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American University will host an Apps for the Environment hack-a-thon Sept. 3, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in their technology-rich green facilities. The hack-a-thon aims to bring together developers and teams from universities throughout the area, professional coders, as well as Environmental Protection Agency data specialists to help build innovative apps for the "Apps for the Environment" competition.

The hack-a-thon will be located in the spacious new Graduate Research Center adjoining the School of International Service building, which is itself a certified LEED Gold marvel of green technology innovation. With a sustainable design and “cradle-to cradle” philosophy for recycling and reusing building materials, participants will even power their devices with solar and wind offset power so their Apps for the Environment will be green from the first idea until the last line of code.

Whether you're a student at any school in computer science, journalism, a professional in the field, or just have an idea to share (which you can post here http://blog.epa.gov/data/ideasforappscomments/) please join us at the hack-a-thon!

**What is "Apps for the Environment"?** EPA challenges you to find new ways to combine and deliver environmental data in a new app. In the Apps for the Environment challenge, you have free reign to make an app that uses EPA data, addresses one of Administrator Lisa Jackson’s Seven Priorities, and is useful to communities or individuals. EPA encourages you to use other environmental and health data too. The winners will be honored at a recognition event in Washington, D.C. this fall and the winning apps will be publicized on EPA’s website.

For more information on "Apps for the Environment" visit their website at http://www.epa.gov/appsfortheenvironment/

Read what the innovation community has said about "Apps for the Environment":

According to Sunlight Labs, " The EPA has done a fantastic job with their Apps for the Environment contest by actively working with participants."
http://sunlightlabs.com/blog/2011/epa-apps-environment-challenge/

According to TechPresident, "The interesting bit is that the EPA has pulled out the stops to get developers to build applications using their data."
http://techpresident.com/short-post/greening-internet-apps-environment

For more information on the SIS Building an its green facilities, visit: http://www.american.edu/finance/sustainability/SIS-Building.cfm