Green^100

G is for Green. G is also for Google. That is G squared or is that G^100?  To celebrate Earth Day, Google has released a nifty set of features that are cool, fun, and participatory. Check these out and join the party online and off.

Google Earth Day 08 Map: “I will walk to work.” “I will bike to work.” “I will plant a vegetable garden.” “I will try to save energy.” “I will get outside more.” “I will do an Earth Day project (from a 7th grader)”  There is something very heart-warming and hopeful about reading people’s submissions on the map. I love it. What struck me was the variety. Each story was different yet equally important. View the map and post your own thought. Then hit Refresh 10 times and see if it pops up. www.google.com/earthday08

Google Checkout for Non-Profits Donation Campaign: We can’t save the world by ourselves. That is where great environmental nonprofits come in. If you want to help out your favorite organization this Earth Day, do it through Google Checkout and something extraordinary will happen. You’ll be able to see your donation on a map. I just tried it out for CalCars (advocacy for plug-in hybrids), made a donation on behalf of my dad (a car lover) and ta da! I see my donation on the map. Their goal is to start a snowball of donations among family and friends that doesn’t melt.  checkout.google.com/earthday/

Google Earth: The Ferrari, or is that Tesla, of software applications that showcase Earth’s beauty and power, Google Earth released its latest version last week. I love their eco-focused Global Awareness layers and their Google Earth Outreach Showcase. See Solar Eclipses, the work of Jane Goodall, American wilderness hot spots, the new ARKive project for Wildscreen (as in Noah's Ark), and much more in 3-D action. earth.google.com/outreach/

Google Transit: Let’s not forget the very handy Google Public Transit service. Want to leave your car at home? Just plug in your to and from addresses, and voila. Out pops the bus or train number you can take. I should be using this more instead of bugging my friend who has memorized the bus maps in his head. www.google.com/transit

Energy Saver Gadget for Google Desktop: G is also for Gadget, a useful tool that eco-optimizes the power on your PC so your computer and energy utility can rest while you are out and about.

Google is showing its green might in more revolutionary ways. Never content with the conventional and always striving to do the extraordinary, Google.org has launched a high-wattage RechargeIt program with plug-in cars that get 100+ miles to the gallon. Google also has the largest corporate campus solar panel installation to date with over 9,000 solar panels producing 1.6 Megawatts. Googlers can scoot through several green buildings thanks to a partnership with cradle to cradle design guru Bill McDonough.

Let's not forget perhaps the most important initiative of all, Google.org’s RE<C (Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal) initiative. Their goal is nothing short of 1 Gigawatt of clean renewable energy that costs less per watt than coal. High velocity wind, solar thermal, high velocity solar, and more breakthrough innovations are on the table. This is the holy grail and would change everything for the better. Thanks Google for being a role model and for making it easier to live the green life. Googling the word “green” yields 934,000,000 results. Now that keeps hope alive.

See the full scoop on Google's Earth Day initiatives on the Official Google Blog. Happy Earth Day!