Back in 1999 Google started creating Holiday logos… The first year, Google started with THE holidays, Thanksgiving, Halloween, an “Uncle Sam” search logo and of course, a Burning Man festival logo.  Each year, the repertoire seems to expand.  On April 22, 2002, Google unveiled its Earth Day logo.

For the past 8 years, Google has had a new, creative Earth Day logo.  Overall, I think the logo modification is pretty cool.  Google is so well branded and ubiquitous that the modifications only ad to the brand as a whole.  Check out the lineup:

Google Earth Day 2009 logo

Google Earth Day 2008 logo

Google Earth Day 2007 logo

Google Earth Day 2006 logo

Google Earth Day 2005 logo

Google Earth Day 2004 logo

Google Earth Day 2003 logo

Google Earth Day 2002 logo

Google Earth Day 2001 logo

>> All Google holiday logos

HP Power to Change campaign

Yep, I’m a bit late on this one.  On June 2, HP announced its Power to Change campaign.  The purpose of the campaign is to get the word out about the impact of leaving a computer on 24/7.

According to the HP press release, “the campaign encourages users to download a new desktop widget that tracks the cumulative energy savings associated with participants turning off idle PCs when not in use.”

The widget is compatible with all PC platforms.  If 100,000 users shut down their work computers at the end of each day, HP estimates that the energy savings would exceed 2,680 kilowatt-hours.  It would also reduce carbon emissions by 3,500 pounds per day.  Eliminating this excessive energy use is the same as removing more than 105 cars from the road each day.

HP has a history of energy efficiency. In January of 2008, HP set a goal to reduce energy consumption of its volume desktop and notebook PCs by 25% by 2010.  HP accomplished this a year and a half ahead of schedule.

The commercial below is informative, not very flashy.  It tells of the 100,000 workers not turning off their computers, etc…  The next in the series of commercials has a bit more of an attention-grabbing nature.  Here we go, 100,000 workers…

>> Visit the HP Power to Change site
>> Power to Change on Twitter

Sundance Channel, Green Promotion

Today, the Sundance Channel’s newest program, The Lazy Environmentalist, has its series premiere at 9PM EST.  To accompany and compliment the theme of the series, The Rainbow Media signed Clorox’s Green Works and Brita as co-presenting sponsors.

Both sponsors are featured on the Sundance Channel website.  See screenshot below.

Sundance Channel & Brita, Clorox Green Works

Expect to see some product placement in The Lazy Environmentalist as Clorox’s Green Works is the official sponsor of the premier and Brita’s FilterForGood campaign will show up in the following episode.  Josh Dorfman will host the series, which is also somewhat of an integration, as he is the spokesman for the Brita campaign.

This is a tight integration of products, both promoting the green cause.

Sundance has long been known for its “independent,” often trendy and liberal thinking.  In addition to the line-up of green shows, the Sundance website showcases The Green, which has green stories, news and a short film challenge.

>> The Green on the Sundance website
>> Brita FilterForGood campaign
>> Clorox Green Works

About NBA Green

Tonight, game 5 of the NBA Finals, was the first time I realized there was an NBA Cares, NBA Green promotion and commercial.  The purpose of NBA Green is to ensure that the league becomes a more environmentally conscience organization.

NBA Green is an offshoot of the NBA’s umbrella program, NBA Cares.  According to the NBA Cares section of the NBA website, “NBA Cares is the league’s social responsibility initiative that builds on the NBA’s long tradition of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world. Through this umbrella program, the NBA, its teams and players have committed to donating $100 million to charity, providing a million hours of hands on service to the community and creating 250 places where kids and families can live, learn or play.”

Since October 2005, there has been more than $105 million raised for charity through NBA Cares initiatives.

NBA Green Logo

Apparently I missed NBA Green Week 2009, but it ran from April 2nd through the 10th, as the NBA partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council.  In addition to the Green initiatives, news and videos, the NBA Green section of the site offers tips for living green.

I’ll be on the look-out for next year’s NBA Green Week.  Lets make it a series Magic…

>> NBA Green
>> NBA Cares Channel on YouTube

Nascar Going Green

Since 2004, NASCAR has dedicated over $50 million to its “Be Car Care Aware” program, which advocates motorists to take care of their vehicles, improve gas mileage, and reduce emissions.  On Friday, NASCAR announced the first step in its new green 5-year plan.

For years now, NASCAR has taken heat for not doing more to reduce its carbon footprint and increase conservation awareness.  On Friday, NASCAR took a step forward in combating such claims with an initiative to plan 10 new trees for every green flag—to start with 10 tracks this year, and all tracks in 2010.  The arrangement will include all three NASCAR series, Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World Trucks.

The plant-a-tree program is only a small part of the 5-year plan.  The NASCAR offices, including the two new NASCAR office buildings, the NASCAR Plaza in Charlotte, the NASCAR headquarters and NASCAR in Daytona aim at 100% recycling.  Renewable efforts at the tracks will be announced later this year.  This is in addition to NASCAR’s already exemplary waste management, land conservation, and bottle-and can recycling at their race tracks.

>> Bleacher Report article, with NASCARmedia source

Yahoo! Make It Green

“Dream up ideas that’ll green up our planet” – the tagline for Yahoo!’s new Make It Green Promotion.  Yahoo! is accepting green ideas to help improve people’s lives.

People can submit ideas for green products, ideas, and do-it-yourself projects.  Ideas a voted upon and the winner may appear on the Everday Edisons TV show.

Interesting Addition

A November 2008 Yahoo! Green study showed that 77% of the people surveyed consider themselves “green.”  The survey described green as people actively living their lives conscious of their health and environment.

There were four different types of green consumers, Deeply Committed (23%), Trendy (24%), Practical (13%) and Passive (17%).  Read more about the Yahoo! Green study.

>> Make It Green

T-Mobile has a website dedicated to making a difference – together. The program wants a person to set-up a “Green Account” which includes saving paper by switching to paperless billing, upgrading to a Moto W233 Renew cell phone and recycling your old phone.

Reduce

Going paperless is all the rage – as well it should be. Of major companies that I have dealings with, the only company I had a problem going paperless with, was Dell. This was a few months ago and I think they have changed since then – but I attempted to go paperless on my financing and they were unable. Unable?!? For a cutting-edge company like Dell, I was appalled. But alas, it has changed.

Reuse

As Winner of the Green Category of CTIA’s Emerging Technology Awards, the Moto W233 Renew is the “world’s first mobile phone made using plastics comprised of recycled water bottles.” To subsidize energy used in manufacturing the Renew, Motorola made equal investments in renewable energy sources.

Recycle

The handset recycling program plants a tree for every recycled phone. The program accepts all phones, whether T-Mobile or not. T-Mobile donates 100% of the net proceeds to the T-Mobile Huddle Up program and partnership with City Year.

Visit the T-Mobilize website, where they also have a video lounge