The EPA is now accepting submissions for their P3 Competition (short for People, Prosperity and the Planet, which they call "the three pillars of sustainability"). The competition invites college students to present plans to research, develop and design sustainable solutions in agriculture, materials & chemicals, energy, information technology, water, and the built environment.

The P3 Awards program aims to generate research outputs in the form of innovative, inherently benign, integrated, and interdisciplinary designs that will advance the scientific, technical, and policy knowledge necessary to further the goals of sustainability. The desired outcomes of the P3 research are to minimize the use and generation of hazardous substances, utilize resources and energy effectively and efficiently, and simultaneously advance the goals of economic competitiveness and human health and environmental protection for societal benefit.

The EPA plans to grant a total of $1.25 million to award recipients, who will work on their projects during the 2007-2008 school year. The competition closes on December 21, 2006.

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