Are you busy preparing for Earth Day this Sunday? Are you worried that you'll end up being a slacktivist when it comes to saving the planet? Don't fret — there's plenty you can do to make a real difference, even if it's only from your computer or mobile device.
Check out the following ways you can use digital channels to get involved this year.
1. Plant Trees Through Catalog Spree
Catalog Spree, an eco-friendly app for catalog shopping on the iPad, has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation, a non-profit conservation and education organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation will plant one tree for every download of Catalog Spree during the month of April as part of an "Earth Month" initiative.
Download the app here.
2. Fundraise via Edward Norton's Green Earth Day Challenge
Actor Edward Norton is the United Nations goodwill ambassador for biodiversity, and he's teaming up with Groupon this Earth Day for an "Earth Day Challenge." If you're passionate about a green cause, put together a team and start a fundraising campaign through Norton's online crowdfunding platform, CrowdRise. The team that raises the most money will win a $25,000 check from Groupon for their organization, and the second and third winning teams will receive $15,000 and $10,000, respectively, for their organizations. But when you think about it, everyone wins from this challenge — each team is generating green ideas and money.
At the time of the press release, the participating organizations include Conservation International, Ian Somerhalder Foundation, Global Green, Conservation Lands Foundation, Friends of the Virgin Islands Nation Park, Wiser Earth and National Wildlife Humane Society.
Contest instructions and rules are here, but get going! The contest ends May 15.
3. Recycle E-waste Through HP and Staples
On April 12, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Staples announced a free recycling program that allows consumers across the United States to recycle their electronics easily and free.
Customers can drop off their technology for recycling at the service desk of their local Staples store. Staples will collect the devices and consolidate them at its distribution centers, where a certified e-Stewards and R2 recycler will arrange to have the materials transported to one of its processing centers.
4. Play a Social Game for Social Good
Disney Animal Kingdom Explorers is a new ecologically-minded Facebook game inspired by Walt Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park. Players are part of the Global Wildlife Research team, an international organization of conservationists, environmentalists and naturalists. The game has partnered with the Jane Goodall Institute, a global nonprofit that empowers people to make a difference for all living things.
In honor of Earth Day, the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has pledged to donate 20 cents to the Jane Goodall Institute for the DisneyNature Tchimpounga Natural Reserve project for every install and tutorial completion by players referred from the URL www.PlayAnimalKingdom.com. The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has pledged to donate up to $250,000 until April 26. Every player makes a difference.
5. Support the Earth, One Inch at a Time
TerraYebo, a for-profit social enterprise with a focus on "doing well by doing good," has launched MyInchofTheEarth.com, a website with patent-pending technology allowing anyone to claim any square inch of the planet for $1 to support worldwide causes and non-profit organizations.
In recognition of Earth Day and National Park Week (April 21-29), TerraYebo has partnered with the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks, which proceeds from MyInchofTheEarth.com will help support.
6. Let Cuteness Educate You About Endangerment
It's believed that fewer than 1,600 giant pandas currently exist in the world. That's why Explore.org will be releasing a new live feed of five giant panda cubs on Earth Day. "There is something magical and inspiring about watching panda cubs interact with each other in real-time," said Explore.org's founder, Charlie Annenberg, in a press release. "The hope is that by viewing these cams, people will develop deeper emotional connections not just to the bears, but also to the planet. Once someone has fallen in love with the world again, he or she is more likely to be a better steward of it," he added.
There are links on Explore.org to help you donate to different causes, and you can share the videos with your networks to spread awareness. Watch the live feed here.
7. Go Green With Google Maps
You've probably used Google Maps before, but have you used it to go green? The Biking Directions feature is available in over 200 U.S. cities and in nine Canadian regions, illustrating bike lanes, hills and route suggestions, making it easier to leave your gas guzzler behind.
Google Transit can map the quickest public transit routes in more than 470 cities around the world. And if you want to carpool and avoid traffic, the Traffic layer displays real-time traffic conditions on your route. As an extra perk for those of you who drive electric vehicles, you can easily find electric vehicle charging stations by typing "ev charging station in [your city]" directly into Google Maps.
8. Teach Kids About Conservation With Discovery Education
The Nature Conservancy, the leading conservation organization working in more than 30 countries to protect the environment for future generations, has partnered with Discovery Education to launch Nature Works Everywhere, an online destination that teaches younger generations the importance of environmental conservation.
Nature Works Everywhere provides teachers, students and families with free resources to explore and understand nature.
9. Sell a Book, Save a Tree With Lulu Publishers
Lulu.com is an open publishing platform, helping authors and artists create work in multiple formats and markets and helping buyers find the content they need. They've always been keen on staying green, using the latest in print-on-demand and e-book technology and utilizing a global network of printers to help cut down the carbon imprint from shipping books.
For Earth Day, Lulu is hosting a sales contest for authors to sell the most books between April 18 and April 25 — winners receive some sweet prizes, but best of all, Lulu will plant a tree for every contest entry received.
What are you doing for Earth Day this year? Let us know in the comments.
Images courtesy of iStockphoto, lightkeeper, teekid, SondraP, johnwoodcock.
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