The Challenge - Driving on Campus Climate ActionIn the United States. 80% of universities have a sustainability plan paired with emissions reduction goals. All of these plans include campus students, faculty, and staff taking steps in the work and time on campus to lower campus-wide emissions. They need the support and actions of campus residents for these programs to succeed. Partnering with On-Campus GroupsUniversity of Washington - Seattle
In another program at the University of Washington, GetGreen partnered with the UW Honors division on a dedicated division-wide pilot. Students competed for prizes provided by local sustainable merchants, such as a plant-based ice cream shop. The program offered local businesses a unique opportunity to get in front of sustainably minded students contextually and authentically. Students benefitted from this feature by discovering new products and services in their area.
Honors students completed over 30 actions each on average during the two-month pilot. Popular actions included switching to reusable water bottles, habits that reduce on-campus building energy usage, and switching to plant-based meal choices while both on and off campus. 
Campus WideThe University of Miami - aka GreenU - launched their initial version of GetGreen in Spring 2024. The application featured over 50 custom actions to engage students in on campus sustainability. Covering resources for students across recycling, composting, transportation and including dozens of on campus sustainability events, there is something for everyone and great way to discover the deep campus sustainability resources available. Students joined teams for each of the different on campus residence halls or other groups like commuter students (and even faculty and staff!)to compete to become the greenest group.
One of the highlights of GetGreen GreenU was a contest and sponsorship from Coca-cola. Students who earned 50 leaves in the GetGreen application were eligible to win great prizes from Coca-cola, including reusable silverware sets and tote bags. GetGreen Green U is set for expansion in Fall 2024. 
Washington University in St. Louis brought GetGreen to their entire campus population in Spring 2024. Students assisted in the creation of over 40 customized actions for the WashU student and staff population. Actions cover everything from connecting with campus sustainability resources to reducing emissions by using campus benefits like free electric commuter shuttles and reusable dining hall takeaway containers. Students can also earn customized badges for completing different collections of actions to achieve a goal, such as becoming a WashU Waste Warrior or a WashU Green Cuisine Advocate.
Further energizing the campus population will be the opportunity for different campus groups to compete against each other. Participants will select a different project team to join within the GetGreen app, for example, different Residence Halls, Commuter Students, Graduate Students, or Faculty & Staff.
The separate teams will then compete to see who can earn the most leaves by Earth Day. Let the competition for the greenest group begin! The campus contests are a great way to energize students, direct them to specific green on campus actions and activate the overall campus population in sustainability. 
The WashU program will again feature local merchants as actions within the app, who will also be providing sponsorship and prizes for the top leaf-earning student groups. The GetGreen-WashU application is rolling out now, with the contests running through Earth Day 2024.
GetGreen In the Classroom University of Illinois At the University of Illinois, Dr. Eric Green used GetGreen in his Tools for Sustainability class during the Spring semester of 2023. By engaging with the app, students were able to see the direct impact they could have on greenhouse gas emissions through their collective daily actions and habits. During the two-month pilot, his class of 35 students completed over 2,500 actions. GetGreen was even part of the grading system for the course, as Dr. Green allowed his students to earn extra credit points for each GetGreen leaf earned.
By exploring the app multiple times per week, the students reported that GetGreen helped them learn more and better understand the importance of their personal, individual actions. In addition to regular daily behavior and habit changes, many of the GetGreen “Learn About” actions were very popular with the U of I students.
University of Washington - Bothell
In another classroom setting at the UW Bothell campus, Dr. Rob Turner saw similar results with students in his Introduction to Sustainability course in Fall 2023. GetGreen was integrated as part of the core class curriculum and proved to be a great resource for the students. Consistent use helped students direct daily behavior changes including changing commuting patterns, eliminating plastic and other daily waste, and adopting small energy-reducing daily habits. GetGreen served as a great complement to the classroom learning environment, enabling students to apply what they learned in class and the app to their daily lives. 
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UW Honors Pilot Program Spring Quarter
Daily Sustainability Actions and Support a Greener Campus
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Talking Rain and GetGreen have joined forces
Bring sustainability initiatives to the next level
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