So you’ve already entered your local farmers market into the America’s Favorite Farmers Market contest, and your favorite local eco-cause to the 50,000 free tees contest — and still want to know how else you can help eco your neighborhood!

 

Then get ready to enter yet another competition: Green Effect. (via Re-Nest) Be one of the five winners, and you’ll get $20,000 to make your neighborhood greener!

 

Put together by Sun Chips and National Geographic, Green Effect wants to hear your best idea for making your neighborhood greener. Just write a short essay (100 to 250 words) about your eco-idea, then send that in — along with optional photos and video — by June 8. A month later, 10 finalists will be announced — and five of those will get $20,000 each, as well as a profile in National Geographic and a trip to Washington, D.C., to share their projects with environmental leaders.

 

Already, 1,440 ideas have been submitted! But don’t be discouraged by the number of entries — many of the current suggestions are rather broad, not location-specific and fail to suggest a specific, timely way to make the change happen (i.e. “We should all line dry our laundry!” is a nice thought, but not exactly an action plan). Remember, the point is to focus on your ‘hood — and a specific change you could make happen using $20,000. Good luck with your entry!

 

Photo courtesy National Geographic