[2][3] Their most successful program is a series of ten self-facilitated discussion courses to be used by small groups that address various topics related to the environment and sustainable living.
Ecochallenge.org was founded in 1993 as Northwest Earth Institute by Dick and Jeanne Roy with $45,000 in start-up grants and thirteen volunteers with the goal of "taking earth-centered programs into mainstream workplaces.
"[1] Prior to Northwest Earth Institute, Dick had worked as a corporate lawyer since 1970 and Jeanne as an activist on air quality and solid waste issues.
Every October, the organization challenges people across the world to choose one action to reduce their environmental impact and stick with it for two weeks.
The Ecochallenge has garnered recent attention, most notably in higher education, as university professors have increasingly incorporated the event into their curricula, and corporations have involved hundreds of their employees.