USU Staff, Faculty Encouraged to Ditch Space Heaters, Embrace Heated Blankets

As temperatures continue to stay low, a cozy solution is on the horizon for staff and faculty at Utah State University.

The "Make a Blanket Statement" campaign is led by USU Facilities and two students — Abby Baggs and Keeley Livingstone — in ENVS 4700: Communicating Sustainability. The project seeks to promote sustainable practices by encouraging the switch from space heaters to heated blankets in offices.

The initiative recognizes the environmental impact of traditional space heaters and aims to provide a more energy-efficient alternative. Heated blankets offer warmth and safety and customizable settings, ensuring a comfortable and secure experience for users. Not to mention the energy savings for 8 hours of use are around 90, essentially saving as much carbon dioxide emissions as a 20-hour car ride.

Through the Spring 2024 “Communicating Sustainability” course taught by Roslynn McCann at USU, Baggs and Livingstone are continuing a program that was started by Energywise Facilities and are applying some of the principles they have learned in effective communication. By encouraging a switch in the social norm to more use of heated blankets, staff and faculty can be a part of changing energy use and in turn, emissions at Utah State University.

As more faculty and staff participate in the “Make a Blanket Statement Program,” the hope is the change in choice of heating will cause a ripple effect, making heated blankets the main source of in-office comfort during the cold winter months.

The campaign collaborates with USU Facilities to provide resources and information to interested staff and faculty members.

Utilities Energy Manager Zac Cook has partnered with the Communicating Sustainability to further the program to get more participants involved. Make a Blanket Statement already has 41 participants involved in the program, and the goal of the campaign is to double this number by switching 40 more staff and faculty members over to heated blankets.

Join the "Make a Blanket Statement" campaign and make a difference by choosing heated blankets for a greener future. For more information visit the USU Facilities website.