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Got an great idea for an eco-solution? Submit a short film or photo essay to the Sundance Channel. The TV station kicks off season two of “What’s The Big Idea” next month on “The Green,” Sundance Channel’s weekly environmental show.
Contestants participate in “Big Ideas For A Small Planet,” which is presented by Lexus Hybrid Living. What do you have to do to participate? Submit a one-minute short film or photo essay featuring your “Big Idea” to [...]
By Emma Henderson •
March 21, 2008
For me, the term DIY dosen’t always conjure up the most inspiring of images. So I wasn’t sure what to expect when Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge announced that she would be running a DIY contest through her Brooklyn-based website. But I needn’t have worried.
Over 500 entries were whittled down to a 20-strong shortlist with an astonishing diversity of projects.
The winning entry, this super-cute dog bed is as ingenious as it is stylish. My [...]
Just to mix things up a bit, take a look at this car from the 2008 Eco-Marathon, registering at a whopping 7,148 MPG (via Autopia):
Looking like one of those space caskets from Star Trek, the single-seat racer you see to the left, constructed by a team from the French technical school St. Joseph La Joliverie and dubbed the Microjoule, traveled an amazing 7,148 miles on a single gallon of fuel (in other words, almost ten miles per teaspoon).
Looking to add some spice to your Spring wardrobe? Need a new creative project to work on? We introduced you to Burda Style during the early days of our blog. Now its time to share the details for their first mini-challenge for all the sewers out there.
How do you enter? All you have to do is create your own version of Burda’s Sidonie skirt pattern. “This simple A-line mini skirt is a quick project ideal for your perfect little basic skirt that has been missing in your closet. Even better, you can use it as a base for your own designs and develop it further,” says the Burda Style website.
How long does the contest last? What do you win? Keep reading for the rest of the details, straight from Burda Style’s news blog.
Looking for some extra inspiration? Check out Burda’s own variation to get your own creative juices flowing.
So, I was all ready to pick a new video to feature this week, and went over to the Think Green Live Green Challenge page on YouTube to enjoy the latest offerings. Imagine my surprise when I discovered there were none! Did everyone’s video camera crash at once? Or, were the initial week’s offerings just too intimidating? C’mon, people, this is your chance: online video fame awaits you!
Seriously, though, this is a great opportunity to make your voice heard on green living. If you don’t think you’re doing some eco-unique things in your own life (and I’ll bet you’re wrong), you’ve certainly got questions about the barrage of information out there on green living. Juntoventure’s contest stands out in that it’s asking you not to simply make a video, but to join a conversation… and we can all do that. Get those cameras a’rollin’…
Also keep in mind that Juntoventure has pulled together a pretty impressive list of prize sponsors for the contest: Sierra Designs, Timberland, Pacific Outdoors, Buck Knives, Burt’s Bees, Mountainsmith, Mission Playground, and Lonely Planet. Certainly you’d like a shot at some of the swag they’re offering…
The videos are starting to roll in for Juntoventure’s “Think Green Live Green Challenge,” and organizations and individuals are answering the call to discuss their green activities and questions on YouTube. While the collection of videos is fairly small one week into the entry period, several of the submissions could easily be contenders for the prizes Juntoventure and Challenge sponsors are offering to winners.
I had a tough time making a choice for our first “Think Green Live Green” video of the week: several of the entries were well-shot and edited, and told compelling stories. Given the contest’s purpose to create “a community of dialogue about the challenges of eco-friendly living,” I didn’t use professional presentation as a criterion, though. Rather, I asked myself which ones really engaged me in such a way that I wanted to respond. Ultimately, while I enjoyed almost all of them, I found some of the least polished videos to be the most appealing. My choice for this week’s featured video came from YouTube user MattG124. Here it is:
User-created video contests are all the rage lately, and Juntoventure, a non-profit organization dedicated to “sustainability education through digital media,” has joined the fun with its “Think Green Live Green Challenge.” Starting tomorrow (Friday, January 18th), the Challenge invites participants to do a little bit more than just make a video about green living practices they’ve adopted: Juntoventure and the contest’s sponsors ask entrants to create videos that contribute to “a community of dialogue about the challenges of eco-friendly living.”
“A community of dialogue” is one of those phrases that comes out of my former academic life, but the concept is simple: make a video that contributes to and advances the conversation about sustainable lifestyles. In this spirit, Juntoventure starts the discussion with a video collection of its own that provides some great examples, and also frames the conversation. Your task: join the dialogue by contributing a video with your perspective. The contest provides some questions to get those creative juices percolating:
- What are the biggest challenges you face in becoming more eco-friendly?
- What questions do you have about eco-friendly living?
- Are you taking any specific actions right now to be more eco-friendly, and if so, do you have a way to do it easily and conveniently?
- What changes would you like to see happen from companies and the marketplace?
By Jennifer Lance •
January 10, 2008
A new book will coming out soon geared at empowering teenagers to save the earth. 47 Things Teens Can Do For The Environment is written by Lexi Petronis and published by Zest Books, but there is one problem: the book needs cover art! That’s where teenagers step in…
Zest Books is hosting a Teens Go Green Book Cover Design Contest. Here are some of the specifics of the contest:
1. The book title must be very easy to read. Make sure the title is very visible and large enough to be seen on a book shelf from 1-3 feet away.
2. The book cover must be the size indicated above: 6.5 x 6.5
3. ALL FINAL ENTRIES MUST BE EMAILED NO LATER THAN JAN 31, 2008 TO: contest@zestbooks.net
4. The design can be created in any medium either by hand or on the computer. If created by hand, entries must be scanned. All entries must be smaller than 2 megs.
And maybe even win some cash. The folks over at PlanetThoughts kicked off their Super-Cars Shout Out Competition today as a way to recognize folks who are contributing to the fight against climate change by driving a high-mileage car.
The concept is simple: according to the contest site,
We all want to do what we can to reduce the global warming gases that get emitted, especially in our own areas of living and working, where we have the most direct influence. To add another dimension, it would be great to congratulate others who are doing something to help the environment.
To offer your congratulations, print off one of the contest’s flyers, place on a high-mileage car you encounter in your day-to-day activities, take a picture, and upload it to PlanetThoughts. The person who uploads the most valid photos wins the contest, and a cash prize of at least $500 (see below). Car owners whose vehicles appear on the site also have a chance at some cash: contact the folks at PT if your car appears in a contest photo, and you’ll be entered into a monthly drawing for $50. The contest runs from today (January 3, 2008) to June 2nd.
Not sure what qualifies as a “high-mileage car?” PT has a list…
By Victoria Everman •
November 23, 2007
Feeling patriotic? OK, so it’s nowhere near July 4th, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try and channel your love for the stars and stripes … especially for over $6,000 in prizes! The Great American Craft Off was established by Homegrown Market and features the most extensive Grand Prize package I’ve ever seen:
+ An all-expenses-paid trip to the John C. Campbell Folk Art School including one week’s tuition, room & board, and round-trip airfare. Total value over $1500.
+ A Singer CE-250 embroidery/sewing machine & serger valued at $1200.
+ A complete custom website design including online store and hosting from BizLandCrafters.com valued at $2100.
+ A $500 gift card to Michaels Arts & Crafts.
+ A gift certificate to SonicPrint.com for 2,500 custom postcards and business cards.
+ A $375 Premium Subscription to the Online Learning Library at Lynda.com.
+ A signed copy of Nifty, Thrifty, and Kitschy Crafts by Leah Kramer, founder of Craftster.org
+ A HomeGrownMarket.com Handmade Gift Pack valued at $350
+ PLUS the winner will also be featured in the Spring 2008 issue of Adorn Magazine!
In addition to the Grand Prize, two runners-up will receive a HomeGrownMarket.com Handmade Gift Pack and a signed copy of Nifty, Thrifty, and Kitschy Crafts by Leah Kramer, founder of Craftster.org.
What kind of creations are permitted in the contest?
By Alicia Erickson •
October 11, 2007
Several contests launched this month in honor of Fair Trade month. From free chocolate to trips, there’s a chance for everyone to win.
Divine, a delicious Fair Trade chocolate company, has a tasty deal for all the top chefs out there. They’re looking for recipes that have "heaps of creativity, Divine appeal, and powerful statements about why contestants are hungry to change the world through Fair Trade." The sweetest
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