Nearly 20 years ago, Oberlin College pledged to be carbon neutral by 2025. One way we’ve supported this goal is the Sustainable Infrastructure Program (SIP), which involved installing a geothermal heating and cooling system across buildings on campus. As a result, we were able to reduce our carbon footprint by some 90 percent, rather than relying on purchasing significant carbon offsets. But another part of our push for carbon neutrality involved something perhaps less visible: collective action. As an institution and community, Oberlin encourages, values, and expects sustainable behavior. Every year, Oberlin’s Office of Energy and Sustainability (OES) hosts Ecolympics, a two-week competition that challenges buildings on campus and in the town of Oberlin to lower their carbon footprint. During Ecolympics, people who live or work in these buildings are encouraged to put extra thought into their electricity and water consumption, and take actions such as being extra sure to shut off l...