Omicron Chapter wins the CWRU Unplugged Residence Hall Energy Contest!

Each year Case Western Reserve University's Office of Energy and Sustainability host a friendly competition that invites residence halls and Sorority and Fraternity houses to reduce their energy use and built more sustainable habits. The Omicron Chapter of Phi Sigma Rho made a significant contribution in their energy consumption and reduced their energy consumption by 22.97%.

For the sisters of the Omicron Chapter, the contest is more than just a game, it is an opportunity to embrace eco-conscious living and built habits that extend beyond campus.

"As budding STEM professionals, I feel we have a great responsibility to attempt eco-consciousness in our day-to-day lives,” said Penelope Cloonan, Media Manager of the Omicron Chapter. “Both because the research can, at times, produce a lot of waste, and because as scientists, we see evidence of global warming and habitat destruction all around. Being eco-conscious in your day-to-day life is all about building mindful, responsible habits. When building those habits, you’re forced to slow down and appreciate what is around you. In our friendship to our sisters, we must remember to be friendly with the planet we all inhabit.”

Natalie Qiu, New Member Educator of the Omicron Chapter, shared, "It’s an honor to be named as the top chapter in decreasing energy consumption. As part of our commitment to paving the way to an equitable future as engineers, we monitored our energy consumption and realized that we could reduce our power usage without majorly reducing our quality of life by identifying the areas where we were spending excessive power and cutting that usage. Though simple, the changes we made were evidently visibly effective.

I believe these principles can be applied across the country to reduce the strain on our power grid; not just on an individual disciplinary level, but also to industrially large power users such as data centers. Pursuing responsible power consumption benefits ourselves, our communities, and our planet."

By taking small steps, the Omicron chapter made a significant impact on the environment. Congratulations to the Omicron Chapter on their significant reduction of energy consumption!