Chico State’s Shasta and Lassen Halls competed in this year’s Campus Conservation Nationals and beat other 16 California campuses.

The two residence halls reduced their energy by over 23 percent from a two-week baseline, said Fletcher Alexander, the campus sustainability coordinator.

No other competing campus, which in included California State Universities and Universities of California, reduced its energy by even 10 percent, Alexander said.

Between Shasta and Lassen, Lassen decreased its energy usage the most: 23.9 percent, according to the campus’ online Building Dashboard. Shasta used only 0.9 percent less.

Shasta won last year with a 13.5 percent reduction but handed over the Green Cup trophy to Lassen, Alexander said.

“The two halls were competing against each other, and that’s what we’ve noticed really drives the competition here,” Alexander said.

By incorporating resident assistants, nearly 50 eco-reps, whom resident assistants identified as student leaders, Alexander, student interns and the PowerSave chapter made on-campus residents active and interested, he said.

For the three weeks, the team launched events, including showing the film “The Lorax,” drinking smoothies blended by a bike-powered blender and taking photos in a photo booth with a pledge to perhaps take shorter showers, he said.

Door tags were placed throughout the buildings, showing students what they should do to reduce energy. By unplugging unused appliances and keeping their lights off, Chico State on-campus students won for the second year in a row.

Yessenia Funes can be reached at [email protected] or @yessfun on Twitter.