What are the benefits of registering for the challenge?
We will do a drawing at the end of each month and send a free water conservation kit to five winners. The water conservation kit contains materials to test toilet tanks for leaks, to make a toilet dam, and to convert a shower head to low-flow. The earlier you register, the more chances you have of winning. We will also send periodic updates to registrants on challenge actions, related workshop opportunities, and special Green Living Challenge promotions. We will never distribute any e-mail or snail mail addresses we collect from participants to other parties.

What about other green actions beyond the 16 listed?
We realize that the list of 16 actions we’ve picked for the challenge is only the beginning of what is possible if you are pursuing an environmentally-friendly lifestyle. We kept the list short for the first year of the Challenge so it wouldn’t overwhelm participants, and to make it easier to administer. We hope to be able to continue the Green Living Challenge after 2007 and offer an expanded list of actions.

Why are there two columns to keep track of the actions I’ve completed?
To receive a Green Living Certificate, which requires a total of 100 points, you can use the first column to document actions you completed before January 1, 2007 and the second column to document actions you complete between January 1 and October 31, 2007. If you don’t plan to request a Green Living Certificate, only complete the second column.

Do I get credit for actions I’m already doing?
For those of you who have already completed some of the 16 actions, congratulations on your commitment to a sustainable lifestyle! While these actions will not give you or your neighborhood points for the 2007 challenge, actions you’re already taking count toward qualifying for the Green Living Certificate.

What should I keep to document the actions I’m taking?
You are not required to submit any documentation of the actions you’ve completed with your Green Living Challenge form, but we are asking you to certify that you have documentation for all actions completed between January 1 and October 31, 2007. Here are some suggestions for documentation:

• Where a purchase is involved (i.e., registering for the Direct Marketing Association or buying a compact fluorescent light bulb), please keep a copy of the receipt.
• Where there is a membership or registration process (e.g., carsharing or National Wildlife Federation backyard wildlife habitat), please keep a copy of the welcome or registration letter or web page.
• When you are installing something in your house or garden (e.g., a light bulb or rain barrel), please take a picture of the installation.
• When you are performing an ongoing action (e.g., recycling, not driving, or eating a locally-grown/vegetarian/meatless meal), please keep a calendar of your accomplishments and take a picture of a sample day.

What is the neighborhood challenge?
We will be tallying the points accumulated by challenge participants according to the civic association they live in to determine the greenest neighborhoods in Arlington. This is based on the success of the 2005 Wildlife Habitat Neighborhood Challenge which you can read about at http://www.arlingtonenvironment.org/challenge.htm.

Why don’t old actions count toward the neighborhood challenge?
We wanted to level the playing field as much as possible, so only actions completed after January 1 and before the October 31 deadline will count towards the neighborhood challenge. Recognizing that some civic associations are smaller or less populated than others, we will also calculate number of points per square mile and number of points per resident when we pick the greenest neighborhoods for prizes.

Why do apartment and condominium dwellers get a 35-point bonus?
Many of the actions related to landscaping and gardening are not easily accomplished in an apartment or condominium setting. To compensate for this, we chose to award a bonus of 35 points to apartment and condominium dwellers to help make the 100-point goal for a Green Living Certificate obtainable.

What are the prizes?
There are prizes for individuals and neighborhoods. All individuals entering the Green Living Challenge by October 31 will be eligible for the grand prize drawing in November with prizes of gift certificates and merchandise from local businesses promoting a green lifestyle. The neighborhood prizes will be suitable for a group of 30 to 50, e.g., food from a local restaurant.