DEADLINE: Annual High Country News Student Essay Contest

Are you, or someone you know, making a real contribution toward sustainable living in the West?

"Strides in Sustainability"

In 750 words, describe how you or someone in your community is making meaningful strides to lessen modern Western society's impact on the environment. Your topic should go beyond the simplified definition of “sustainable living” .... We don’t want stories about your backyard chickens or how you shop at a farmers market or ride your bike to class rather than drive. The winning essay will describe an unusual invention, innovative approach, activity or movement that is even now helping to solve a pressing problem, such as sprawl, fossil fuel reliance, climate change, factory farming or others.

The winning essay will appear in the January 2014 HCN "Future" special issue and the writer will receive these backpacking essentials from MountainSmith: Lookout Backpack, Poncha 35 Degree Sleeping Bag and Rhyolite Trekking Poles.

Send essays to studentwriters@hcn.org. ENTRY DEADLINE: Nov. 27, 2013

Visit hcn.org/edu for more information.