While on Brita Climate Ride ‘08, Kat and Josh learned of The College FilterForGood Eco-Challenge which aims to empower eco-conscious students to create projects that improve the environment on their campuses.  This year, five college students were chosen to each receive a $10,000 grant to bring their ideas to life.  Proposals were evaluated on creativity, environmental benefit, educational impact and best use of time and budget.  Check out the brilliant ideas implemented by Kat and Josh!

Read these excerpts from www.filterforgood.com:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Sun Conditioning

Here’s another reason to love the sun. MIT’s group of students, led by Kat Potter, Yuanwen Wayne Liu and Mike Lee, have designed an efficient system that utilizes solar energy for air conditioning and heating systems. New systems like this are important because they help offset the energy used to heat and cool buildings. Generating hot water alone accounts for 49% of total U.S. energy usage each year. The development and installation of their Solar Air Conditioning System on campus will reduce energy consumption and provide a model for the nation. Once installed, the system will save 60,000 kWh of traditional energy and eliminate at least 80,000 lbs of CO2 emission per year. Pretty hot. And pretty cool.

George Washington University: Landfill 101

Just four blocks from the nation’s capital, The George Washington University is taking steps to become the university model of sustainable practices. Graduate student Joshua Lasky, a Presidential Administrative Fellow in the school’s Office of Sustainability, is working to ensure that the school’s new LEED-certified dorm is bottled water-free. All suites will be outfitted with Brita filtration products and each resident will receive a FilterForGood bottle when they move in. As a bonus, they’ll be invited to join a team of “Filter Fellows” to help spread their bottled water-free lifestyle throughout campus. We give it an A+++.