- Students invited to enter the fourth annual TD Go Green Challenge -

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TORONTO, Nov. 16 /CNW/ - One of Canada's longest-serving environmental charities is encouraging post-secondary students to submit their ideas for improving environmental sustainability on campus. TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) is now accepting entries for the fourth annual TD Go Green Challenge, a national competition that invites Canadian students to submit a video detailing how they would make a difference to the environment on their university or college campus. 

"We created the TD Go Green Challenge to engage Canadian students in environmental sustainability and judging from the impressive entries we've received in the past, we know many Canadian students are passionate about the environment," says Mary Desjardins, Executive Director, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

How the TD Go Green Challenge works:

• Teams of two to four students from the same school are invited to submit a short video that explains a sustainability challenge facing their university or college and how they would address it.
• A panel of judges, including singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer, will select the top three teams based on their proposed on-campus environmental initiatives.
• The TD Go Green Challenge is open to all legal residents of Canada who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, full or part-time, at an approved Canadian college or university.

What's at stake?

• The first place team will be awarded $20,000, as well as $100,000 to support sustainability initiatives at their university or college. Each student will also receive a paid internship with TD Friends of the Environment Foundation or another environmental non-profit.
• The second place team will receive a $15,000 prize and a $15,000 grant to support tree-planting initiatives on their campus. 
• The third place team will receive a $10,000 prize and a $10,000 grant to support tree-planting initiatives on their campus.
• The winner of the People's Choice Award will be chosen by an online vote and will be awarded  $2,500. 

"Students tell us they are motivated to change environmental issues on their campuses," says Desjardins. "The TD Go Green Challenge gives student teams a chance to win $20,000 and internships, and leave a legacy on campus with a $100,000 prize for their school to action environmental initiatives."

Since the TD Go Green Challenge launched in 2008, nearly 400 teams from approximately 140 schools across the country have participated.

For further information about the TD Go Green Challenge and to view the rules and regulations, visit www.tdfef.com/gogreen.  The deadline for entries is January 21, 2011. Selection of the prize-winning entries will be made in Toronto in March 2011.    

About TD Friends of the Environment Foundation:
Since 1990, TD FEF has provided more than $53 million in funding to over 19,000 grassroots environment and wildlife projects across Canada. 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.