Students, Employees Battle For 'Smackdown' Belt

One team is giving the karate chop to its opposition in the "Green Devil Smackdown."

After four weeks of the Smackdown - Duke's team-based sustainability competition - "Karate Elite Force Champions" leads 61 participating teams with an average of 812 points per team member. It's three more points than second-place "greengineering" and 76 more than third-place "Masters of the Environment."

"Everyone on our team has a different topic that interests them, but I think the thing that brings our team together is that doing the green thing isn't a sacrifice - it's adding another option to how we eat, travel and learn," said Brian Williams, Duke's transportation demand management coordinator. 

Williams, team captain for "Karate Elite Force," is also third among all Smackdown competitors with 1,660 individual points. "Taking the bus each day from my home is an option that saves me over $100 a month in gas and permit costs," he said.

Overall, 1,054 students, faculty and staff are taking part in the inaugural sustainability competition, which ends April 20. Teams of Duke community members have been earning points for "green" actions, such as taking the bus, answering weekly quiz questions about Duke's sustainability efforts or completing the Duke Carbon Calculator. 

In true wrestling style, the team that earns the highest average points per participant will be crowned champion and receive a custom-designed Green Devil championship belt, among other prizes. In addition, a drawing will be held at the end of the competition to award grand prizes to three individuals who participate in four of seven rounds of the competition. Prizes include an Amazon Kindle, bicycle and tickets to Duke basketball games.

Students, faculty and staff can still join the Green Devil Smackdown. Find more information or sign up at the Smackdown website.