NEW YORK, April 16, 2007—The Slate Green Challenge launches today, encouraging people to go on a seven-week “carbon diet” to shed unwanted pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. Slate, the daily online magazine, in collaboration with the eco-Web site Treehugger.com, is again asking Americans to consider their own contributions to global warming, challenging them to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that individuals put into the atmosphere by 20 percent.
Last October, more than 30,000 people signed up for Slate’s Green Challenge, shedding more than 60 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. In response to feedback from readers, this year’s challenge will cast a wider net to give credit to the already CO2-conscious and offer more carbon-cutting actions to encompass everyone from apartment dwellers to bus riders to people in warmer climates.
“The United Nations says the average American is responsible for nearly four times the carbon-dioxide emissions of the rest of the world,” said Jacob Weisberg, Slate’s editor. “Last year’s challenge demonstrated the eagerness of our readers to take action on an individual level, and this year we’re hoping to make it even easier for them to do that. We are excited to be working again with our friends at Treehugger, who have been excellent partners.”
Each week of the Green Challenge opens with a short quiz, followed by easy actions people can take to reduce their individual carbon output. Once participants have registered, Slate will monitor individual progress in losing carbon poundage and collective poundage lost by individuals taking the challenge. Those who miss the launch date may start at any point by taking the initial quiz.
“The Green Challenge is our way of showing the world that a sustainable decrease in toxic carbon emissions is accessible and relevant to everyone,” said Graham Hill, founder of TreeHugger. “Our goal is not to scare or pontificate, but to educate and engage.”
Slate was recently nominated for a National Magazine Award by the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) in the area of General Excellence Online for the 2006 Green Challenge.
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Post submitted by Bethany Thomaier for Slate Magazine.