Green Cup Challenge Starts Next Week with 32 Schools

January 23, 2008

How green are you? Students write messages on balloons to get out the message on global warming.

The Green Cup Challenge (GCC), an interschool effort to reach a targeted goal of reduced energy consumption, kicks off next week on January 28. Focusing on both energy reduction and ongoing education, the monthlong GCC has expanded its reach to include schools stretching from New England to Delaware (see map of school locations).

JY '08, one of more than 60 environmental proctors (E-Proctors) on campus, sees the GCC as a great way to educate the community about sustainability. "Students here are often involved with so many different causes that environmentalism is not always a priority." He continues, "GCC events allow the school community as a whole to focus on environmentalism. It's always fun to have the whole school talking about how to be more green."

Photo: Caroline Tracey

For 2008, the GCC will emphasize interschool collaboration rather than competition. Jennifer Wilhelm, PEA's sustainability coordinator, believes that this collaborative approach fits the issues perfectly. "Global warming is a challenge that the entire globe needs to come together to address. To reflect what's happening outside of the walls of our schools, we're working together as a group of 32 schools to meet a goal of 10% electricity reduction. "In a true sense, it's a challenge."

That's not to say that all competition has been eliminated. The school with the greatest electricity reduction over the course of the Challenge receives the GCC trophy. "There is an excitement in trying to beat our traditional prep school rivals to reduce energy usage," says JY. "We're going to be holding a south side versus north side intramural Green Cup Challenge with prizes, which should motivate all dorms to conserve energy!"

At PEA, E-Proctors take the lead to make the GCC a success by putting up posters, handing out conservation tip sheets and taking surprise energy audits. They even organize group study sessions at the library so that an entire dorm can take an "energy break." "It's a fun, dorm bonding experience," notes Wilhelm. "We did that a couple of times at Wheelwright Hall last year and the girls really enjoyed it."

Changing what people do over the long term is a primary goal of the Challenge. "The most exciting thing I hear from students after the Green Cup are small habit changes, such as, 'The Green Cup got me into the habit of turning my lights off when I leave the room,' " says E-Proctor Jeannette '09.

E-Proctor Sarah '08 finds the GCC makes her more conscious of energy use. "It makes me think about the impact of my actions, especially involving electricity. It is easy to forget that things like cell phone chargers without phones attached and small appliances consume energy. Green Cup changes my mentality so I begin thinking, 'Does this use energy? How much energy?' " Fellow E-Proctor Paul '09 believes "the biggest achievement of GCC is that conserving energy does not feel distant to students anymore."

Photo: Caroline Tracey

This year, the start of GCC coincides with a new national global warming campaign, Focus the Nation, which will bring to campus a panel of experts, including Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire state senator; Cameron Wake, climatologist, UNH; John Moskal, senior energy advisor, U.S. EPA; Roger Stephenson, executive vice president for programs, Clean Air-Cool Planet; and Kurt Ehrenberg, regional representative, NH Sierra Club. This roundtable discussion on global warming solutions takes place January 31 at 7:00 p.m. and is open to the public.

During the year, more than 100 students contribute to sustainability projects through three organizations: the Environmental Action Committee (EAC), Environmental Proctors, and the Carbon Committee. Major projects include: the Green Cup Challenge, Focus the Nation, the Green Flag Program (an environmental awards initiative targeting schools), and recycling and composting.

Exeter is continually looking for ways to reduce energy consumption. Recent projects include: the heating pumps at Facilities Management now operate differently to save energy; Dining Services has changed the hours they run their commercial toasters, substituting smaller toasters when appropriate; the students who won the dorm competition in last year's GCC continue to keep every other light in their hallways off; and a growing campus composting program now collects 25 to 35 gallons of compost twice a week.

Interested in learning more?

Read more about environmental student activities and sustainability projects at the Academy…

Learn about the GCC and the Green Schools Alliance…

Find out about Focus the Nation events...