Small actions can add up to real change
Rule #1: Be honest. The purpose of the challenge is to challenge yourself to NEW behaviors and NEW habits—things you don’t currently do on a regular basis. Now is your chance to shop at the local store you’ve always been meaning to pop into. Or start using reusable grocery bags. We challenge you to change a habit that will benefit not only you, but also your community and the planet. You choose your challenges, then earn points for completing them, connecting with your community, and sharing your story. Your points will add up to demonstrate your impact, and help your team win the Winnetka Earth Day Challenge.
Before you start
We encourage all participants to read everything on the Challenge Overview, How It Works, and Q & A pages before getting started. This is important. Have a question after reading it all? Don’t hesitate to send us a message on our Contact page.
1. Start putting your team together
Teams can be as few as two people but no more than 15. Want to participate as an individual? That’s great! We will add you to the “Community Team.” Team captains recruit members and encourage participants to do challenges. Your team does not have to have a captain.
2. Sign up
Go to the Login page in the menu bar and sign up. You may do this any time after Friday, April 9. But you may not begin your challenges before April 16. See the Q & A page for what you can do before April 16.
When signing up, you will create a password that you will need for future logins. You will then receive an email with a link to your Participant Record, where you can begin to record your Actions once the Challenge begins. (Please allow up to 24 hours for the email to arrive in your inbox. The email will come from winnetkaearthday@gmail.com.) Once the Challenge begins, you can access your Participant Record either through the original email link you received, or by going to the Login page from the menu bar on this website. When logging in, we will need the team you’re on, and whether you’re a team captain or a team member. Team captains are not required.
3. Participant Record
This is the form you will fill out each day to record your actions. It is accessed either through the original email link we sent you when you signed up or by logging in on our Login page. You may not record actions on your Participant Record until April 16.
IMPORTANT:
Be sure your team and role in the Participant Info section at the top of the page are filled in or your actions will not be recorded.
You must scroll down to the bottom of the Participant Record to save your actions.
3. Plan ahead-Choose your Challenges
Go to each of the Action Categories on this website and look over the all challenges. Plan ahead to decide which ones you want to do. The point of the challenge is to challenge yourself to NEW behaviors. If you are already composting food waste, that’s awesome! The planet thanks you. Unfortunately, you don’t get Challenge points for doing it. But there are lots of other challenges to choose from.
4. Start racking up points
On April 16 and thereafter, when you log in you will be directed to your Participant Record, where you can start reporting your actions. Once reported, your points will appear within 48 hours as part of your team’s points on the Teams page.
There are Daily Actions and One-time Actions. Daily Actions are worth 10 points. One-time Actions are worth 25 points.
Pick up to 12 Daily Challenges. The maximum number of different Daily Actions you can do throughout the Challenge is 12. Also, participants may only record a specific Daily Action once per day. For example, if you shop two times in one day and each time you use a reusable shopping bag, you only get to record that action once.
Pick up to 8 One-time Challenges. You may record up to 8 One-time Actions throughout the Challenge. One-time Actions may only be recorded once during the Challenge. Each of your 8 One-time Actions must be different. For example, if you give away items you no longer need more than once, you only get credit for it once. You can do your One-time Actions all in one day, or spread them out over the two-week period. But you may only record 8 in total.
Forgot to take action one day? Don’t worry, you can report what you have done so far when you log in.
Forgot to go online one day? Don’t worry, you can go online and record the actions you missed at a later date, until April 30. But we encourage daily log ins. Learning new behaviors is easier with daily reinforcement.
5. Post on Social Media
This part is optional—but you can earn extra points by posting your actions on Facebook and Instagram and tagging @winnetkaearthdaychallenge. And don’t forget to like us!
Point Values
- 5 points – Join a team
- 25 points – Be a team captain
- 25 points – Complete a One-time Action
- 10 points – Complete a Daily Action
- 3-5 points – Post a photo of yourself doing a challenge to Facebook or Instagram. You must tag @WinnetkaEarthDayChallenge in order to be awarded points. Three points will be awarded for a single post to a single social media platform. Five points will be awarded if the same post is made to both platforms.
We will keep track of your posts to social media and give points accordingly.
“Find Out More” Buttons
Many of our challenges are self-explanatory, like saving water by fixing a leaky faucet. But some are not so obvious. In those cases, and in some cases where we just wanted to give you more information about the action itself, we have added a “Find Out More” button.
Prizes
Prizes may be awarded to a 501(c)3 charitable organization, or public agency, church or school in Winnetka and its neighboring communities. All organizations must be approved by the Winnetka Earth Day Challenge.
- $300 – First prize
- $200 – Second prize
- $100 – Third prize
- $100 – Fourth prize
- $100 – Fifth prize
No matter which challenges you choose, we encourage all participants to take extra precautions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19: wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash hands regularly, and stay home if you feel sick.