Monday, March 14, 2011

The University of Kansas and Kansas State University are enlisting students who live in residence halls in a competition to conserve energy.

The two-month contest is taking place against the backdrop of the Take Charge Challenge, a showdown between the cities of Lawrence and Manhattan to see which community does the most to reduce energy consumption.

The challenge is aimed mainly at people who live in houses and have to confront their monthly electric bills.

Campus dorm dwellers never see those bills. The Lawrence Journal-World says that's why the schools decided to stage a competition.

Students in selected residence halls on each campus are being encouraged to turn off lights, power down video game consoles and take other steps to use less energy. The winning school gets bragging rights.