By Jens Dana
BYU students followed the trail of electrical energy Thursday as it traveled from mountain top mining fields in West Virginia to a household light switch.
As part of Energy Awareness Month, the Eco Response Club hosted two free screenings at the Varsity Theatre of ?Kilowatt Ours,? a documentary that traces energy?s course from where most of it is harvested ? coal mines ? to the light switch. Ashley Smith, president of Eco Response, said the group hosted the event to help increase awareness about clean energy issues on campus.
?The idea of clean energy is a way of being responsible towards the earth and its resources,? Smith said. ?It?s very much aligned with BYU?s values and mission of protecting the earth and making it a cleaner, healthier, better place to live.?
The documentary, produced by Jeff Barrier, provided suggestions for conserving energy, such as replacing 100-watt incandescent light bulbs with 20-watt compact fluorescent light bulbs, which save more on both energy and electric bills.
The documentary also highlighted some of the downsides of relying on coal for 61 percent of America?s energy needs, including mountain top mining and increasing rates of greenhouse gases. Smith said Eco Response is working to promote cleaner energy alternatives.
?Pursuing clean and secure energy resources is something we can feel good about,? she said. ?We are setting an example for our community and helping to ensure a more suitable future for our children and our grandchildren.?
Sara Baldwin, a member of Utah Clean Energy, said BYU can use a campus-wide clean energy support to reduce its dependence on coal. For $1 per student each semester, BYU?s electricity would be supplemented with renewable energy resources, she said.
According to a survey conducted by a team of BYU marketing students last year, 70 percent of the student body supports such a measure, she said. Now a proposal needs to be submitted to the university?s administration.
?We haven?t made the official proposal to the administration,? Baldwin said. ?We?ve been working up to that. We have to show that students are not only behind it, but they are willing to pay maybe a $1 more per semester.?
According to an Eco Response news release, the University of Utah adopted a renewable energy resolution two years ago, and wind power now covers about 10 percent of the university?s total energy needs. Hundreds of campuses across the nation are taking similar actions to utilize renewable energy that helps save on money.
Andrew Stewart, a BYU student and Eco Response volunteer, said this year the club will be exploring similar actions BYU can pursue to provide renewable energy options.
?I?d like to see BYU become a part of this important movement,? he said. ?BYU and the student body stand to benefit from improved energy efficiency measures and investments in clean energy.?
Students can contact Eco Response at if they want more information on the group and the projects they do on campus and in the community.
