Cardiff University Hall has won the 2012/13 Student Switch Off competition, a scheme run by the NUS to try and save energy at universities around the country. 
Over this academic year, electricity usage in the hall was reduced by twelve per cent compared to usage in previous years. Together, Cardiff University residents have reduced carbon emissions by 73 tonnes this year, which is equivalent to making 4,242,531 cups of tea.
University students have been helping climate change in halls of residence by switching off lights and appliances when not in use, putting lids on pans when cooking, recycling, and not overfilling kettles.
However, the students of University Hall are receiving a BBQ as a reward. Whilst this seems like a great community event for students, a student, who has asked to remain anonymous, has called the prize ÔÇÿmorally abhorrentÔÇÖ. According to the United Nations, meat consumption is the worst thing you can do for the environment and produces more CO2 emissions than all forms of transportation in the world combined. It has been felt by some students that is it wrong of the University to reward students for helping with climate change, with the number one cause of the problem.
As well as this, the Student Switch-Off has excluded any religious students living at University Hall who were involved in the competition, with the prize of a BBQ. A BBQ excludes those students of religious denominations who cannot eat meat due to their religion.
While University Hall was ranked the top halls of residences at Cardiff for saving energy, Aberdare Hall came last.
Project officer of the Student Switch Off campaign, Jesse Scharf said, ÔÇ£Having rewards such as these is an important driver for motivating students to take part in our campaign.┬á We try to tie the rewards we have to an environmental agenda, for example we gave away Eurostar tickets this year (a low carbon form of travel) and we work closely with Ben and JerryÔÇÖs who are very involved in environmental issues.
ÔÇ£Last year when Uni Hall won we felt like a BBQ was something that people would enjoy and it having been successful we decided to do the same again.
ÔÇ£Overall the campaign at Cardiff has been very successful in engaging students in saving energy, in part through the rewards we offer. This year over 80 people attended a training session on peer to peer environmental communication, 800 people have taken our Climate Change Quiz, we have received 50 photos of halls residents taking energy saving action. We have seen a 7% reduction in electricity use in halls compared to before we started the campaign. This kept 73 tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere in 2012/13. This is the second year we have run the campaign at Cardiff University and we have increased the levels of participation and energy saving this year so we feel we are on the right track.ÔÇØ
Bethan Jones
This is the worst article I’ve ever read in the gair rhydd, and that’s saying something! Te staff in residences have worked so hard on this and really try their best. Just because your mate says its moraly wrong, you instantly demotivate all those good, hardworking people.
Hi Bethan,
Thank you for taking the time to invite me to contribute to the article and recognising the positive impact that Student Switch Off has had at Cardiff University.
I would like to add a small correction. The article says that “Student Switch-Off has excluded any religious students living at University Hall who were involved in the competition, with the prize of a BBQ. A BBQ excludes those students of religious denominations who cannot eat meat due to their religion.”
There will be halal, vegetarian and vegan options available at the BBQ as there were last year and I hope that all students at University Hall will feel welcome at the event and find there is something for them to enjoy.
Your Sincerely,
Jesse Scharf
Student Switch Off Project Officer