Small changes: Big impact. This site is dedicated to sharing ways for you to make a big difference with just a little effort – like arm curls with 2lb barbells! But if your feeling ready for some heavier lifting, try some of these bigger initiatives to really feel the burn:

Pat-On-The-Back Letter
It’s been said that if we like something, we’ll tell 3 people, but if we hate it, we’ll tell 12. Needless to say, companies get a lot more complaints than commendations. Be the minority! Next time you notice a company doing something green that you appreciate, consider sending them a quick email or letter. Like cheering in a stadium, your positive reinforcement can really make a difference. Cat got your tongue? Use this template.

Wasteful Packaging:
Sometimes our favorite products are like adorable pets that pee on the furniture: we love them, but we don’t love their filthy habit. Wasteful packaging is annoying, unnecessary and more expensive to produce. If your must-have products come with a whole lotta extra, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater! Tell your favorite companies to drop their wasteful ways with this cheerful form letter template. Check out this letter for a good example.

Volunteer!
Feeling a need to reach out to your neighbor, community, country, or even the world for that matter? It’s hard to know where to start sometimes so we’ve listed a few good leads to check out. Send us a line if you know of any other cool organizations or hot opportunities… cause volunteering is oh so sexy. For green jobs and volunteer opportunities, try Planet Friendly. Get involved with environmental education through Roots and Shoots or even consider “WWOOFing” this summer with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.

Junk Mail:
Every year, 100 million trees, 28 billion gallons of water, and $320 million in local tax money are used for the production and disposal of junk mail. Rid your life of annoying junk mail and save natural resources in the process.
Have yourself removed from bulk-mail lists. Canadians can go to JunkBusters.com for more info. Americans can download & use these handy form letters below. Form Letters to get yourself off bulk mailing lists can be found at Pennysaver, Direct Marketing Association, ADVO, ValPak, TransUnion, and Publishers Clearing House.

Organize It:
Want to make an even bigger impact? Inspire others by forming a Green Team in your community! Think about your school, office, place of worship, community group, baseball team, Red Hat group, Elks Lodge or whatever – and then start brainstorming. Here are some ideas to get you started. Are you using recycled paper for your flyers or programs? Could you replace conference room water bottles with pitchers of water? Read about how Megan started a Green Team in her office.