KyotoNOW! started as a project of the Cornell Greens in 2001 and became an official student organization after the U.S. government pulled out of the Kyoto Protocol. Students wanted Cornell to commit to the goals set by the protocol even though the U.S. had pulled out. They organized a sit-in and convinced the University to reach the goals under the Kyoto Protocol. That led to the creation of the Kyoto Task Team and several projects and initiatives that have allowed Cornell to reach the Kyoto goals.