In an effort to conserve energy the University of Pennsylvania reduced its electricity demand 18 percent. Here in Maine, the Bangor Daily News months ago described Maine grade-school children who conserved energy. Holden Elementary School saved $4,000 a year by turning off unused lights and computers. Now think about the University of Maine, Orono with many dozens of buildings. UMaine spent $3.9 million on electricity in 2001, and since then the number of buildings has increased.

Have you walked through UMaine buildings? Seen empty classrooms with lights left on? Noticed brightly lit hallways even when half or two-thirds of the lights could be switched off? Noticed lights inside buildings with no one around? Talked with UMaine students who tell of fellow students routinely leaving on lights, computers and TVs when they leave their rooms, leaving water – sometimes showers – running in restrooms? You might expect better of university students. But when their campus does not proclaim that energy conservation is important, some students get the message that turning on switches – and leaving them on – is as natural as opening one’s eyes in the morning.

I have a May 2001 letter written by President Peter Hoff in which he stated his willingness to pursue a campus campaign to conserve energy – and willingness to be its public spokesperson. But 27 months later, August 2003, there is no campaign. Meanwhile, students now pay an energy surcharge to their tuition. (Does the surcharge lead some students to believe that “I’m being charged for it so I might as well use my share”?)

Students continue to graduate from Maine’s flagship institution, often lacking an awareness that generating and using energy is a major issue. Why doesn’t the university use part of the surcharge to fund a conservation education program? Why not start with the class coming in September?

Meanwhile the United States moves toward an energy crisis. A July 21, 2003 Time magazine article begins: “The U.S. is running out of energy. Natural gas is in scarce supply. Crude oil production is winding down. The last nuclear power plant was ordered in July 1973. No meaningful alternative fuels [are now available]. In short, Americans are heading toward their fist major energy crunch since the 1970s.”

UMaine will tell you of its campus energy committee and that it will soon have a model energy-conserving building. It will tell you many things. What it cannot tell you is that it has a basic garden-variety campaign dedicated to awareness of energy use, energy conservation, and making students and personnel conscious that energy use equates to spending money and to “spending” the environment.

Energy conservation at UMaine would tell students: Your university cares about energy and the environment. UMaine wants to lead by example. UMaine knows that you will carry away with you the energy-conservation messages that you learn on campus.

A major energy-conservation policy could help UMaine attract and retain students, providing an image of a university on the move. Beyond UMaine, it would provide a great example to Maine’s communities of what can be accomplished. UMaine may even develop energy-conserving and efficiency technologies especially appropriate to Maine.

Let’s challenge campus buildings to save an average of $4,000 each – as much as the Holden Elementary School. Or, challenge UMaine to conserve 9 percent (one-half the percentage saved by the University of Pennsylvania). This would be $350,000 a year – $790,000 over the last 27 months. Please join me in this challenge.

Marquita K. Hill lives in Orono.