Kicking off 2008 - Econista style

It's almost 2008, so let's kick off the year with a bang - make a donation to your favorite environmental or free trade charity today. Next year is bound to be an even better year for the environmental movement than 2007 was. In 07 we saw increased global action about Climate Change - even from President Bush! We saw more companies offering green products, more start ups entering the marketplace and more customers buying their wares. 08 will see the movement grow, and we are at the forefront of it all. Let's give it a nudge with a buck or two.

Conservation International is a large global organization that studies and protects the environment through an extensive, high profile network of scientists, governments and companies. This year, they are doing a year end dollar-for-dollar match for all donations called The Friends and Family Challenge.

Protect "organic" standards with a donation to Organic Consumers Org. They are a non-profit watchdog group that is keeping an eye on all those sneaky multinationals trying to get in on the organic movement and in the process, loosening the definition of organic so they can use the term on more products. We buy organic so we don't have to worry about what we're eating... if you don't want to worry, then donate to a watchdog to keep them honest.

Go Solar this year without putting panels on the roof. Bullfrog is a Canadian alternative supplier which adds electricity to the existing grid and delivers through the existing distribution network. They sell 100% green power, 20% from wind and 80% from Brascan's EcoLogo certified hydroelectric sites. You can pay more for their power instead of paying your normal supplier. Basically, they add what you subtract to the grid through a deal with your local utility.

Take a look at what your money is doing. Do you know what kind of investments you're involved in through your IRA, 401K, mutual funds etc? Are they working for or against the environment? Maybe it's time to find out and move some things around. Social Invest and Ceres are both endorsed by Al Gore. This is something on my list this January.

VOTE this year and write letters to your reps!! It's a big election, I know, we're already sick of it. But there is a lot of important work we need to do. But voting is more than marking down who you want for president, it means getting involved. League of Conservation Voters keeps an environmental scorecard of various government reps. Check it out and be involved this year.

Replace your christmas tree? Plant a tree per month? Plant a tree per day? Planting trees helps reverse deforestation and global warming. Let's start planting.

An environmental charity near you. For local organizations, check out this helpful site.