Sustainability Now! Contest guidelines
In the Sustainability Now! Contest, you can earn points for a variety of
initiatives that your household has accomplished by the end of the contest period
(December 22, 2011). In addition to completing initiatives in your own
household, you may “adopt” other households within the 3 towns of the region 8
school district that do not have students within RHAM high school or middle
school. A household can only be counted for one RHAM student. Use a separate
scoresheet for each household for which you are earning points.
The 4 students who earn the most points in each school will receive prizes
consisting of gift certificates for local merchants in the amounts of:
First place $200
Second place
$150
Third place $100
Fourth place
$50
Additionally, the high school class (for example, the class of 2012) that collectively
earns the most points will receive a donation to the account of the class.
Scoresheet
Student name
_______________________________
Student’s current grade (for example, 12th grade)
_______________
Names of adult(s) in household
_______________________________
Address
_______________________________
Home phone number
_______________________________
(Households may be called for verification of points.)
In order to receive points for any of the initiatives listed on the following
pages, they must have been achieved by December 22, 2011. An adult member
of the household should date and initial each initiative that has been
accomplished. Point values for initiatives in the contest are indicated in
parenthesis after the descriptions. For initiatives identified with an asterisk (*), a
copy of the final report or paid bill must be attached to this scoresheet before
submitting it to the office at RHAM high school or middle school.
NOTE: During a home energy solutions (HES) visit, a vendor evaluates the energy
efficiency of your home. During the visit, the vendor provides the following kinds
of services: identification and sealing of air leaks; installation of weatherstripping,
hot water pipe wrap, and energy-efficient shower heads; sealing of heating ducts;
and evaluation of insulation, windows, appliances, and heating systems. The
vendor also provides up to 25 high efficiency, compact fluorescent light bulbs.
HES visits are subsidized by the CT clean energy fund so that a consumer is
responsible for a copay of only $75, even though the service actually costs several
hundred dollars. Households that provide a copy of the HES visit report from
either of the following vendors during the contest period will receive a $25 rebate
towards the $75 cost of the visit:
EcoSmart Home Service in Berlin, CT 888-773-5866 or 860 828-6626
Victory Energy Solutions in New Britain, CT 877-306-4483
Please remind the vendor when scheduling the HES visit that you reside in one of
the towns in the RHAM school district.
The full $75 fee for the HES visit must be paid to the vendor at the time of the
visit. The $25 rebate will be mailed to the household after a copy of the report
has been submitted with this scoresheet.
Initiative
date
approx
achieved
date
during
achieved
contest
prior to
Or
initials
contest
Discussion of Sustainability Now! Contest
between student and adult household
member(s) (50)
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12 (100)
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HES visit* (200)
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Attendance of at least 1 adult household
member at the Energy and Sustainability
fair at RHAM high school on November
Sealing of cracks in house with caulk,
weatherstripping, etc. to prevent heat
escape (75)
Installing and using a clothesline for drying
at least part of the household’s laundry
(50)
Turning off a second refrigerator or
freezer in the house (50)
Buying a major “energy star” appliance
(for example, a refrigerator, washing machine,
dryer, or stove) * (100)
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etc. (50)
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Visit a farmer’s market (25)
_____
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Installing insulation in the attic and/or walls
of the house * (100)
Selecting the renewable energy option from
your electricity provider * (150)
Discussing installation of a renewable energy
source in your home (e.g., photovoltaic, wind,
geothermal) with a vendor (50)
Signing a contract for/installing a renewable
energy source in your home* (500)
Test-drive a vehicle with a miles per gallon rating
of at least 35 mpg (25)
_____
Buy a vehicle with a miles per gallon rating of a
at least 35 mpg* (500)
_____
Buy and begin to use cloth totes for bringing
home groceries (25)
Create and use a compost pile at home for
biodegradable trash, lawn clippings, leaves,
Buy at least part of one share in a community-supported
agriculture program from a local farmer*
(100)
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Eliminate toxic cleaners in your house (50) _____
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Buy and install at least 5 non-incandescent
light bulbs (25)
For students: don’t drive your own car to
school (100)
For adults: get to work at least one day each week
using a method other than driving alone in your
car (e.g., carpooling, public transportion,
biking) (100)
_____
Begin recycling more items in your home than
you have previously (25)
_____
Begin setting your home’s thermostat at least 2
degrees lower than this time last year (50) _____
Limit the average shower duration of a family
member to 10 minutes maximum (50)
_____
Consciously choose to purchase product with
minimal packaging (50)
Consciously choose to purchase recycled
products (50)
Consciously choose reusable cleaning materials
like sponges over disposable cleaning materials
like paper towels whenever possible (50)
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Turn off lights and appliances when not in use
or before leaving on vacations (50)
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