40 Earth Day Deals and Programs

You don't have to be an aging Hippy to appreciate Earth Day, the world-wide nonpartisan day of activism on behalf of our planet. More than one-billion people annually participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the world.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary, merchants and organizations are joining together to make April 22 the biggest environmental event in history.

Businesses and organizations are a planning a wide range of promotional and support events. Here's a roundup of 40 ways to celebrate the 40th Earth Day.

DEALS

1. Amazon.com
Amazon.com wants you to "Read, Reuse, Recycle" with up to 34-percent off on Earth Day reads for children and adults. While you're there, check out the Frustration-Free Packaging program, working to make products easier to open and using 100-percent recyclable cardboard. The products are exactly the same: Amazon has just streamlined the packaging to eliminate hard-plastic clamshell cases.

2. Avatar DVD
Director James Cameron has said his Oscar-nominated movie Avatar is a celebration of the natural world and how wonderful it is on Earth. Appropriately enough, Cameron chose Earth Day to release the film's DVDs. NewEgg.com is taking pre-orders for the widescreen DVD for $17.99, marked down from $29.99. The Blu-ray version is $24.99, marked down from $39.99. Looks like the 3-D version isn't available yet.

3. BBC Earth
Download the first episode of the Planet Earth series "Pole to Pole" for free on iTunes from April 12 to April 26.

4. Babies R Us
Get a free reusable tote bag with a printable coupon through April 22, plus 25-percent off all clothes and shoes you can fit in the bag.

5. Burt's Bees
With every $50 online purchase, Burt's Bees is giving away a Head to Toe Starter Kit with trial-size natural cleansers, lotions and creams for your entire body. Orders must be placed before 11 p.m. on April 30. Save even more by checking FreeShipping.org for free shipping deals.

6. Cash for Appliances
Some states are scheduling their appliance rebate programs to coincide with Earth Day. Those rebates will go quickly, so make plans now if you want to participate.

7. CVS/pharmacy
CVS/pharmacy, which recently launched a program called GreenBagTag, will pay ExtraCare reward card members $1 back for every four shopping trips where they decline plastic bags; whether you use a reusable bag or carry out your items. In addition, CVS will give 5 cents to World Wildlife Fund for every GreenBagTag sold in the next year.

8. Disney Stores
Disney Stores are offering a free eco-friendly baseball hat in exchange for tossing six empty plastic bottles into a bin.

9. Ecards from the World Wildlife Fund
Show your passion for nature by sending a free WWF Earth Day e-card to your friends. Choose from one of nine card designs.

10. Earthbound Farms
All of Earthbound Farm's plastic clamshell packages are made from 100-percent post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PCR PET).

11. Earth Day Curriculums
Teacher Planet and the Earth Day Network have created extensive free Earth Day resources for teachers, including lessons, worksheets, online activities and more.

12. Environmental Booty
With every purchase during Earth Week of an Envitote reusable shopping bag, you'll receive a free EnviPal, a lead-free insulated lunch pack.

13. Hanes
Buy three Hanes products and the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a tree -- up to 20,000 trees. You'll also get a free Hanes Earth Day T-shirt with a mail-in redemption.

14. iVillage
Enter the iVillage Earth Day Photo Contest and get a free special-edition eco totebag worth $10 and made from three recycled plastic bottles. You can skip the free St. Thomas trip contest entry and still receive a free bag, but you'll have to pay shipping.

15. Kellogg's
Purchase any two Kellogg's cereals and pay just $1.75 for an adorable tote bag. The same purchase will enter you for a chance to win a 2011 Ford Fiesta worth $19,610 ARV.

16. Kroger's
Through May 21, customers can go online to submit designs for Kroger’s reusable grocery bags. The winning designer will receive a $1,000 gift card and a chance to see their bag design sold in Kroger's stores. During the contest, anyone who designs a bag and has a valid shopper card will receive an electronic coupon for a free reusable bag loaded directly to their card. Kroger has also partnered with Cafe Press so would-be designers can purchase a reusable bag featuring their design.

17. Matt & Natt Tundra Pure
Bag Snob is giving away a Matt & Nat Tundra handbag, worth $208! It's gorgeous, trendy and socially responsible as recycled plastic water bottles were used to make the bag. To win, write Bag Snobs about the most ecologically irresponsible thing you've ever done before 11:59 p.m. EST.

18. NASA Amateur Astronomy Challenge
NASA encourages amateur astronomists to observe a sunspot, take or draw a picture and send it to louis.a.mayo@nasa.gov for posting on the NASA website. In return, you'll receive a personalized NASA Sun Earth Day 2010 Observing Certificate.

19. National Parks
In celebration of National Parks Week, which just happens to coincide with Earth Day, entry to all 392 U.S. national parks is free April 17 to April 25. Some park concessionaires also are offering special deals that week.

Admission fees also are waived on Public Lands Day on Sept. 25  and Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

20. Origins Free Macy Gray Concert
As part of Origins Rocks Earth Month, the natural skin-care company is sponsoring a free concert featuring Macy Gray on April 19 at Webster Hall in New York City. For each person that attends, Origins will plant a tree through Global ReLeaf. For a free ticket, bring at least one empty cosmetic package of any brand for recycling to Origins stores in New York and New Jersey. Ryan Star and Jon McLaughlin also will appear at the concert.

21. Pottery Barn Kids
Pottery Barn Kids is celebrating Earth Day with giveaways, activities and story time on April 22.

22. Purex Natural Elements
Through the end of April, you can win a $20,000 green home makeover by registering on the Purex website.  Stick around to read how contestants would spend the grand prize to renovate their homes.

23. Safeway
Receive a free re-usable bag with every Safeway purchase of $40 or more. With today's prices, $40 is roughly one or two re-usable bags worth of groceries, so that shouldn't be too difficult. Look for more excellent Earth Day deals on the Safeway website.

24. Safeway, Part II
You also can enter to win one of 10 "smart fortwo" vehicles from Safeway by pledging to help protect the environment.

25. Target
Target is celebrating Earth Week by giving away 1.5 million complimentary reusable shopping bags with each purchase on April 18. Bags are made from 100-percent, post-consumer recycled PET bottles.

26. Triscuit
To help sow the seeds of home farming, Triscuit is giving away basil and dill seeds inside specially marked boxes. Visit the Triscuit website for information on starting your own home farm. The program is cosponsored by the non-profit organization Urban Farming.

27. Walgreens
Walgreens is offering $1 inkjet refills on April 22. Use instant value coupon code #6365 to download a coupon.

28. WalMart
You can get a free bag of Sun Chips in a 100-percent compostable bag on April 17 at participating Wal-Mart stores.

In April, Walmart also began stocking items made by TerraCycle at all of its stores. All 60 TerraCycle, products are made from recycled packaging and trashed products. The upcycled items will be sold next to the original products from which they're made, so customers might see purses and bags made from Mars wrappers next to candy bars; or backpacks made from Capri Sun packaging next to juice-filled pouches that could one day be a TerraCycle creation.

PROGRAMS & CAMPAIGNS

29. Disneynature's "OCEANS"
This is an excellent way to involve your whole family in Earth Day. A portion of each ticket sold during opening week (April 22 to April 28) of Disneynature’s next big-screen splash “OCEANS" will help establish new marine protected areas in the Bahamas. The campaign is a collaboration with The Nature Conservancy's program to save coral reefs.

30. Dive for Earth Day
For 11 years, divers have taken action on Dive for Earth Day to monitor local reefs and remove dangerous debris from aquatic ecosystems. Project AWARE encourages volunteers of all ages to join a marine debris cleanup, coral monitoring project or AWARE Kids activity.

31. eBay
Along with asking consumers to join its Green Team, eBay encourages consumers to search eBay using such eco-friendly terms as "last season," "refurbished," "pre-owned" or "used" to purchase first-generation iPhones, HDTVs and digital cameras.

32. Elmer's Glue
Beginning on Earth Day, teachers across the country will start recycling the millions of glue bottles and glue sticks their classrooms have collected since the beginning of the school year. This recycling effort is part of the Elmer’s Glue Crew Recycling Program, created three years ago to help teachers educate children about recycling and environmental stewardship while preventing millions of glue bottles and glue sticks from going into our landfills.

33. Kenwood Vineyards
Each Kenwood Vineyards "bottle necker" will include a special Planet Earth Insert of seed paper containing a mixture of wildflower seeds. The bottle necker itself is printed on partial post-consumer recycled paper stock. The neckers are featured on Kenwood’s “Sonoma Series” Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel and are available in stores nationwide.

34. Local Events
The Earth Day Network has compiled a database of local Earth Day events by state. Visit EarthDay.org and click on "Events."

35. 100 Miles Challenge
Eating locally reduces carbon emissions and helps support local economies. This Earth Day, take the 100 Miles Challenge pledge to eat locally for at least five meals a week. Begin by locating a farmers market near you. You also can join a Community Supported Agriculture system, in which local farmers distribute fresh produce.

36. Paperless Classrooms
More than 1,150 teachers from around the world have pledged to keep a paperless classroom on April 22. Participating teachers can share lessons plans and ideas on the Paperless Earth Day website.

37. Soles4Souls
The international shoe charity is offering the general public a safe and environmentally friendly way to dispose of their unwanted shoes while providing shoes for those who need them. Throughout April, Soles4Souls is collaborating with CBL Property’s 70 shopping malls to recycle their shoes. There are also 4,000 other official drop-off locations throughout the country.

38. Verizon Wireless
Recycle and reuse cell phones through Verizon Wireless’ long-running HopeLine program. Phones recycled through HopeLine support survivors of domestic violence.

39. Climate Rally on the National Mall
The Earth Day Network is organizing a massive climate rally April 25 on the National Mall. The Climate Rally  will include speeches from Reverend Jesse Jackson, film director James Cameron, Olympic gold medalist Billy Demong, author Margaret Atwood and others. Live music will be provided by Sting, John Legend, The Roots, Passion Pit, Bob Weir, Patrick Stump, Mavis Staples, Q-Tip, Booker T and many more.

The Earth Day Network is sponsoring free buses from New York City, Philadephia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, Charleston (West Virginia), Richmond, Charlottesville and Baltimore. You also can register to share the ride in your bus, van or car.

40. Earth Day Video Rap
Let's end with a giggle. Earth Day isn't all about serious contemplation of our environment. Ben & Eric created the Earth Day Rap that gets better with each viewing.

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