Congratulations to the Green Cup Challenge Spring 2018 winners! View results here.
The Green Cup Challenge™ empowers students, raises awareness about climate change and resource conservation, and unites school communities around a common goal. We invite all K-12 schools to measure and reduce their energy use, improve their recycling and waste reduction programs, and activate student engagement.
During the 4-week Energy Challenge students, teachers and staff discover they have the power to save energy in their schools, and that their actions can translate into financial savings for their school, and positive change for the world.
During the 4-week Recycle Challenge, schools compete for Bin Points by "recycling right" - improving recycling compliance rates and decreasing contamination. Bonus Points can be earned for additional waste reduction efforts such as composting or paperless communications. Weekly bin surveys provide instant feedback on your recycling efforts - no weighing required.
The Green Cup Video Challenge showcases students’ talents and environmental passions. Creativity and individual style are encouraged! The video challenge is intended to create awareness about lowering energy use, recycling, reducing waste, and rethinking consumption.
History
2003
The Green Cup Challenge™ (GCC) began at Phillips Exeter Academy (PEA) as a campus-wide energy conservation competition designed to raise awareness about energy consumption. The inter-dorm challenge was successful; saving PEA thousands of dollars in utility costs; reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and educating the community about the importance of energy conservation.
2005
The GCC expanded from an inter-dorm competition at PEA to an interschool competition with two more schools: The Lawrenceville School and Northfield Mount Hermon. The Green Cup Challenge interschool competition was a great success, thus expanding the ecological, financial, and educational impacts of the challenge.
2007
GCC had grown to 40 schools and the three founding GCC Schools formally handed over the reigns to the Alliance, where it has been a registered program of the Alliance ever since -- guided by schools for schools.
2008
Alliance member schools in the Chesapeake Bay area piloted a recycling version, launching the Green Cup Recycle Challenge with the goal of teaching recycling compliance and reduction.
2009
As new members of the Alliance, the New York City Department of Education partnered with the Alliance to start running the Green Cup Energy Challenge in their schools.
TODAY
Consistent with the roots of the Green Cup Challenge and the Green Schools Alliance, the GCC continues to be driven and run "by schools for schools." Every school is a winner when they work together to lose CO2.
2017 Green Cup Challenge
2017 First Place: Barnesville School of Arts & Sciences, Barnesville, MD
2017 Second Place: St. George’s Memphis Campus, Memphis, TN
2017 Third Place: The Buckley School, New York, NY
2017 First Place Video: Rye Country Day School, Rye, NY
Phillips Exeter Academy
The Lawrenceville School solar array
Northfield Mount Hermon School