Going green and going social are hot. Why not do both?

With businesses scrambling to go green and to embrace social media, it's no surprise that some of the smartest are trying to do both at the same time.

Here are a few choice examples of how for-profit companies are helping do some environmental good without looking like wolves in green clothing:

Timberland's Earthkeepers

I've never been a fan of retail corporations creating their own social networks. It just seems cheesy and kinda pointless, since there are so many other places you can network without having to do so under the auspices of a brand name like Fritos.

So I was glad to see that instead of creating a shoe-focused environmental network, outdoor outfitter Timberland instead became charter sponsor this month of Changents, a startup environmental network. The site helps people raise awareness of small-scale environmental efforts and support each other.

On Facebook, they've created a nice application that lets you "share seeds" for virtual trees with friends. The more you share, the more your tree grows. For each tree that reaches full size, Timberland plants a real tree in a deforested area.

Does it have anything to do with shoes? Not really, aside from the fact that Earthkeepers is also Timberland's line of eco-friendly footwear. Does it make me like their company more? You bet.

Check out a few more examples of businesses going social and green, after the jump.

Brita FilterForGood

To position itself as an eco-friendlier alternative to disposable water bottles, Brita has launched the FilterForGood campaign. Both on Facebook and its own site, the filter maker asks people to pledge to reduce their water-bottle waste. You're also encouraged to buy a reusable, BPA-free plastic bottle.

Brita says that Facebook users have pledged to reduce their waste by more than 1 million bottles. I'm not a big fan of the Facebook application itself, but I am impressed with the lively discussion it has sparked among the site's users.

Patagonia Footprint Chronicles

Transparency is probably the No. 1 thing any business should keep in mind when it's talking about going green. I pity the company that tries to understate its environmental impact. You're just asking to get eaten alive by watchdog groups and bloggers.

But Patagonia takes transparency to a whole new level with its Footprint Chronicles. The site walks you through every step of the manufacturing process for several pieces of Patagonia clothing. You can learn how much CO2 is generated in the process, how much material is wasted, etc.

OK, so this isn't really a "social" site, but I had to include it. It's a phenomenal example of honest business practice in the modern world. Big hat tip to Stephen Tompkins for this one.
 

Kashi’s Challenge Yourself

For a while now, Kashi has been known almost as much for its healthy-lifestyle outreach as it is for its tasty food.

The Kashi Web site includes a wide range of social interactions, but my favorite is the Challenge Yourself section. There, users can propose easy ways to help each other live better and with less harsh impact on the planet.

Some sample challenges include "Tour an organic farm," and, "Greenify your kitty litter." If you want to challenge yourself, just sign up as a participant and post comments about the challenge. Simple. Informative. Empowering.

Thanks to superhero ad blogger Leigh "Advergirl" Householder for reminding me of this one.

Haagen Daazs: Help the Honey Bees

This campaign recently got a lot of buzz (sorry, couldn't resist the pun), thanks to national TV commercials, a unique message and a cute Web site.

What's most impressive is that Haagen Daazs largely succeeds in sounding sincere about wanting to help stop the very real problem of honeybee population decline. As part of the campaign, the ice cream maker set up a Cause page on Facebook, so that users can donate directly to the nonprofit UC Davis Foundation.

Genesis Energy (N.Z.) Tree People

Over in Australia and New Zealand, energy conservation is serious business. That said, Genesis Energy has found a fun way to spread ideas on saving power.

Tree People is a virtual forest, where each tree represents a pledge that one user has made to reduce energy use. You can then track your progress toward each goal.

Thanks again to Advergirl for letting me know about this one.

Well, I think that's plenty to think about for now. What did I miss? Post a comment with your favorite (or least favorite) corporate attempts at going green and going social.

Comments

[Andy Dunbar]

I love how Brita is going BPA free with their bottles. Follow the Canada band on BPA

[Jordan Shoes]

Just wanted to say that you have some great content on your blog. If it’s allowed I would like to use some of it on my blog. If I link back to this page do I have your permission to do so?