GREEN CAMPUS ACTIVITY

ㅣPeriod: May 26 to June 18
ㅣTarget: 252 students from 7 universities in Seoul

   (Korea Univ., Dongduk Women's Univ., Seoul National Univ., Sungkunkwan Univ.,

    Sookmyung Women's Univ., Yonsei Univ., Ewha Womans Univ.)

"Beyond item diet to energy diet … Minimal energy campaign thinking the environment"

As the modern civilization becomes more advanced, we are able to own many things that we need in life. However, in this abundance, more and more people are feeling emptiness or loneliness. Rather living with everything that is unnecessary, "minimal life" of owning only the essentials and finding satisfaction and happiness in it is attracting attention.

DAEJAYON, an international environmental organization, is conducting the "Minimal Energy" campaign, which combines minimal life with the reduction of wasted energy and standby power that are used more than necessary by reflecting the current generation trend. Based on the perception survey of college students on energy and atmospheric power, college students will gain sense of responsible as the main culprit of future generations, and professors and staff members of each university will lead the green campus activities.

Through this survey, it was found that most college students do not know the exact concept of standby power even if they have heard of it. 68.6% of the students were  practicing energy conservation to prevent the waste of standby power, while 58.3% of the students are aware that university, that fosters future generations, is an energy glutton institution, indicating that we need to raise their awareness of the environment. 89.3% of college students agreed to participate in the minimal energy campaign to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the main culprit of global warming. Therefore, it is expected that energy saving practices for the earth will be expanded from small actions in daily life.

1. Have you ever heard of standby power?

Out of 252 college students 225 student answered "Yes" and 27 students answered "No."

2. Do you know the concept of standby power?

Out of 252 college students 184 students responded that they know the concept of standby power.

And 41 students responded that they don't know the exact concept of standby power.

3. The two marks in the picture below have different meanings of standby power. Do you know the meaning of these two marks?

Out of 252 college students 135 students responded that they are aware of the meaning of the mark indicating products with and without standby power.

 
If you look at the power display of an electronic product, you can find two marks. The round circle and straight line symbolizes the number 0 and 1. 0 means that the power is off and 1 means the power is on. The power button with 1 in 0 is a product with no standby power, it completely cuts off the power. Standby power does not flow even if the plug is not unplugged or the power of the multi-tap is not turned off. On the other hand, the power button where 1 is coming out of 0 means the product has standby power and the power is not completely cut off, indicating that power consumption can only be prevented by unplugging.

4. Standby power refers to the power consumed by waiting when the plug is plugged in even if the electronic product is not operating. Are you aware of standby power and practicing to reduce standby power and save energy at home or at university?

Sometimes (91 people)

Neutral (82 people)

Rarely (47 people)

Always (23 people)

Never (9 people)

77.7% of the respondents answered that they are aware or standby power and reducing it at home or on campus.

5. If you do not practice standby power reduction on a regular basis, what is the reason? (Multiple responses are possible)

I forget (127 people)

It's bothering (119 people)

The power consumption is not large (58 people)

I don't know the method (31 people)

I do not think it is important (29 people)

In the case of not making an effort to reduce standby power or failing to implement it, there were many responses that they easily forgot and are bothered. 31 students answered that they did not know how to reduce standby power, and 29 students answered that they did not think it was important, which is why it is necessary to raise awareness among college students.

6. Did you know that the accumulated mail and dark data left undeleted in the cloud archive leads to excessive use of electrical energy and carbon dioxide emissions?

138 students replied that they are aware that dark data such as accumulated spam mail, mail you no longer need to read, and past photos, screenshots, and old data stored in the cloud consumes excessive electrical energy and releases carbon dioxide to store data.

When one mail is sent, 4g of CO₂ is emitted, but if one mail is deleted from the trash, 1g of CO₂ is reduced. In addition, dark data refers to a content or value that is not confirmed in the data center.

As unnecessary dark data is stored, a lot of carbon dioxide is emitted every year. As of 2020, it is said that about 5.8 million tons of CO₂ was emitted due to the increase of dark data. In order to reduce CO₂, the main culprit of global warming in real life, it is necessary to practice emptying unnecessary data in mailboxes and in the cloud.

7. This system is being implemented to save energy. Do you consider the following systems when purchasing electronic products?

196 students consider energy consumption utility factor label, high efficiency equipment, energy saving mark when purchasing electronic products and 16 doesn't, because they did not know.

8. What do you consider the most when purchasing electronic products? (Select up to two)

Price (188 people)

Brand (126 people)

Energy Consumption Efficiency Rating (91 persons)

Design (84 people)

We asked college students what they consider the most when purchasing electronic products.

Most of the students considered the price and brand, followed by energy consumption efficiency rating rather than design.

9. One student at a university in Seoul emits 850kg of greenhouse gases per year from living on campus. Did you know that universities that foster future generations are energy-consuming institutions?

Then we look at the energy consumption of buildings by industry in Korea, schools account for 12.5%, taking second place after apartments. Energy consumption leads to greenhouse gas emissions, and 32 universities in Seoul emit about 400,000 tons of greenhouse gases annually. This is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emitted by 155,000 households for a year based on a family of four. To absorb this, 40.45 million 30-year-old oak trees or 40 Namsan (Mt) are needed.

147 college students, 58.3% of the total respondents, said they were unaware of this fact.

If we do not lead the change of young people from universities that foster future generations, the problem of climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions will become more severe. Therefore, active support is essential so that college students can directly participate in the greenhouse gas reduction campaign and build green campus by raising awareness.

10. Have you ever thought that the electric power on campus is wasted?

114 students answered that they sometimes think that the electric power is wasted on campus, and 92 answered often and 33 answered that they rarely thought about it.

11. Do you pursue a minimal life by practicing good consumption for the environment and live only with essential items?

Out of 252 students 135 pursued minimal life by practicing good consumption thinking the environment. 

12. The Minimal Energy Campaign is a campaign to reduce unnecessary standby power consumption by using minimal power. Check the activities that you are practicing for Minimal Energy Campaign. (Multiple responses possible)

Clear Unused Apps (173 people)

Unplug Unused Electronics (157 people)

Clear Unnecessary Mail and Chat (119 people)

Improve Accessibility and Organize Power Strip to Make it Convenient to Turn On/Off (113 people)

Use Power Saving Power Strip (95 people)

Charge Electronics within 2 hours (37 people)

Cleanup Cloud Dark Data (35 people)

Use Timer Outlets and Smart Plugs (13 people)

Attach Name Tags on Electronics (12 people)

13. Check what you can do to reduce standby power in the future. (Multiple responses possible)

Clear Unnecessary Mail and Chat (181 people)

Clear Unused Apps (162 people)

Unplug Unused Electronics (141 people)

Charge Electronics within 2 hours (141 people)

Cleanup Cloud Dark Data (133 people)

Improve Accessibility and Organize Power Strip to Make it Convenient to Turn On/Off (121 people)

Use Power Saving Power Strip (121 people)

Use Timer Outlets and Smart Plugs (70 people)

Attach Name Tags on Electronics (65 people)

14. Are you willing to participate in the Minimal Energy Green Campus campaign, leaving a minimum amount of electricity by reducing standby power?

89.3% students from 7 universities who participated in the perception survey on minimal energy responded that they would participate in the minimal energy campaign in the future.