Cool Perks for Going Green

Companies and cities are offering so many rewards for people who do green things, you'll no longer feel like a hippy for going green, you'll feel like a VIP!

As you go through your day doing green things, you may be handed free breakfast, cash and other VIP swag. In some places they’re starting to offer special driving and parking privileges. Heck, one Olympic town is so serious about their green, they’ll give you a gold medal!

"Incentivizing green behaviors is one of the most effective ways to engage people in making these changes in a real and meaningful way,” said Jennifer Berry, a spokesperson for Earth911.com, an online directory for recycling information. "Everyone who participates in sustainability, even in small ways in their everyday life, is a VIP … so everyone should be treated like an eco-star!”

Click ahead to find out about some of the coolest perks for going green.

The first reward stop on this VIP tour is breakfast.

Companies are offering all kinds of incentives for employees to bike to work, saving on the fuel and emissions of driving a car to work.

llinois engineering firm Christopher B. Burke Engineering offers a monthly free breakfastto all employees who bike to work. They also have quarterly giveaways of bike gear and once a year, they give out a free bike to the employee who logs the most miles.

Make those over easy, please! And some bacon on the side.

One perk that everyone is sure to love — cold, hard cash.

Many companies are offering employees cash rewards for doing green things like biking to work, buying hybrid cars, buying green appliances — even doing green home upgrades.

Healthy snack maker SunRidge Farms, for example, offers employees $5 a day to bike to work, which, for some employees, can add up to $100 a month. And sports/energy bar maker ClifBaroffers employees up to $500 towards a bike, over $6,000 towards an energy-efficient car and even $1,000 for green home improvements. Bank of Americaand Vermont power company Green Mountain Poweralso offer cash rewards to employees who buy a hybrid.

There are even the Green Awards, a joint effort between some environmental groups and Green Giant, where they give away anywhere from $2,500 to $25,000 to those who do green things.

If you’re driving to work in a hybrid, some places really roll out the red carpet for you: They’ll let you drive in the HOV lane — even if you’re alone!

This VIP treatmentin the HOV lane is honored by several states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and, not to be outdone, the nation’s capital, Washington, DC.

The VIP treatment doesn’t end at the off ramp. Oh no! It goes all the way through to the parking lot.

In order to encourage the purchase of hybrid, electric and other fuel-efficient vehicles, some stores and cities are now offering drivers of these vehicles special parking privileges right up front. In many places, you’ll see the spots roped off for the handicapped and the green, and everyone else can park further back.

Organic supermarket chain Whole Foodsropes off special parking for green vehicles, as does the Stafford Parkmixed-use development (housing and retail/commercial) in Stafford Park, NJ. A sign at Stafford Park, which has eight spots for green vehicles, is pictured at left.

Excuse me, sir. I believe you’re in my spot!

The green swag is pretty sweet: Some companies and organizations are even giving out iPads and other in-demand gadgets as a reward for green behavior.

At the recent Greenbuild Expo, a conference dedicated to green building, for example, they held a daily “Building Science Smackdown” contest. Basically, Jeopardy! for the green set. Contestants were quizzed on all sorts of green factoids and trivia … and the highest-scoring contestant each day received a 16 GB wifi iPad.

[Hits buzzer]

“What is … sweet!”

Correct!

Green rewards companies are popping up all over, offering points for green deeds that can be redeemed for all kinds of items and discounts.

“The concept [of points] is nothing new — we incentivize people through various rewards programs to participate in a number of different behaviors: cash back for shopping at certain stores, free flights for traveling regularly with a particular airline,” said Jennifer Berry, a spokesperson for Earth911.com. “Why not take these mainstream ideas that work, and apply them to sustainability?"

NuRideis one such company, which is in at least 10 major metro areas and growing. NuRide offers points for carpooling, taking public transit and biking. You log your green trips on the site, and rack up points. The points can be redeemed for everything from sandwiches to show tickets and even discounts on massage.

Nothing says “I’m a VIP” like getting a massage. Ginny, hold all my calls, please!

Great news! Your “peak athletic form” may be behind you, but you’ve still got a shot at winning the gold in Lake Placid!

Lake Placid, if you recall, was the home of two winter Olympics — in 1980 and 1932. Well, now, if you drive a hybrid or other fuel-efficient vehicle there, they’ll give you a gold medal for your outstanding achievement in the sport of fuel efficiency.

Lawrence Lee, a retiree from the nearby town of Piercefield, NY (pictured left), recently won a gold medal for driving his 2006 Prius to Lake Placid. “It never even occurred to me!” a humble Lee said after being presented with his gold medal. “We just bought the car because it gets great gas mileage … and it’s less pollution, too.”

All rise, please.

O-oh say can you see … by the dawn’s ear-ly light … what so proud-ly we hailed … at the hybrid’s first gleam-ing …

If you’ve ever owned your own home, you know it’s an endless cycle of fixing this, replacing that. You can either do it yourself, which takes time, or hire a handyman, which costs money.

Well, Seattle hears you, green-minded homeowners, and if you’re serious about this energy efficiency thing, the city will send the lightbulbs — and a guy to install them — over to your house.

“They came and switched out every bulb in our four-story house with bulbs that supposedly don’t need to be changed for seven years!” exclaimed Karen Whorton, a Seattle resident and founder of the company Reusies, which makes reusable sandwich bags.

Ding! Now that’s VIP — to have your own light-bulb guy!

A hallmark of being a VIP is everyone wanting to take your picture.

Well, to reward green behavior, professional photographer Kristina Carter, owner of Vrai, recently held a contest where one lucky bride and groom won her award-winning photography for free for holding a green wedding.

In her five years in the business, she’d seen how wasteful the wedding industry was. “It was heartbreaking,” Carter said. “People think it’s just one day in their life so they might as well do what they want. But it’s one day in everybody’s life, and that becomes really impactful.”

The contest was a one-time deal, but Carter offers regular “impact tips” (she’s sick of the word “green,” too) on her web site.

Over here! Over here! Now smile …. Gorgeous!

Insurance may not be the sexiest perk but when an insurance company offers you a discount, that’s cash in the bank.

Insurance companies are increasingly offering discounts for those who drive less — in some cases, these discounts can be as much as 50 percent. Why? Because it’s been statistically proven that if you drive less, your chance of getting into an accident decreases.

Plus, many now also offer discounts of 5 to10 percent for drivers of hybrids because they deem them to be more responsible. Insurers also offer discounts to owners of green buildings as they’re considered safer than those old fire traps. And if your home does burn down, some insurers like Travelers will pay for you to do a green rebuild.

As it turns out, that little talking lizard isn’t the only green thing saving you a bunch of money on your car insurance — and your home insurance!

Solar panels are growing in popularity. To encourage more homeowners to go the solar route, several solar companies will throw a party for you and all of your friends in order to talk to you about solar.

SolarCity, for example, will reimburse you $10 per guest for your party expenses. Go Solar will bring the food, flatware and nonalcoholic drinks (up to $200) themselves. Plus, party favors. And many will also give you cash or a credit for any referrals you send their way. Last fall, 360 Solarin Riverside, Calif., threw a solar BBQ to introduce people to their products.

They’re basically taking a page out of the Avon lady’s book, and smothering it up in barbeque sauce.

Extra crispy, please!

Nothing says VIP like an all-expenses paid vacation.

Several companies are holding contests for the green-minded, where the grand prize is a vacation.

Electronic Recyclers International, which specializes in the recycling and disposal of electronic products, is offering the chance to win a four-night stay in Paris at an eco-luxury hotel for those who sign up for its monthly e-newsletter.

And environmental group Sierra Clubis rewarding “eco heroes” who download their iPhone app with a chance to win a five-night stay, plus airfare and a volcano day trip, to Hawaii.

How’s that for a little green umbrella in your drink?!