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Monash powers Earth Hour concert

8 April 2009

Monash 2 team members Cait Ryan from Employment and Career Development and international engineering student Simba Saadat at the Future Spark Challenge, Federation Square, Melbourne.

Two Monash teams have cycled for the planet, generating 1009 watts of "pedal power" to help run the Earth Hour concert at Federation Square in Melbourne.

The Future Spark Challenge aimed to generate enough energy through solar and pedal power to make the concert energy neutral.

Each team had to pedal on stationary bikes for a total of 45 minutes as part of the challenge.

The Monash teams helped organisers reach a staggering 53,259 bike-generated watt hours, well above what was needed.

Monash 1 finished in seventh place with a total of 583 watt hours, while Monash 2, which was made up of staff and students, finished a respectable 39th out of the 132 teams, with a total of 411 watt hours.

Organiser of Monash 2 David Pawley said the event was a great success.

"It set a great example that academics, a cross section of Monash students and professional staff came together for such a great cause," Mr Pawley said.

"We rode for one hour with each rider pedalling multiple 10 minutes blocks before interchanging with another team member.

"It was very strenuous because bikes weren't set up for individual riders, but it was fantastic to see the outcome and the positive results we were able to produce."

Monash 1 included five riders from the Sport Performance Unit and students from physiotherapy.

The unit's Andrew Robinson from Monash Sport said it was a hard work out.

"We rode in to the event and rode home very slowly afterwards!" Mr Robinson said.

Mr Pawley said the camaraderie and spirit of the TeamMONASH™ crews was commended by the crowds in Federation Square.

"Images of the Monash riders were even displayed during the concert," Mr Pawley said.