Lights out on campus for Earth Hour

Mitchell Grogg

The familiar colored lights on the front of WKU’s Cherry Hall went dark for about an hour Saturday night to bring attention to energy conservation.

It was an event coordinated as part of Earth Hour, a global initiative for people to turn off unnecessary lights for an hour to promote saving energy.

Other darkened buildings on WKU’s campus included Gary Ransdell Hall and the clock face on Guthrie Bell Tower.

WKU Sustainability Coordinator Christian Ryan-Downing said the idea is something some students have been waiting to see implemented on campus.

“Students have suggested it for years and for several years we haven’t been able to really pull it off,” she said.

The event included a scavenger hunt pointing out places on WKU’s Green tour.

Harrodsburg senior Kelsey Edwards said she thinks a lot of people don’t know about the Green tour.

“And it’s cool that they’re really bringing awareness to it,” Edward said.

The power-down of the lights also served as a kick-off for the Bluegrass Unplugged campaign. For the next three weeks, leading up to Earth Day, students at WKU will be competing with Berea College, the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville to save the most energy in their residence halls.

“It’s a three-week period for people to really, really, really try to reduce their use,” said Owensboro senior Mary Newton.

While there is no prize for winning the competition, Newton indicated bragging rights might be on the line.

“It’s kind of exciting to be able to say, you know, statewide, we’re the biggest energy consumption reducers,” she said.