You may have heard about GetGreen Duluth, a mobile app designed to help people reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Ecolibrium3 is now celebrating the end of our GetGreen pilot program and would like to thank our partners and community for making this successful project possible.
History of Climate Action in Duluth
The City of Duluth set the stage for GetGreen and became a climate leader in 2018 after committing to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. While this commitment was an important move for our city, it only applied to City operations and buildings. In response, the Duluth Citizens’ Climate Action Plan (DCCAP) was developed as an effort to spread this greenhouse gas reduction goal community-wide. Since the DCCAP launched in November 2020, the City of Duluth has committed to achieving carbon neutrality community-wide by 2050 and used the DCCAP as a guiding document for the first City Climate Action Work Plan. To further advance the DCCAP, we partnered with GetGreen and Grid Catalyst to create an exciting tool to take daily action on the climate with a mobile app.
What Is GetGreen? How Does It Work?
The GetGreen app was created to help individuals and communities reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and live more sustainably. The app aids individual and collective action by providing sustainable options and alternatives to everyday tasks; creating a daily habit of climate stewardship. It shows users where to start and what to do to reduce their carbon footprint.
Using proven behavioral modification approaches, the app’s gamified reward system allows users to earn points, or ‘green leaves,’ as they complete actions. Green leaves represent the amount of carbon users have offset; each leaf equaling 10 pounds of averted carbon emissions. Users can also go beyond reducing their own carbon footprint and further their environmental impact by removing carbon through certified projects around the world and in your community.
What Is the GetGreen Duluth Pilot?
The pilot launched in November 2022 and ended this past Earth Day. Duluth was chosen as the pilot site for a location-specific version of the app, testing how it can bring a community of this scale together to take climate action.
In the Duluth version of the app, users can complete actions from the DCCAP, such as:
- Advocating for the expansion of the Duluth Natural Areas Program
- Riding one of Duluth’s electric buses
- Planting native species in your yard
- Make your voice heard by writing community leaders about local sustainability initiatives
- Clearing sidewalks of snow
- Composting food and yard waste at WLSSD
Pilot Results
Throughout the pilot we exceeded goals and set records, all while protecting our environment and living more sustainably:
- 312 community members used the app.
- 3600 actions were taken; exceeding our goal by 50%. One-third of these actions were from the Duluth Citizens’ Climate Action Plan.
- People first transportation (biking, walking, public transportation) averted 1.5 tons of carbon.
- Actions taken from the Duluth Citizens’ Climate Action Plan increased 227%.
- 501 vegetarian meals averted 2.5 tons of carbon.
Micromobility Hub
In the GetGreen Duluth app, we were supporting the Duluth Micromobility Hub – LNPK. Thanks to our generous donors at Members Cooperative Credit Union and partners at E-Bike Duluth, we were able to purchase an e-cargo bike for the Micromobility Hub. We are now working on policies and procedures to pilot a checkout system on a small scale. We will continue to expand the Micromobility Hub, adding more mobility devices as funding becomes available. To further support our transportation work, please donate to our project.
Thank You!
Ecolibrium3 would like to thank everyone who has been along for the ride!
- Thank you to Members Cooperative Credit Union and E-Bike Duluth for supporting the Micomobility Hub.
- Thank you to Castle Danger Brewery, Whole Foods Co-op, Ren Market, and Canal Park Brewing Company for incentivizing climate action by contributing prizes or discounts.
- Thank you to the Sierra Club North Star Chapter and the Citizens’ Climate Lobby for supporting our work and partnering with us on GetGreen events!
- Thank you to the University of Minnesota – Duluth for its dedication to sustainability and continued use of the app.
- Thank you to the City of Duluth for partnering with us to bring GetGreen to Duluth.
- Thank you to our partners at Grid Catalyst for introducing us to GetGreen and getting this project started.
- Thank you to GetGreen for being a wonderful partner for this past year, we’ve enjoyed working together and making a difference in Duluth!
- Most importantly, thank you to our users! Without you, this project would not have been possible. Thank you for keeping the flame of climate action burning in our community. Big movements start with small actions and together, we can make a difference.
Download GetGreen Duluth
The pilot is over, but GetGreen Duluth is still available. Download the app now to take climate action. The ‘GetGreen’ app is available in the App Store and Google Play Store. Or, click the button to download the app (mobile only).