FAQ's

What is the Energy Smackdown™?
The Energy Smackdown is an innovative community outreach project that challenges and supports participating individuals, households, and organizations to reduce their own energy consumption as well as the energy consumption of others. Participants from the same town collaborate to form a community team, which then competes with other community teams. In doing so, the participants and teams engage the public-at-large on the critical issue of climate change and what citizens of a community can to do to reduce their own energy consumption.

How does the Energy Smackdown™ work?
In season two of the Energy Smackdown™, teams from three communities – Arlington, Cambridge, and Medford – are competing to see which community can make the biggest energy reduction over twelve months. 
Two households from each community will be filmed for the Energy Smackdown™ television series.

What do I gain by being a part of the Energy Smackdown™?
There are many benefits and rewards to participating in the Energy Smackdown

• Save money on your utility, transportation, and food bills.
• Get free advice from energy experts, including a comprehensive home energy and lifestyle evaluation.
• Help build a local community that’s dedicated to improving the environment.
• Win great prizes provided by local businesses.

Who can participate in the Energy Smackdown™?
Anyone who agrees to the Terms of Use and receives an invitation from an existing team member can participate. The Energy Smackdown™ welcomes individuals, households, and organizations from the communities of Arlington, Cambridge, and Medford, Massachusetts. Click Travelers to learn more about the current participants.

What do I have to do in order to join the Energy Smackdown™? What is required? There are a few requirements to participating in the Energy Smackdown™:

• Be a resident (home owner or renter) of a participating community: Arlington, Cambridge, or Medford, Massachusetts.
• Receive an invitation from a current participant, and agree to the Terms of Use.
• Select and complete one or more carbon-reduction actions (called “nuggets”).
• Be willing to learn and serve as an example to others.

How do I get started?
You must receive an invitation from a current participant. If you don’t know a current participant, you can request an invitation by clicking Request Invitation.

I am not a resident of Arlington, Cambridge, or Medford, Massachusetts. Can other communities participate?
Although we are planning to expand to other communities in Massachusetts and beyond, right now we are focusing on the three communities.

Is the Energy Smackdown™ a TV show, contest, or both?
It’s both! To learn more about Season Two, visit Journey.

How can I volunteer to help with the Energy Smackdown™?
The Energy Smackdown™ is looking for volunteer interns and program associates to help in the following areas:

• Office operations
• Community outreach
• Event coordination