Vote to help a University of Iowa Student Become the next Eco-Star

University of Iowa News Release

University of Iowa Office of Sustainability intern and College of Engineering student Elliott Beenk is in the running to be America's Next Eco-Star, sponsored by SmartPower and the U.S Department of Energy. See Elliott's video on YouTube, and vote for him on the America's Next EcoStar Facebook contest page, or go directly to http://form.jotform.com/form/20325059008

See also Elliott's Facebook page for America's Next EcoStar.

Voting goes until 5 p.m. on Friday, February 24, and the top 10 nominees with the most public votes will move on to the next phase of the competition. The top 10 will be announced on Wednesday, February 29. From there, SmartPower’s staff of energy experts will determine the top five on Friday, March 2. Then our guest panel of judges, including representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy, will join the SmartPower team in determining the winner, tol be announced on Friday, March 16.

The winner will receive:

• An all-expenses-paid trip to the summer 2012 Sustainable Futures Academy at the Salzburg Global Seminar in Austria.
• A fellowship in the Washington, D.C., office of SmartPower

The winning contestant’s school, university, or alma mater will receive:

• National recognition as the home of America’s Next Eco-Star and a leader in campus sustainability.
• $1,000 to use towards sustainability efforts.

• The president of the winning contestant’s college or university will be invited to attend the 2012 Sustainable Futures Academy at the Salzburg Global Seminar, joining a select group of their sustainably minded peers.

Elliott Beenk is an engineer, entrepreneur, and an avid musician. There are few aspects of the sustainability movement with which Beenk hasn't been involved. Currently Beenk is investigating biomass opportunities to meet 2020's renewable energy targets as an intern at the UI Office of Sustainability. In addition, he is finishing his Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering and starting his Master's in Environmental Engineering this spring. His sustainability work focuses primarily on academia, music, and consulting.

The year following the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill Beenk conducted phytoremediation research analyzing the impact of the oil spill on Louisiana salt marshes. In addition, he helped develop a solar cooker with energy storage for rural India. In 2011, he extended his work to the corporate world by helping develop a water sustainability scorecard for John Deere with plans for international implementation

Beenk frequently combines his love of music with his sustainability interests. This includes organizing a sustainability festival featuring Mason Jennings and developing and implementing the first waste management system at Camp Euforia, an annual music festival with an average attendance of 2,000 He and his band Chasing Shade also perform at fundraising and awareness concerts that have benefited groups including 350.org, Summer of Solutions, and Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW). Beenk is now in the process of expanding his own sustainability consulting firm for live music events.