Student–Led Projects
Since 2013, GreenLight has partnered over 200 students with more than 40 businesses to implement sustainable business solutions, this amounts to more than 22,000 volunteer hours donated to local businesses.
These diverse projects have spanned the areas of greening supply chains, zero waste events, energy efficiency, community development, circular economy, urban housing, local food systems, and so much more.
The collective impact these projects continue to create is inspiring. Not only have dozens of businesses evolved their operations to adopt sustainable practices, but hundreds of budding professionals learned how to create positive change and make a real difference.
Explore the full portfolio below to learn about our projects.
Stardust Building Supplies
Stardust Building Supplies Spring 2020 Project Partner Testimonial “GLS is a great organization that helps small business and organizations solve sustainability challenges while fostering a collaborative approach to real world solutions. I fully support the [...]
Valley Metro
Valley Metro Spring 2020 Project Partner Testimonial “GreenLight Solutions was a pleasure to work with! Thank you GreenLight Solutions for helping our organization understand the impacts of climate change on our infrastructure.” -Mackenzie McGuffie, [...]
Solar United Neighbors
Solar United Neighbors Spring 2020 Summary The GreenLight Solutions project team assisted Solar United Neighbors in leading a solar co-op information session. Team members gained experience in marketing and content creation to spread the [...]
Tiny House Developers
Tiny House Developers Spring 2020 Summary The goal of this project was to create a system to divert waste within the THD facility and to facilitate internship opportunities for students through scholarships. Project Lead Jessie [...]
Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce
Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce Fall 2018-Fall 2019 Summary Our Project Team developed a Green Business Directory for the Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce, including the creation of a framework to evaluate businesses on their [...]
Stardust Building Supplies
Stardust Building Supplies Spring 2019-Fall 2019 Project Partner Testimonial “GLS is a great organization that helps small business and organizations solve sustainability challenges while fostering a collaborative approach to real world solutions. I fully support [...]
AZStRUT
AZ StRUT Summer 2019 Summary For the first ever GreenLight Bootcamp, our team partnered with AZ StRUT (Arizona Students Recycling Used Technologies) to increase their capacity in recycling printer plastics, and overall electronics recycling in [...]
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Spring 2019-Fall 2019 Summary The Fairmont Project Team created a comprehensive rideshare survey to use for marketing and incentive purposes at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort and elsewhere to help companies reduce [...]
Agritopia
Agritopia Fall 2017-Fall 2018 Summary Greenlight reduced the waste at the Farm at Agritopia by providing a waste system analysis and recommendations, donating 24 20-gallon recycling bins, and creating educational signage for the bins. To [...]
STEAM Park
S.T.E.A.M. Park Fall 2017-Spring 2018 Summary The Project Team facilitated interactive activities with a fifth grade class to teach S.T.E.A.M. education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Mathematics). The team also collaborated with the Project Partner [...]
Humanity
Humanity Spring 2017 Summary The goal of this project was to optimize the new networking website, Humanity, which was designed for people committed to solving humanity’s global sustainability challenges, as defined by the UN Sustainable [...]
BAMbox Produce
BAMBOX Fall 2017 Summary The GreenLight team devised a strategy for a more efficient local and nationwide delivery service and researched more sustainable packaging options. Project Lead Chloe Cardone Project Team Sakshi Hegde | Reid [...]
KO Instruments
KO Instruments Fall 2017 Summary The goal of this project was to contribute to the development of the next generation CBA-1000 Circuit Breaker Analyzer and improve its branding to raise awareness of this product as [...]
Arcosanti
Arcosanti Fall 2017-Fall 2018 Project Partner Testimonial “Greenlight Solutions helped to make a significant impact in how we manage our resource yard and communicate our sustainability goals to event attendees. The students were hard-working and [...]
Event Greening Team
Event Greening Team Fall 2017-Spring 2018 Summary The Project Team managed all recycling duties for the Gold Rush 2017 two day music festival - before, during, and after 20,000 event goers danced the night away. [...]
SolarCity
Solar City Spring 2017 Summary This project was aimed at increasing adoption of residential solar panel systems through expanding public education. SolarCity needed a tool for showing the positive impact that homeowners make in their [...]
SolarThermix
Solar Thermix Spring 2017 Summary Our team assisted SolarThermix in achieving greater market penetration by building an extensive B2B network through digital marketing and proof of concept development. Project Lead Siddharth Mazumdar | Nicholas Henderson [...]
The 2Courtiers
2 Courtiers Spring 2016-Spring 2017 Summary This project seeks to bring sustainability to Ancient Future events through the focus areas of education, transportation efficiency, & waste reduction. Our team implemented recycling and compost bins, and [...]
TigerMountain Foundation
TigerMountain Foundation Spring 2016 Project Partner Testimonial “GreenLight Solutions puts forth a genuine effort to learn and collaborate on growing people and their environment.” -Darren Chapman, CEO, TigerMountain Foundation Summary Our team of Solutioneers has [...]
Shaw Montessori
Shaw Montessori Fall 2016 Summary The GreenLight project team developed a comprehensive plan for a sustainable, permeable paver system as well as acquired funding for implementation. Project Lead Hillary Junglas Project Team Aric Burks | [...]
Kaargo
KaarGO Fall 2016 Summary To launch a pilot marketing campaign at Arizona State University, this project worked to build strategic partnerships and create a marketing strategy. Project Lead Ben Oaks Project Team Cristian Becerra | [...]
Build Us H.O.P.E.
Build Us H.O.P.E. Fall 2016-Fall 2018 Summary The goal of this project was to design and build an affordable and sustainable tiny home community. Project Lead Sage Hanson | Ben Strouse | Christopher Bromley Project [...]
Arizona Public Service
APS Spring 2016 Summary The GreenLight team researched CSR best practices for website content and Board of Directors engagement, then provided recommendations based on their findings. Project Lead Jake Savona Project Team Manasa Rao | [...]
Shaw Montessori
Shaw Montessori Fall 2015-Spring 2016 Summary GreenLight Solutions partnered with Augustus H. Shaw Montessori School to create educational landscaping strategies to enhance teaching of sustainable principles via pollinator gardens, composting, water harvesting, native plants, and [...]
Clean Air Cab
Clean Air Cab Fall 2014-Spring 2016 Summary Solutioneers conducted surveys, business analysis, and market research for Clean Air Cab, then made recommendations on business development opportunities, marketing campaigns, and how to improve their internal and [...]
TigerMountain Foundation
TigerMountain Foundation Spring 2016 Project Partner Testimonial “GreenLight Solutions puts forth a genuine effort to learn and collaborate on growing people and their environment.” -Darren Chapman, CEO, TigerMountain Foundation Summary TigerMountain Foundation is seeking to [...]
Recycled City
Recycled City Fall 2015 Summary GreenLight Solutions conducted market research and developed a suite of communication and marketing materials to teach people about the benefits of composting your food scraps at home with Recycled City. [...]
Green Innovative Solutions
Green Innovative Solutions Fall 2015 Summary Solutioneers worked with Green Innovative Solutions to quantify the impact of the “waste-to-concrete” operation and tell the story of this unique business through content creation and a marketing plan. [...]
People Towels
People Towels Spring 2015 Summary GreenLight Solutions worked with PeopleTowels to recruit college students from 9 American colleges to use the personal reusable hand towels while tracking the number of paper towels used each day. [...]
Pedal Haus Brewery
Pedal Haus Brewery Spring 2015 Summary GreenLight Solutions worked with this Belgium-style bar-in-construction to identify the aspects of the brewery/restaurant that they could make more sustainable, including energy, water, waste, green cleaning supplies, local food [...]
Flagstaff Extreme
Flagstaff Extreme Spring 2015 Summary Flagstaff Extreme currently provides single-use plastic water bottles to customers for a nominal fee. While these bottles are recyclable, the lack of an easily accessible recycling facility in the area [...]
Phoenix Pride
Phoenix Pride Spring 2015 Summary Implementing sustainable practices in a public event in order to educate the community and decrease the festival’s impact on the environment. Project Lead Alex Self Project Team Jordan Rodriquez | [...]
Agritopia
Agritopia Fall 2014 Summary Solutioneers performed a research project to assist The Farm at Agritopia in making the best decision in regards to relocating their composting operation. Project Lead Torin Sadow Project Team Morgan Moore [...]
Tennis Legacy Fund
Tennis Legacy Fund Fall 2014 Project Partner Testimonial “The Greenlight Solutions team has been a joy to work with in launching the Tennis Legacy Fund. Their enthusiasm, knowledge, responsiveness, and most important, their passion for [...]
Neighborhood Energy
Neighborhood Energy Fall 2014 Summary The Camelback Canyon Estates Homeowners’ Association’s campaign incentivized its residents to reduce home energy usage through solar energy and energy efficiency vendor services. The GreenLight Solutions Project Team implemented a [...]
Valley of the Sun United Way
Valley of the Sun United Way Fall 2014 Summary Valley of the Sun United Way needed an innovative way to educate volunteers about water as well as a way to properly compost single-use paper water [...]
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Spring 2014 Summary GreenLight Solutions assessed and quantified energy consumption, then compiled research and recommendations for energy efficiency improvements. Project Lead Aaron Young Project Team Tommy Verderame | Albert Stanton | Brandon Ruiz [...]
Mucho Gusto
Mucho Gusto Spring 2014 Summary The Mucho Gusto/Revival project was an overall sustainability assessment of the restaurant’s operations, creating a baseline to catapult Chad’s business into a future of sustainability. The team focused on Energy, [...]
Carbon Nation
Carbon Nation Fall 2013-Spring 2014 Summary The Carbon Nation Project Team worked with award-winning film director Peter Byck to identify, interview, and ultimately recommend potential personalities to be featured in the film. Project Lead Sean [...]
Ignite
Ignite Spring 2014 Summary The GreenLight project team created a report for the purpose of engaging Ignite graduates to continue the pursuit of their passionate curiosity and share the experience with others, in order to [...]
Orcutt|Winslow
Orcutt|Winslow Fall 2013 Project Partner Testimonial “GreenLight’s involvement allowed our staff to keep their focus on other initiatives in the office while staying involved with the development of our sustainability initiative. This saved time and [...]
Devour Phoenix
Devour Phoenix Spring 2013 Summary The Devour Phoenix project explored opportunities to divert waste from the landfill in the Devour network of restaurants. This project focused on Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC) repurposing and the benefits [...]
City of Phoenix
City of Phoenix Spring 2013 Summary This report was created for the ASU Walton Sustainability Solutions Services (WSSS), for the purpose of informing current best practices and opportunities in waste mitigation, in order to help [...]
Orcutt|Winslow
Orcutt|Winslow Spring 2013 Project Partner Testimonial “GreenLight’s involvement allowed our staff to keep their focus on other initiatives in the office while staying involved with the development of our sustainability initiative. This saved time and [...]
World Wildlife Fund
World Wildlife Fund Spring 2013 Summary The World Wildlife Fund has been evolving its method for making change over time, much like its logo, and is now taking a proactive and consultative approach to saving [...]
Recent Project Blogs
Seeing Waste as Resources: The Circular Economy at Arcosanti
Arcosanti was founded by Paulo Soleri to “Reduce urban sprawl while promoting density.” As an urban laboratory for sustainable city planning, its infrastructure is rooted in arcology, where architecture and ecology live in harmony. Arcosanti [...]
Applying a Decision Making Framework to Appliances
Our project will enable Stardust Building Supplies to enhance its economic pillar of sustainability by saving money recycling old appliances. As a nonprofit that collects and repurposes technology, Stardust receives many different used building materials, [...]
Big Waste Reduction for Tiny House Developers
Tiny homes are the housing trend of the future. Not only are they cute, but they are an innovative way to live sustainably. This semester a team of GreenLight Solutioneers collaborated with Tiny House Developers, [...]
A Transit-Friendly Future for Phoenix Metro
Anyone from the Phoenix-Metro area knows that high heat in the summertime can be extremely limiting. Soaring temperatures prevent people from spending time outdoors, and the high heat even creates health risks for many residents. [...]
Promoting Solar Energy in the Valley of the Sun
Our team worked with Solar United Neighbors this semester. They are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization focusing on increasing public awareness regarding solar energy. Their three main goals are establishing solar co-ops, increasing civic engagement with [...]
Creating a Sustainable Business Database
The past semester we had the opportunity to work directly with Ryan Johnson who is a board member on the Arizona Green Chamber of Commerce. The goal of this project was to create a comprehensive [...]
Lessons from GHG Emissions Reduction Endeavors
The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess came to GreenLight with the challenge of how to decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from employee transportation. The resort had attempted to do this by signing up for the Maricopa County [...]
Sustainability Is Harder Than You Think
In sustainability, we learn much about the complexities of our problems. As my first semester with GreenLight Solutions comes to a close, I am happy to say I was able to see these complexities first [...]