As students gear up for the football game this Saturday, the University and student and alumni groups have created initiatives that organizers said strive for more campus unity and increased competition between universities.

The Water Conservation Challenge is an initiative organized by University Chancellor James Oblinger and Student Body President Bobby Mills in which University residence hall students will compete with UNC-Chapel Hill students to see who can reduce water consumption most compared to last year.

Mills, a junior in economics and political science, said the challenge is part of an effort by the energy council to keep the Chancellors promises to cut back energy and water consumption in the new year.

“This is obviously an issue that affects our entire state,” Mills said. “The UNC university system is the greatest consumer of water out of any other public entity.”

Mills said the endeavor is a coordinated effort among University Housing, the Inter-Residence Council and several other departments; it will begin this Saturday Nov. 10 and continue through Feb. 20.

“We are hoping that education will be the forefront of this initiative,” Mills said.

The University Alumni Association is also organizing a philanthropic effort rooted in university rivalries, according to Director of Outreach and Clubs Astra Barnes.

Tomorrow will be the final day of the Service Day Blood Drive, a competition between the University and Chapel Hill alumni to see who can help collect the most blood for the American Red Cross, Barnes said .

“Anyone who is an N.C. State or Carolina fan can contribute blood,” Barnes said. “Both alumni associations have donated baskets to be given away as part of the raffle.”

Barnes said contributors can have their names entered into a drawing to win two free round-trip airlines tickets courtesy of Delta Airlines.

Individuals can find more information about donation locations and information on the alumni association website, she said.

In addition to these two efforts, there is also a growing internet initiative calling for all University supporters to wear red to the football game, according to Jonathan Sturgis, a senior in business management.

Sturgis said he started a Facebook group calling for students to wear red to the game on Tuesday and already has over 1,000 supporters.

“It shouldn’t even be an issue because red is the more dominant of our school colors,” Sturgis said. “This can be another tradition for our University.”

Sturgis said wearing red is something that lets people easily identify the University and will create a greater sense of pride for the campus.

“When you walk down the street and you see white you can’t identify that with a particular team,” Sturgis said. “If everyone wears red it will create a greater sense of unity among fans and it will make the stadium a more terrifying place to play.”