Toyota Prius Plugin MPG Challenge for Charity

I’m thrilled to be participating in Toyota’s Prius Plug-in MPG Challenge. For the next 30 days, I’ll be driving a Prius plugin hybrid to win money for Eleventh Hour Rescue. I’ve got some serious competition with my green colleagues – Earth Day New York, Inhabitat, EcoKaren, Green Living Guy (aka Green Dude Seth Leitman), Green-4-U, and New York Green Advocate.

Watch the fun Green Diva Quickie video of GD Meg, GD Mizar and Gracie in the Toyota Prius to help kick off the Toyota Prius Plugin MPG Challenge – #PlugInForCharity

Despite all my worthy competitors, I’m pretty motivated to win for Eleventh Hour Rescue, because they rescued my gorgeous gracie. There so many volunteers who work tirelessly to rescue animals from kill shelters across the country and find them forever homes. Many people volunteer to foster them, drive them long distances, take them to vets, donate money or other much-needed supplies.

Eleventh Hour is only one of thousands of rescue groups and no-kill shelters across the country that need support. I’m hoping that if for some crazy reason I don’t win any cash for Eleventh Hour, I will at least raise some awareness about the amazing work they do to unite dogs like Gracie with grateful families like ours.

Here are 11 Reasons to Adopt a Rescued Pet (or support your local animal rescue!)

1. There are over 8 million abandoned, stray or unwanted pets in animal shelters in the US
2. 1 in 20 pet cats and dogs end up in shelters every year
3. 1/2 of the dogs sent to shelters will be euthanized
4. 3 – 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized in shelters in the US annually
5. More than 25% of shelter dogs are purebred (but mutts are the BEST!)
6. On average only 10% of pets brought to shelters are spayed or neutered

7. It is impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the US, but estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million
8. Don’t support puppy mills
9. Find the furry love of your life
10. The life you save and the love you give are worth more to that animal than you can imagine
11. The love you get in return is worth it all

Not all shelters are no-kill shelters, so please do your homework if you are considering a donation of some kind. The No Kill Network has a pretty comprehensive list of no-kill shelters and also provides additional information.

Meanwhile, please enjoy our very fun podcast from this past week’s show, which includes talk about the Toyota MPG Challenge, Eleventh Hour Rescue, some wonderful recipes for cool summer foods, a green dude report on being a more conscious consumer, some DIY fashion and more eco-fashionista fun with Cherie Corso, natural beauty expert. Read all the deets and listen to individual segment podcasts in the show blog post, or listen to the show right here!