Zerofootprint Challenge Launches at Clinton Global Initiative to Drive Environmental Awareness and Carbon Reduction in Schools

Zerofootprint Challenge Competition Introduced to Measure, Compare and Change Global Environmental Impact…One School at a Time

NEW YORK, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Zerofootprint, a leading organization in the global fight against climate change, announced today at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, the launch of the Zerofootprint Challenge, a Zerofootprint Foundation global initiative encouraging schools around the world to measure, compare and change their environmental footprint.

The Zerofootprint Challenge will work collaboratively with school districts to provide students with easy to use software and social networking tools to measure carbon footprint information, provoke competition and discover a new culture of energy use. The Challenge is designed to help a school benchmark and better understand how big its carbon footprint is, how it compares to other schools and how much carbon is produced for each student it educates.

"Measurement and benchmarking are critical to any endeavor that seeks to create meaningful change," said Dr. Ron Dembo, founder and CEO of Zerofootprint. "Our goal is to make it easy, fun and meaningful for kids to tackle climate change and discover new ways to reduce their energy consumption. What is unique is our use of clear metrics for all phases of the program."

According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, buildings represent 40 percent of the world's environmental footprint. By targeting reduction efforts at schools, students around the world can take climate change into their own hands and make a real and meaningful difference to the global environmental footprint.

"As governments take action to make meaningful reductions in carbon emissions under their jurisdiction, they will naturally look to all public buildings for participation, including schools," said Jill Buck, founder of Go Green Initiative. "What I appreciate most about the Zerofootprint Challenge is that it brings sophisticated carbon measurement software tools within easy grasp of any school. Any school can benefit from this program, and I hope every school will."

When a school joins the Zerofootprint Challenge, it gains access to an easy-to-use online application that helps determine its current footprint and enables direct comparisons with other schools. In an active online forum, students can view results and share experiences on their progress. Teachers are provided with links to curriculum-based lesson plans and activities provided by Zerofootprint partners – organizations that are highly active in education for sustainable development.

Rick Hay, Teacher at Maurice Cody Public School in Toronto, has already committed to reducing his school's footprint. "I'm excited about working with my school's EcoTeam this year to reduce our carbon footprint. The Zerofootprint Challenge program, with its kid-friendly graphs and comparison charts, will help motivate us to reach a carbon impact goal of 120 kg per student, down from 155 kg."

"Green Teams" organized by a teacher or principal at each school, will take charge of the Challenge by measuring their footprint via (the past year's) heating, electricity and water bills. Once students set the baseline for last year's emissions, the school challenges another school to join the competition in a "Race to Reduce."

"The Zerofootprint Challenge will help schools on their path to EcoSchool's platinum level certification by engaging students in a collective effort to reduce their environmental impact," said Richard Christie, program coordinator of EcoSchools Toronto and early adopter of the Zerofootprint Challenge.

For tips and tricks to reduce your footprint, Zerofootprint has partnered with sponsors, including TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, and partners, including Eco Schools Toronto, Eco Schools USA, Go Green Initiative, Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots, The Climate Project Canada, EarthCARE and the Climate Change Connection, where students can access resources and research methods to reduce their impact.

Additional Resources:

Zerofootprint Challenge Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kJZltE9PrY

Zerofootprint Challenge on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/zerochallenge

For more information, or to sign up for Zerofootprint Challenge, please visit: www.zerofootprintfoundation.org

About the Zerofootprint Foundation

The Zerofootprint Challenge is spearheaded by the Zerofootprint Foundation, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to apply technology, design and risk management to the massive reduction of our global environmental impact. www.zerofootprintfoundation.org

About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)

Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 125 current and former heads of state, 15 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,700 commitments valued at $57 billion, which have already improved the lives of 220 million people in more than 170 countries. The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make a Commitment to Action, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young leaders from business, government, and civil society. For more information, visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.

SOURCE Zerofootprint