Bookmark this: Three Web sites to aid the green cause

"EcoSearch this" doesn't have quite the same ring as "Google this," but the non-profit is hoping to harness the power of the Google search engine to help raise money for environmental non-profits including the Sierra Club, TreePeople, RainForest Alliance, National Resource Defense Council, Heal the Bay, Healthy Child, Healthy World and the Remedee Foundation.

So, you may want to set your search bookmark to EcoSearch.org in order to help out. The company figures that if Google users run just two searches a day against its site, it can raise about $15 million per year per million users. Its goal for this year is to reach that first 1 million mark by the end of December.

Worried about being more responsible about paper usage? Well, if you're a voracious reader like me who isn't around during library hours, you might want to look at the BookSwim web site. The easiest way to describe BookSwim is as an online rental service that is to books what Netflix is to movies. Pricing starts at about $20 per month for a casual reader (someone who can handle up to three books at a time) and goes up to about $32 for a family with nine books at a time.

Finally, take a peek at EcoPerks, which is a rewards Web site that benefits various environmental causes with "points for the planet" when you shop at its 500 participating retailers. Basically, it matches the cash value with direct donations. You can also manage your carbon footprint by buying eco-related products (like a paper handbag) or services off the site. Here's some more information about how it works.