Climate Matters Contest
Thank you to all of the students, faculty and staff who submitted a proposal as part of our Climate Matters contest. We received 46 submissions. All of the proposals were excellent. While the College may or may not implement the actions described in these proposals, our hope is that they will encourage further discussion and creative thought, and enliven the ongoing deliberations about how best to prepare Bowdoin’s Climate Action Plan.
- The winner of the Climate Matters Contest, announced as part of Climate Days was: Brett Gorman, Class of ‘11: “Up On The Roof Program””
- Winner of the “People’s Choice” Award, was: Mike Woodruff, Director, Bowdoin Outing Club and Schwarz Outdoor Leadership Center: “Bowdoin Organic Farming Initiative”
The “People’s Choice Award” was voted on by the Bowdoin community from the top five proposals selected by the CCAC:
- Colin Joyner, Head Coach Men’s and Women’s Tennis: “Leading the Way in Renewable Energy”
- Brett Gorman, Class of ‘11: “Up On The Roof Program”
- Paul Schaffner, Associate Professor, Psychology: “Consolidated Fall Break Program”
- Mike Woodruff, Director, Bowdoin Outing Club and Schwarz Outdoor Leadership Center: “Bowdoin Organic Farming Initiative”
- Jonas Crimm, Class of ‘10: “Student Vehicle and Parking Restrictions”
Honorable Mentions:
Jeffrey Bush, Class of ’10: “The Multiple Approach Plan for Neutralizing Bowdoin College’s Carbon Footprint”
Lesley Gordon, Biology Laboratory Instructor on behalf of the Commute Another Way Committee: “Bowdoin’s Alternative Transportation Master Plan”.
Please join us in congratulating the winners.
About the Contest
The Climate Commitment Advisory Committee (CCAC) sponsored the contest to solicit ideas for reducing the college's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to move the college towards carbon neutrality.
There are many potential approaches for achieving this, and the CCAC recognizes that some of the best ideas may come from faculty, students, staff and alumni
The five best proposals were displayed be displayed at a Climate Fair and at the "Locavore" dinner on April 9th. The Bowdoin community is invited to vote voted for the "People's Choice" award as part of this event. Contest winners were announced on Friday, April 10th as part of Bowdoin's first Climate Awareness Day.
The winning proposals, along with all other submissions, will be considered as a set of recommendations to the CCAC, informing the committee's plan for Bowdoin's transition to carbon neutrality.
Note: If you don't want to enter the full contest but still have an idea you wish to share, please e-mail Bowdoin’s Sustainability Coordinator, Keisha Payson, at cpayson@bowdoin.edu
You can read a PDF of all of the contest submittals. 
The Fine Print
Contest Rules:
Proposals can be submitted from both individuals or a group. Interdisciplinary and interdepartmental teams are encouraged to apply. All faculty, staff, students and alumni are eligible.
The greatest GHG emissions are from the following areas:
- Electricity usage (43%).
- Fuel use in heating of buildings (38%)
- Employee Commute (8%)
- College travel (students, faculty and staff to off site events and conferences) (2%)
Please refer to the Sustainability web page for more detailed information on GHG sources and current initiatives to reduce these emissions. The proposals should build upon and not replicate existing sustainability initiatives that have been implemented or are in the process of being implemented.
Proposals should clearly describe a program that results in the reduction of GHG emissions in one or more of these sectors. Examples of areas that proposals can address include:
- Transportation,
- Reduction in electricity usage
- Energy efficiency and conservation,
- College purchases,
- Technological improvements
- Waste management and recycling systems,
- Implementation of alternative energy systems,
- Offsets for those areas that the college may not be able to reduce its GHG emissions (such as purchase of Renewable Energy Credits or RECs).
Prizes:
Each submittal will receive a small prize.
People's Choice Award: $250
Climate Matters Award: $250
Note, for group submittals, prizes will be divided up among the winning team members.
Schedule:
Proposals due: March 1
Evaluation of proposals: March 1-20
Finalists announced: March 23
Presentation of finalists: April 9th
Contest winners announced: April 10th
Evaluation:
Each proposal will be evaluated by the Climate Committee Advisory Committee. Proposals will be evaluated based upon the following factors:
- GHG Reduction - Proposals should identify a program or initiative that results in measurable reduction of GHG emissions from the Bowdoin campus. Proposals will be evaluated based upon the ability to quantify these reductions
- Sustainability - Proposals will be evaluated upon the long term sustainability of the program.
- Community Benefit - Proposals should identify any additional community benefits such as overall cost savings, educational value, or benefits to college programs such as wellness programs. The cost of implementation and payback for the college will be determined by the committee as part of their review of proposals
- Creativity and presentation- In addition to the above criteria, finalists will be evaluated for proposals that are creative, professional in their presentation, incorporate visuals, and that clearly describe the proposed program.
In the spring of 2007, Bowdoin College signed on to American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, joining the leaders of more than 270 institutions across the country. This commitment requires that the college develop a plan by the fall of 2009 for achieving carbon neutrality.