TD Friends of the Environment Foundation $100,000 Go Green Challenge plants
the seeds for a greener future

    
    - Third annual challenge invites students to submit their ideas on
    protecting the environment -
    

TORONTO , Sept. 22 /CNW/ - Think green, impact your community...and win. Canadian post-secondary students with creative ideas for making a difference to Canada's environment are invited to submit their plan for a chance to win prize money and the potential to bring their concept to life. TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) today announced the call for entries for the third annual $100,000 Go Green Challenge, a national competition that encourages students to develop ideas about and proposals for environmental sustainability in their communities.

    
    How the TD FEF $100,000 Go Green Challenge works:

    -  Teams of two or more students plus one faculty sponsor are invited to
       submit an essay (maximum of 4,000 words and 20 pages) about an idea
       that could reduce Canada's ecological footprint.
    -  A judging panel will choose four winning submissions based on
       creativity, originality, viability and the positive impact the
       submission would have on the livability of Canadian communities.
    -  Each of the winning teams will receive a $25,000 cash prize which can
       be used towards bringing their idea to life, or for other expenses
       such as tuition, books and rent.
    -  The challenge is open to all legal residents of Canada who are
       enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, full or part-time,
       at a Canadian college or university.
    

"When it comes to improving the environment, there is a lot of talk about 'making a difference.' The Go Green Challenge is an opportunity for students to turn that talk into action by giving us their best ideas," says Mary Desjardins , Executive Director, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. "Winning teams receive $25,000 , which would go a long way towards turning an environmental vision into reality or to help finance the costs of post-secondary education."

Essays from 182 teams representing 460 students from 52 schools across the country were submitted to last year's Go Green Challenge. The four winning student submissions included:

    
    -  Lakehead University's Guided Eco Tours Toronto (GETT);
    -  University of Manitoba's New Ways to Look at Old Spaces: A Vision for
       Green Infrastructure Networks;
    -  University of New Brunswick's Research and Partnership Opportunities
       in University Land Development;
    -  University of Waterloo's My Green Neighbour, which matches Canadians
       in need of a loan for residential energy efficiency projects with
       individual Canadians seeking a good return on their investment.
    

"The Go Green Challenge provides students the opportunity to gain the satisfaction of bringing their ideas to life in a way that contributes to shaping a healthy, just, and sustainable future," says Joanne Perdue , Director of Sustainability, University of Calgary . "Engaging in initiatives outside the formal curriculum allows students to apply and deepen their understandings of the principles of sustainability, gain real world experience, and develop essential leadership skills."

"There is no shortage of great ideas from Canada's post-secondary students. Last year, we received more than double the number of entries, on topics from energy efficiency to ecosystem management," says Desjardins. "We're trading cash for calories. Brain calories that is, in the form of 4,000-word essays on environmental sustainability. What student couldn't use $25,000 to help finance their education and future career as an environmental leader?"

For further information about the TD FEF $100,000 Go Green Challenge and to view the rules and regulations, visit www.tdfef.com/gogreen. The deadline for entries is January 15, 2010 . Each entry will be reviewed by an independent judging panel whose role will be to identify four winning submissions that most accurately meet the criteria. Selection of the four prize-winning entries will be made in Toronto in March 2010 .

About TD Friends of the Environment Foundation:

Since 1990, TD FEF has provided $49 million in funding to over 18,000 grassroots environment and wildlife projects across Canada . In 2008, TD FEF provided more than $3 million in support of over 800 projects. Thousands of donors give to TD FEF on a monthly basis and TD Bank Financial Group contributes in excess of $1 million annually. TD also covers the management costs of running TD FEF, which guarantees 100 per cent of every dollar donated goes directly to funding environment and wildlife projects in the community where the donation was made. For more information on how to donate and get involved in your community, visit www.tdfef.com.

For further information: Gregory Harrison, TD Bank Financial Group, [phone], [email protected]; Carolyn Abbass/Karen McCullough, Paradigm Public Relations, [phone], [email protected]/[email protected]