Are you interested in sustainability? Are you looking to connect with others who have similar interests this semester? The President’s Sustainable Solutions Challenge (PSSC) invites students to share ideas for sustainability innovations. The program launches on Feb. 11 with the Sustainability Impact Accelerator Workshop and wraps up at the Sustainability Summit in April.
What is the Sustainable Solutions Challenge?
The 2023 challenge is the fourth annual university-wide event celebrating sustainability by sharing innovative ideas. The PSSC includes students at all four CU campuses. You may work individually or as a team to cultivate ideas and develop solutions to address sustainability challenges at CU. The program's goal is to encourage student-led innovation at CU Boulder and across the CU system.
Develop ideas with other students
The Sustainability Impact Accelerator Workshop is an opportunity not only to learn about the challenge but also to meet with other students and experts regarding sustainability initiatives. You do not need to have an idea ready to attend the event. The event intends to introduce the process and the many ways to get involved with the Environmental Center and other campus departments to collaborate and develop solutions.
If you have an idea ready, the workshop can help steer you in the right direction to succeed at the challenge. You’ll learn the steps in the planning process and the requirements to participate in the program.
If you decide the challenge isn’t a good fit for you, there are other ways to network and collaborate. Sustainability offers many opportunities to work with others, volunteer, share solutions and build a better world together. There’s something for everyone at every level of interest.
Create a pitch and presentation
The sustainability challenge allows students to get involved and share ideas. Previous winning ideas have ranged from green roofs to resilient parking lots to community solar farms.
Students are invited to share their ideas for making our community more sustainable by creating short pitch presentations. These pitches should address environmental quality, natural resource use, social justice and economic longevity at CU Boulder or through the CU system.
Interested students can sign up to participate and learn more by submitting a participant interest form. The competition is open to all CU Boulder students in all colleges and majors.
The winning proposal at each campus will be awarded a $1,500 prize, a runner-up proposal will be awarded $500 and the audience’s favorite pitch will also win $500. Each pitch consists of a short summary, a slide deck and a pitch presentation around 10 minutes long.