Published on September 12th, 2011 | by Sonya Kanelstrand
1Save the Planet with a Click
Like it or not, Facebook has become a daily part of our culture and has established itself as a powerful communication and networking tool. Luckily some people know how to use it for a good cause.
Like it for Good is the brainchild of Jan van Voorst – founder of Planetsave.com. Back in the day, he helped protect thousands of acres of land with the help of his unique email system. At the time, over 35,000 members joined forces by using Planetsave email to conserve acres upon acres of land. Every email user saved 5 sq ft of rainforest with every message sent and received.
Like it for Good
Now Jan has a new idea. With his project, Like it for Good, he transforms your activity in social media like Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus into green deeds. So, every time you like, tweet or + a post on the Like it for Good page, you are sending a free donation to charities around the world and are joining them in saving the planet. For example, if you like this link you will help plant one tree. At the time of writing, there have been sponsored 3,500 trees!
By tweeting this one you will offset the greenhouse gas of your computer. You didn’t know your computer contributed to global warming? Electronic waste is the fastest growing municipal stream in the U.S. And while other types of waste are decreasing, e-waste is growing by almost 5% a year.
How it works
Each week a new donation cause is posted, featuring its sponsor. Then the subscribers of Like it for Good get notified and they like, tweet, google + or stumble the post. Or do all four! Which means that they share the post with all their friends in the social media giving them the opportunity to donate for free by sharing the post yet another time and this is how a wonderful snowball effect is created!
Whenever a donation limit has been reached a note appears redirecting the Good Click Samaritans to other causes they can choose from. Basically, another proof that where there’s a will there’s a way!
So, for all social media enthusiasts, as well as for the skeptics, here is a good earth-helping way to justify your time spent on Facebook. Imagine how much can be achieved by just several clicks a day!
Tell us what you think, would you plant a tree with a click?
[CC Images by: NathanaelB, Dave Dugdale]