Did you know that there are 5,000 different kinds of Ladybugs; 400 of which live in North America?

I wish I wrote this post by Elsa Wenzel.  But then again, that means I would’ve had to do all that miserable research.

Instead, I will happily forward her blog, “The Social Media & Web Guide to Going Green.” Not only does she offer many terrific online green resources, those who commented have added other great sites to the list. A shout out to Peter Korchnak and his Sustainable Marketing Blog, where I originally found Elsa’s article.

Do you know of a green website or resource that is not represented?

“We feel that the majority of people in the UK still do not understand climate change and how it is happening or that it is a global issue and affects everybody. However the tide is slowly turning. As our commitment to you shopping through MoreEco.com we will offset your CO2 for you – free of charge.”

Click on the shirt to order your own.

For this tremendous achievement of being the top vote-getter, Mark will receive the all-organic, and brand new Water – Use It Wisely t-shirt.  Your victory has, indeed, made you “Shirt Worthy.” (Mark, just tell me where to send it.)

Now, if you want your own “Keep Calm, and Conserve Water” t-shirt that launched today for Water -Use It Wisely, you can WIN ONE through the campaign’s Twitter contest. Tweet WUIW in 140 characters or less why you’re “Shirt Worthy.” The most creative tweets as determined by some crack creative team will win a FREE shirt. But you only have one week.  The contest ends sometime on Friday, May 8.

Mother Nature Could Care Less…

…whether you’re Republican, Democratic, Green Party or Independent: Partisanship aside, the globe warms us all equally. Personally become more sustainable and worry about the party later.

…whether you’re a man or woman: C02 does not discriminate. Pay attention to your carbon footprint and learn how you can reduce it.

…whether you’re rich or poor, or somewhere in between: Maybe you can’t afford a hybrid car or solar for your home, but you certainly can’t afford to ignore the FREE and easy things you can do to help save the planet and your money; like turning down your thermostat, recycling, and re-purposing stuff.

…whether you’re young or old: Our lungs all work the same,  and most of them are extremely efficient at sucking in air pollution.  The clear solution is to simply drive less.

…whether you’re good looking or ugly: No one is immune to free radicals from environmental toxins that ravage our bodies. Detoxify your home with natural cleaners.

…whether you’re bright or dim: Switch to CFL light bulbs.

…whether you’re an environmentalist or redneck: When a species becomes extinct, we all lose. Support smart land management and care for the outdoors like it’s your indoors.

…whether you’re a shopaholic or miser: Non-sustainable products produced by carbon belching factories cost consumers much more than money, so vote with your wallet and buy green.

…whether or not you’re thirsty: When we run out of clean drinking water, we run out. So please use our water wisely, and you’ll conserve some cash while you’re at it.

…whether or not you’ve got a green thumb: Everyone pays the same market and environmental price for our produce. Plant an organic garden – weeds and all – and save money, the planet, and some sanity.

…whether you’re a titan of industry or child laborer: Inequality in the workplace threatens to dismantle the world economy. Ask for and buy fair trade when you can.

…whether you’re hungry or full: When we carelessly strip our lands of natural resources to feed our collective consumption, the table becomes bare for all.

…whether you’re an extrovert or a wallflower: The subtleties of our environment our immensely more powerful than the extremes or our beliefs. As Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

…whether you’re a believer or an atheist: When it’s all said and done, we all compost equally – Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

So today, celebrate Earth Day.  Download this calendar of the 26 things you can do in less than five minutes each day to save the world. It won’t cost you a dime. You can use it during any month. You’ll probably save the planet, and a thousand bucks.

Download your calendar from this link: parkhowellcom-eh2ed-challenge-calendar

And please feel free to retweet it with your Twitter world. Thank you.

Essentially, Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle, upcycles trash and turns it into new products.  We’re not talking just plastics, cans and glass. We’re talking just about everything.

They got their start by feeding organic waste to worms, liquefying their poop and packaging it in reused soda bottles.

Today, TerraCycle produces a host of organic lawn & garden products, household cleaners, fire starters and logs, bags, and office products; all from upcycled materials.

TerraCycle isn’t just selling to you. The company gets you involved.  Check out their “Capri Sun & Honest Kids Drink Pouch Brigade” From their site:

Every year BILLIONS of drink pouches end up in dumpsters and landfills across America. TerraCycle, Capri Sun and Honest Kids are working together to put an end to this awful loss of resources. As an eco-friendly innovator, TerraCycle is going to convert the used drink pouches into unique fashion bags, tote bags, and pencil cases for kids and adults!

Where a lot of “green” companies fall down is the lack of education on how exactly they produce their products, which leaves much to the imagination of a cynical public.  Not TerraCycle. Throughout their site they do a nice job showing how the products are made.

Finally, you don’t become a great eco-capitalist without some great eco-marketing. Last year TerraCycle teamed with Target stores and Newsweek Magazine on a brilliant promotion. Again, one designed to get their customers involved in their mission while generating the “raw materials” they needed for their inventory: In this case, plastic bags.

TerraCycle ran an ad on the cover of Newsweek and created a postage-paid envelope that invited readers to send in their used plastic Target bags. The returned bags were then re-purposed into the store’s unique ReTote bags. Those mailing in their bags received a coupon for a free ReTote from Target. This ad ran last year in the April 7 edition of Newsweek.

Keep an eye for hopefully another clever marketing/recycling/educational stunt by TerraCycle.

You can start by signing up for Earth Hour to Earth Day Challenge on Twitter for your daily tip.

For each of the 26 days, take five minutes to do one of the following:

1. Turn off ALL lights on Friday when you leave for Saturday’s Earth Hour.
2. On Sunday, make five minutes to take your lunch to work.
3. On Monday, change out one old fashion light bulb to a compact flourescent lighting (CFL) and encourage your staff to do the same.
4. Take five to learn how to control heating and cooling costs.
5. Calculate your monthly commute cost.
6. Promote carpooling through easy online sources like erideShare.com., and with companies in your area like RideShare.com.
   
7. Give up your car and telecommute one day a week during the EH2ED Challenge and see how it goes.
8. If you have to drive, learn how to increase your gas mileage, whether you own a hybrid or not.
9. Tricks and tips for biking to work. This site is pretty good, too. Or the book.
10. Purchasing always loves to hear from you. So forward this site and encourage them to buy greener office products.
11. Opt out of receiving wasteful yellow and white pages printed phone directories.
12. Take five minutes to learn about zero-waste offices. Actually becoming one usually takes a little longer.
13. Pick-up a desk-side recycling bin.
14. Paper comprises up to 40% of the municipal waste stream, so take a minute to learn how you can start a paper recycling program.
15. Give your dead mouse a proper burial. Reduce, reuse and/or recycle old computers and other electronics.
16. Take a second to learn how to recycle printer cartridges.
17. Every company needs to print something, sometime. So start by making a list of green printing companies in your area and then use one.
18. Take five minutes to learn how carbon offsetting works so that you can apply it in your office.
19. Whew, take a five minute break and play “Tip Tank” water conservation concentration game.
20. Locate a green web hosting company to host your Earth-friendly site.
21. Use your blog or website to offset 350 pounds of carbon by placing the Brighter Planet badge on your site.
22. Make your website carbon neutral with a click of your mouse (and a small monthly fee).
23. Wake up five minutes earlier every morning and put that time to use for a green project or thought.
24. Sign up for CoolPeopleCare.org’s daily email on easy things you can do to help the planet five minutes at a time.
25. Donate/recycle your office furniture and computers to Goodwill.
26. Go green with your gifts to employees, colleagues, clients and vendors?

What are you going to do at the office to make a difference for the Earth Hour to Earth Day Challenge? Please let me know by commenting below and/or sending me and your followers an email or tweet.

You can start by signing up for Earth Hour to Earth Day Challenge on Twitter for your daily tip. And be sure to send a tweet or email each day letting your friends, family and followers know how you’re greening your lifestyle.

For each of the 26 days, take five minutes to do one of the following:

1. Follow Water – Use It Wisely on Twitter to receive your daily water-saving tip.
2. Change out three old fashion light bulbs in your home or office to compact flourescent lighting (CFL).
3. Give up your car and don’t drive it (or anyone else’s) for one full day.
4. Pick-up three re-usable shopping bags from your grocer and keep them handy in your car, and of course, use them instead of paper or plastic.
5. Take five minutes to properly set your thermostat with this easy guide from EnergyStar.
6. Learn how to increase your gas mileage, whether you own a hybrid or not.
7. Learn how to start a community garden for your neighborhood. You may end up growing more friendships than produce.
8. Take five minutes to play “Tip Tank” water conservation concentration game. Great for the entire family.
9. Wrap your water heater. Once you pick-up the insulating blanket, it doesn’t even take five minutes to install it. You’ll save energy and money.
10. Make five minutes to take your lunch to work.
11. Make sure your irrigation timer is set appropriately for spring and summer.
12. Wake up five minutes earlier every morning and put that time to use for a green project or thought.
13. Sign up for CoolPeopleCare.org’s daily email on easy things you can do to help the planet five minutes at a time.
14. Take Kohler’s 3-minute toilet quiz, and learn how you can get a FREE high-efficiency commode while raising funds for Habitat for Humanity.
15. Use your blog or website to offset 350 pounds of carbon by placing the Brighter Planet badge on your site.
16. Opt out of receiving wasteful yellow and white pages printed phone directories.
17. Donate/recycle your clothes and household items to Goodwill, and don’t forget to take five minutes to find a treasure in their stores.
18. Download this directory of 100+ websites all about green living for easy access, sharing and use in your daily life.
19. Take five minutes to learn how carbon offsetting works so that you can apply it in your personal life and promote it through your professional one.
20. Learn how NOT to be an energy sucking appliance vampire with this incredibly inventive 54-second video from DoTheGreenThing.com


Plug Out Boy feat. Green Monday from Green Thing on Vimeo.

21. Download the new iPhone app, GreenMeter, which helps you calculate your car’s carbon footprint relative to your commute and driving habits.
22. Learn the easiest, most convenient places to safely recylce hazardous materials in your neighborhood and commit to getting rid of the paint, insecticides and other harmful chemicals in your garage this weekend.
23. Quickly learn how to compost and re-use organic waste instead of filling up your garbage and our landfills.
24. Shorten your showers to five minutes or less and you’ll save thousands of gallons every month. Download 100+ other water-saving tips for easy reference.
25. Learn the 12 things you can do to reduce particulate pollution.
26. Throw an eco-friendly Earth Day party!

What are you going to do to make a difference for the Earth Hour to Earth Day Challenge? Please let me know by commenting below and/or sending me and your followers an email or tweet.