The Clean and Green Club

As a long time “Green evangelist,” I’ve always been a big fan of clearinghouses that reduce waste and let people share resources. It’s better for the planet, better for the pocketbook, and better for building community.

This month, I’m going to share two such initiatives from opposite ends of the country.

Neighborhood Fruit

A single tree can sometimes produce hundreds of fruits or nuts. It’s overwhelming for a homeowner with multiple trees (especially if a whole bunch ripens at once), and much of the fruit goes to waste (making an unsightly and smelly mess in the process). California-based Neighborhood Fruit lets homeowners who are buried in the bounty from their fruit trees share the harvest with those who’d love more fresh, local produce. Scavengers pay a small fee; farmers earn credits that they can redeem for fruit, and can decide if they’ll pick and bag, or let their “customers” do it.

So far, 10,000 trees around the US are registered with the program. Oh yeah, you can also share zucchinis and other produce.

(My thanks to Steve Puma of Triple Pundit  for his article about this company)

Ride Buzz

Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, Jeff Brown formed Ride Buzz to do something similar with empty seats in cars: a clearinghouse of rides offered and needed, both ongoing and one-time. Jeff is quite the go-getter and not only went out and got 501(c)3 nonprofit tax exemption, he’s also formed numerous partnerships with area organizations (something I advocate very strongly in my award-winning sixth book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First).

Among the many partnerships:

• Working with an area human service agency, Highland Valley Elder Services, to create more transportation opportunities for elderly people who can no longer drive but are able to remain at home if they can get around
• Obtaining endorsements for setting up internal ride sharing networks for three municipalities, several colleges and universities, and a number of private businesses
• Partnering with event organizers to promote ride sharing to events from folk festivals to conferences to retreats (including events as far away as Guam and as close as its hometown of Amherst
• RideBuzz coffee, roasted by the organic fairtrade coffee company Dean’s Beans and promoted to reduce greenhouse gases and build sustainability, with all profits donated to RideBuzz
• Organized a five-band concert to thank the town of Amherst, MA, the Amherst-Area Chamber of Commerce, and the University of Massachusetts Isenberg School of Management for their promotion of ridesharing (One UMass professor even integrated ride sharing into the curriculum, as a case study for students to communicate the social, environmental, and economic benefits of ridesharing to area residents.

Launched three years ago, the organization became a nonprofit corporation in September 2008, and received 501(c)3 status in June 2009.

While still heavily tilted toward its native region (the Connecticut River Valley in New England), the site is beginning to attract out-of-area users too. Brown says the infrastructure is able to be supported in 63 countries.

And how are you getting to your Thanksgiving dinner? Use RideBuzz and you may be able to share the cost and lower our collective carbon footprint by carpooling.