Our generation, as is every generation during their youthful stages, is often told that we are the hope for the future, that it is our job to implement the changes that are necessary to better the world. Yet, how often do we actually step up and do this? Do we truly make a conscience effort to go green or conserve water?

Illini Lights Out is an event to get involved with your peers and make a change. On Friday, April 15, iSEE will be hosting this event. It is an opportunity for any interested person on campus to save energy by simply turning off lights. The goal is to start an energy saving program that students can easily participate in. There are lights on campus that are often forgotten about and that, subsequently, are left on all weekend. Not only is this a massive waste of energy, but is also a waste of our tuition!

ISEE is asking students to show up at 5:45 on Friday, April 15, outside of the Union on the quad side. Simply get into a group with some friends, go to the building you are assigned, and turn off the bathroom or classroom lights that were left on in rooms not in use. The student groups will also be given a sheet of paper to tally up the number of lights that were left on, if you turned them off, and what room they were in. The data collected goes to determine how much money is saved from the volunteers’ efforts, and can help with future energy saving. This small amount of work could save massive amounts of energy, and all volunteers are rewarded at the end with free pizza.

This is a fantastic, proactive approach to save energy. Small campus initiatives such as this are the building blocks to further future successes. We have the chance to be the generation that changes things. But change doesn’t come easily. It is the result of participation, vocalization, and, sometimes, small concessions on our parts.

Sign up with a buddy by emailing Alex Dzurick at dzurick2@illinois.edu!

Feel free to contact Alex with any questions or for more information.

The Buildings that will be focused on are Altgeld, Lincoln, Greg, Smith, the FLB, the English Building, Davenport/annex, and Noyes.