Green Madison, a citywide effort to reduce energy consumption and win the $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize, launched a new city-wide game-based approach to reducing energy use this fall. Hundreds of City of Madison employees played earlier this summer really became engaged in the effort and the competition and had fun!
Madison residents–including employees from more than 40 diverse Madison businesses and organizations, such as UW Health, American Family Insurance, MG&E, TDS Telecom, and the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce took part this fall in Cool Choices, an online sustainability game that encourages sustainable behaviors like turning off the lights when leaving a room or biking instead of driving. The game platform also calculates carbon and energy savings as players log their sustainable actions on a daily basis.
It is exciting that Green Madison has mobilized so many residents and area businesses to come together to reduce energy usage in Madison. The City is taking innovative approaches to being more green and cutting costs for government, local businesses, and residents all over Madison. Everyone’s efforts in the citywide Cool Choices game count toward Madison’s entry in the Georgetown University Energy competition.
The “social stream” within the game platform will also promote awareness of additional Green Madison initiatives designed to help Madison residents save money. For example, via Green Madison, residents can host energy house parties to receive a free energy assessment, recommendations for practical improvements, and follow-up assistance applying for rebates on energy efficiency improvements.
Green Madison is also serving as a streamlined point-of-contact to help multifamily building owners with rebate programs, free energy assessments, contractor selection, and quality assurance in partnership with Project Home and Focus on Energy. All of these initiatives help the City of Madison save money, reduce energy use, and compete to claim the $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize. To learn more, check out www.greenmadison.org.
After showing over 1,000 people from across Madison how to save money and help the environment this year, Cool Choices will be back again February 2016! Stay tuned for more details.