City Launches Spring into Sustainability Challenge: A Fun, Team-Based Competition to Reduce Carbon Footprints and Win Prizes

The City of Bloomington is turning sustainability into a friendly competition with the Spring into Sustainability Challenge on the Zero in Bloomington platform. From March 1–31, 2025, local organizations, businesses, and community groups will compete to complete climate-friendly actions, track their progress, and earn recognition—all while helping Bloomington meet its climate goals. The challenge is simple: teams sign up, log sustainable actions, and compete for cash prizes.

The top five groups with the most completed actions will win up to $500 in prize money and special recognition at Bloomington’s Earth Day 2025 celebration on April 19. Individuals who participate can also enter a raffle for additional prizes by earning points for their actions and sharing their progress.

An information session for those interested in participating will be held via Zoom on February 12 at 9 a.m. Registration for the information session is required in advance.

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How It Works

• Participants form a team under a local business, organization, or community group.
• A team leader invites members and supporters to join the team on the Zero in Bloomington platform.
• Users log actions from over 100 sustainability-focused options, including energy-saving habits, waste reduction, and climate-friendly transportation choices.
• Each week, teams are encouraged to complete actions based on a weekly theme and post photos of their efforts.
• After March 31, all logged actions will be tallied, and winners will be announced.

Interested participants should review the City of Bloomington’s website about Zero in Bloomington, create a Zero in Bloomington account, register users under a group by February 28, and be ready to log actions on March 1.

“The Zero in Bloomington platform is a fun tool residents can use to learn about sustainable choices, and to see the amount of greenhouse gas emission reductions from those choices,” said Jolie Perry, Sustainability Program Coordinator. “We hope a little friendly competition will encourage Bloomington’s residents to consider the climate impact of their day-to-day habits.”

The Spring into Sustainability Challenge is part of Bloomington’s broader commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 2018 levels by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050, as outlined in the 2021 Climate Action Plan. By participating, residents not only support these goals but also save money, reduce waste, and build a more sustainable community.