Recently in environment Category

Quite a few companies have gone "green" with their promotions leading up to this Earth Day -- whether it's by requiring an environmentally-friendly tip to enter, by offering an eco-friendly prize, or by including carbon offsets along with the prize. Here's a few of our faves:

• HGTV Green Home Giveaway: HGTV knows a thing or two about putting together a good sweepstakes -- and their latest daily-entry giveaway is no exception. The "Green Home" is in Tradition Hilton Head, SC, and comes with eco-friendly appliances and furnishings, plus a new GMC Yukon Hybrid.
• Macy*s - Turn Over A New Leaf Sweepstakes: Speaking of hybrids, this single-entry sweepstakes from Macy's offers a Ford Escape Hybrid as its grand prize. It also offers several opportunities to enjoy the environment for yourself with 3 prizes that include trips to national parks.
• Glamour's Honda Civic Hybrid Sweepstakes and AT&T Living Green: These two single-entry sweeps offer a couple more chances to win a break from those gas price woes -- Glamour's giving away a Honda Civic Hybrid Sedan and AT&T's giving away a Toyota Prius Hybrid.
• AT&T - Go Green for Green Trivia Game: Win $10,000 or one of 270 gift cards to environmentally-friendly companies in this daily-entry instant win game.
• Quick & Simple: The Green Tip Contest: Submit a "green" tip for your chance to win various environmentally-friendly products, including a soda-club carbonation kit.

Today is Blog Action Day, a day for thousands of blogs to all discuss one issue -- this year, that issue is the environment.

We thought we would point out some of the many environmentally-conscious sweepstakes that are now going on. This seems to be a significant trend among sweepstakes sponsors. It makes sense -- people are more concerned about the environment these days, so companies are promoting their "green" products and/or their environmentally-friendly practices. One way they're doing this is by giving away hybrid vehicles:

• Get Green Lighting and Camry Hybrid Car Sweepstakes - 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid.
• Wells Fargo MPG3 Sweepstakes - 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid.
• HIT the Road with BIC Sweepstakes - 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid Sport Utility Vehicle.
• 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Sweepstakes - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
• Post-it "Ford Escape Hybrid" Sweepstakes - Two grand prize winners will receive a Ford Escape Hybrid.
• Share the Experience Photo Contest - A photo contest to win a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid and a trip for four to a federal recreation land of the winner’s choice.

Besides hybrid cars, companies are providing other green prizes. The grand and first prize winners of the TXU Energy Wall to Wall Sweepstakes will win energy-efficiency home makeovers. Similarly, contestants in the Better Homes & Gardens Home Improvement Challenge can submit plans for "green improvements" to their home and win money towards making those improvements. And winning a copy of Woodburner's Companion by Dirk Thomas could help you make better use of a renewable energy resource.

Finally, something I've only seen once so far, but I suspect we'll see more of in the future: In this Woman's Day sweepstakes, the prize is an Aspen ski trip for two. The trip includes enough "Mini-Green Tags" from the Bonneville Environment Foundation to offset the carbon footprint of your trip. Isn't that a great way to "go green?"

Have you seen any environment-related sweepstakes lately? If so, mention them in the comments or, better yet, add them to SweepsGoat.