There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew. - Marshall McLuhan
History
The Green Cup Challenge began in 2003 at Phillips Exeter Academy 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.
In 2006, the GCC expanded from an inter-dorm competition to an interschool competition, thus expanding the ecological, financial, and educational impacts of the challenge. The 2006 GCC began the interschool competition with three schools, The Lawrenceville School, Northfield Mount Hermon, and Phillips Exeter Academy, and was a great success.
Campus sustainability is a growing movement for high school communities. Read more about how independent schools are stepping forward to make a difference in their communities. National Association of Independent Schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can participate?
Any school in the continental US is eligible to compete. There are different categories for boarding and day schools.
What are the requirements to participate?
All participating schools must register for the competition; have data on past electrical energy consumption; produce a student written, directed, and edited video; and be capable of metering electrical energy use on campus.
How long is the challenge? The actual energy conservation challenge itself is one month long. However, there are several events and activities that occur during the months prior to the start of the challenge.
What are the awards/prizes? The awards and prizes vary from year to year. Please see the "Awards" page for information on the 2006, 2007, and 2008 awards and prizes.
