.
 
The semester-long Eco-Challenge measures electricity and water reduction for each participating residence hall on campus, although the inter-collegiate component will only measure electricity for the month of November.
 
The eco-rep program saw a surge in participation, recruiting 41 student volunteers compared to 28 last year.
Seventeen residence halls signed up for the Eco-Challenge, one more than last year. Participants include South, Thurston and West halls. Several large upperclassman dorms including 1959 E Street, Ivory Tower and Philip Amsterdam Hall have not yet joined the competition.

“Student leader eco-reps step up to the plate and take the reins to lead their hall through the challenge,” Waskow said.
  
The Eco-Challenge is part of a larger effort by the University to reduce excessive electricity consumption, the largest source of its carbon footprint.
 
Prizes for the inter-collegiate and GW competitions have not yet been determined, although the Office of Sustainability will host party for all participating halls.