For the month of Feb., 14 Minnesota colleges and universities, including the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus and Carleton College, will battle to conserve the most energy based on electricity and heating measurements. Organized by the Macalester Conservation and Renewable Energy Society (MacCARES) and the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG), Campus Wars is an expansion of last year’s Dorm Wars, in which Macalester Dorms competed to conserve the most energy.

“This involves the entire campus in an institutional effort to fight global warming,” said Timothy Den Herder-Thomas ’09, co-chair of MacCARES.

Colleges are competing for the greatest percent reduction in campus energy use in electricity and heating during Feb. 2007 as compared with the three-year average consumption at that campus during the last three Februarys.

“It’s a really exciting way for very different student bodies and administrations to get behind the same cause and work together,” Louise Sharrow ’09 said. Sharrow is the co-chair of MPIRG and has helped organize Campus Wars.

The launching of Campus Wars is part of a nationwide week of conservation organized by the Energy Action Coalition, an alliance of organizations that empower youth to fight global warming.

The week is the largest mobilization of student climate and energy activists in history, with around 570 schools involved.

Organizers got the support of President Rosenberg, who sent an invitation to other schools to participate in the event.

Will Steger, a polar explorer and global warming activist from Minnesota, has backed the event.

“I am excited to support Campus Wars since the initiative is student-directed and inspires action on multiple levels - raising awareness, promoting energy conservation and institutional change,” he said. “College youth play a huge role in changing the way we think and act to reduce global warming pollution and promote real clean energy solutions. They are the next generation of pioneers.”

Sharrow said she thinks that Campus Wars could have a concrete effect in energy conservation.

“If 14 schools can save five percent of their energy then that can make a real difference,” she said. “It’s a chance for people to consider their habits. If you spend a month changing your habits you might make a difference.” Den Herder-Thomas said Campus Wars is the largest collaborative effort in the nation for the week of action.

“It’s hard working with a lot of people who haven’t done big collaborative efforts,” he said.

Den Herder-Thomas and organizers began collaborating with other campuses in September. He said he looks forward to building a base of climate leaders with many of the participants, as well as hundreds of other youth leaders at the Midwest Climate Action Conference in Madison, Wisc. Mar. 2.

Various events dedicated to energy conservation will take place on campus throughout the month of February along with the Campus Wars. Results for the competition will be collected in March.