Competitions

While we hope to create motivation in students that goes beyond winning prizes, competitions can catch the attention of otherwise uninterested students, or encourage interested students to go the extra mile. Benefits of competing include building dormitory or school pride, as well as creating a community of interest and effort. The Green Living Program (GLP) at Harvard University has coordinated the following competitions in the campus dormitories:

When running competitions, try to avoid overlap. Too many competitions can be confusing for students who might not understand the difference between various competitions all going on at the same time. Whenever your school or a subgroup wins or does well in a competition, be sure to let them know how they did and thank everyone for being part of the success!

Intra-Dormitory: EnviroCitizen

Objective

To build a community of support and to recognize dedicated individuals who go above and beyond in creating a sustainable community

Activities

GLP reps ask for nominations for an EnviroCitizen in their residence. Reps can also nominate students themselves. An EnviroCitizen is someone who goes above and beyond, exemplifying sustainable habits in their daily life in the dormitory. The purpose is to spread the image of an enviro-champ, so students do not begin to perceive that it is only the reps who are enviro-leaders.

EnviroCitizens are also a great group of people to tap into for help with individual GLP projects or to fill future GLP jobs. Most importantly, EnviroCitizens is a very fun way of recognizing students and making them feel special for being enviro-friendly!

Lessons Learned

We have found that some residences have a culture where students do not feel comfortable nominating other students. Have reps start by nominating their friends, people they have noticed recycling, people they have noticed turning off lights, maybe even their own roommates! Dormitory residents will eventually get the hang of nominating their peers.

Resources

Checklist

Back to top

Intra-College: Green Cup

Objective

To create awareness and support for conservation and sustainable habits on campus

History

Green Cup began as the Ecolympics in 1990, and some recall similar activities in the 1970s. After the Olympics Committee objected to the name in 1992, the name was changed to Green Cup. Green Cup has historically been a partnership between the Environmental Action Committee (EAC) and the FAS Office of Physical Resources. As of 2003, at the request of the EAC, the GLP is administering the program and has added the Challenge Team portion. Dormitories across campus compete in the following areas:

  • recycling increase or waste decrease
  • energy conservation
  • eco-projects

Activities

Reps publicize Green Cup, encouraging their fellow dorm residents to win by showing sustainable habits and conserving. Reps pump students up, trying to encourage them to contribute to the dorm's overall score by taking the time to do simple tasks like recycling and turning off their lights. During Green Cup, students receive:

  • feedback on the ecological impacts of their daily use of energy and materials
  • support for innovative new ideas that reduce campus environmental impacts
  • prizes and recognition for their efforts

Green Cup Eco-Projects

Formerly known as Green Cup Challenge Teams, Green Cup Eco-Projects give students a chance to be recognized for efforts that cannot be measured by weighing refuse or reading electrical meters. Projects can range from simple to very complex. They can change behavior or infrastructure. Projects can be done by individual students, in teams, or in partnership with other campus groups. See our list of Spring 2004 projects. While we encourage creativity on the students’ end, we also provide them with a list of projects to get their creative juices flowing.  See the suggested list of Green Cup Eco-Projects provided below. 

Resources

Please see our Green Cup website for more information

Checklists

Back to top

Regional: Harvard-Yale Recycling Challenge

Objective

To promote recycling through interschool rivalry

Partners

Activities

Reps promote the Harvard-Yale Recycling Challenge throughout the year, as well as at the actual football game. The Harvard-Yale Recycling Challenge started in 2003 and culminated at the “The Game,” the famous annual game between Harvard and Yale, held at Harvard in the fall 2004. The 2005 Harvard-Yale Recycling Challenge will culminate when The Game is held at Yale in November 2005. 

Harvard's GLP reps create signs for their dorm tailgates and work with other student leaders to ensure their tailgates will recycle. The GLP also works with Harvard Athletics to have a recycling reminder announced at the game, as well as with Harvard Recycling and Facilities Maintenance Operations to ensure proper recycling receptacles will be placed strategically around the stadium and tailgates.

Lessons Learned

The directors of the Harvard and Yale recycling operations are crucial allies in helping coordinate the measurements between the two schools. A competition like this would not be possible without the full support of both schools’ recycling directors.

Resources

Checklist

Back to top

National: RecycleMania

Objective

To create awareness about and involvement in recycling at schools across the nation

Partners

Harvard Recycling and RecycleMania

History

RecycleMania is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency, and the number of participating schools around the nation is growing rapidly. In the upcoming year and near future, RecycleMania hopes to grow the competition to include other subject areas, such as water, energy and greenhouse gas emissions. What could be better than growing another “March Madness,” this one seeing schools compete around recycling and related issues?! Who will be the next winner?

Activities

Harvard's GLP reps help publicize RecycleMania, providing updated statistics, rankings and encouragement.

Resources

For more information, please see the RecycleMania website.

In the News

Checklist