INSTRUCTIONS
Track 1 — Carbon Reduction Pitch
Follow your personal passion and creativity — we’re open to diverse concepts and approaches. For new ideas, look around for large-scale opportunities to conserve energy or generate renewable energy. Go on Google Earth and explore large energy consumers in your region, such as manufacturing, chemical, cement, sports or transportation facilities. Think big about the changes that could be made if the leaders in position of authority made needed investments.
Your project needs to be economically viable and potentially attractive to decision makers. Consider these conditions for success:
Organizations that have made a carbon commitment or that are under some pressure to make a commitment
Areas where energy is expensive
Access to open land for large-scale renewable energy projects
Reliance on old buildings and antiquated technology for heating, cooling or energy generation
Steps and Deadlines
November 27 — Concept. Submit a one-paragraph description of your pitch concept to GreenBowlCompetition@gmail.com. What problem or opportunity will you address? What is your solution? Who is in a position to green-light or fund this project? Keep it simple. We just want to know the direction you’re headed and keep you moving forward. Let us know if you’d like to work alone or as a team.
December 30 — Draft Presentation. Record yourself (or team) on Zoom — 12 minutes maximum — and send a link to the recording to GreenBowlCompetition@gmail.com. Use some slides but keep it simple and visually compelling. Consider this outline:
About you. What’s unique about you that might help the audience connect with you and trust you?
Exploration of opportunities. What was your process for thinking through the various projects that could have an impact? What were some of your guiding principles or insights along the way?
This project. What would you do? What’s the basic idea?
Rationale for this project. What makes you think this could make a difference for the planet? How would you quantify the impact? How would an organization or its leaders benefit?
How would you execute? Lead us through the process for making it happen, including how it would be paid for, who would do the work, etc. Who needs to green light or support the project? Your vision needs to seem plausible, grounded in reality.
What are the obstacles? Help us understand what challenges are likely to get in the way and how you (or the organization) would overcome them.
Your “ask”. What are you asking for now? Who can help you and how can they help? Imagine that you are addressing the leaders who are in a position to “press go.”
Final vision. Paint a picture that is relevant to the leaders you’re looking to influence. Help us imagine the positive future that this will create for leaders, their organization or community.
At this stage, your presentation won’t be formally evaluated or used in the competition. We’ll just coach you to make the presentation more compelling and effective. Our most common feedback at this phase is that the presentation needs to be more visual and emotional, less detailed and academic. We’ll press you to be more specific about who can make the decision and the value proposition for these decision makers. Remember, this is not an academic presentation, but a carefully-crafted message for leaders who can make your project happen.
Before you send your draft presentation, we strongly encourage you to try out your presentation on a knowledgeable audience that is willing to give you honest feedback. Our feedback will be most useful if you get the bugs out and make it outstanding before we see it.
January 17 — Final Video Presentation. Use the feedback to “up your game.” Re-record your presentation and submit this final presentation for consideration in the final rounds of the competition. Send a link to GreenBowlCompetition@gmail.com
February 5-7 — Semi-Finals (Live Virtual Presentation). If selected, you’ll have a chance to make your presentation in a live zoom presentation to a group of student leaders from around the U.S..
February 24 — Finals. If selected, you’ll have a chance to make your presentation in a live zoom presentation to a group of industry experts, who will be scoring your presentation on five dimensions: Depth of Research (10 points), Practicality of Solution (10 points), Potential Impact (10 points), Clarity of Proposal (10 points), Persuasiveness (10 points).
Overall, we’re looking for you to communicate a vision that is exciting and personally relevant, to build and convey a realistic plan for accomplishing this vision, to demonstrate financial acumen and political savvy, to communicate concisely, all while showing authentic passion and good energy.
We’re here to help you and are willing to meet briefly if you’d like to talk. Please send questions to GreenBowlCompetition@gmail.com.