we add up

While perusing Treehugger today I came across a link to a nifty site called We Add Up. What an inspiring and awesome site! WE ADD UP is a global count of people committed to helping stop climate change. As the count grows, the group demonstrates to the world that WE ADD UP. As they say on their site, "No one can do everything, but everyone can do something."

WE ADD UP was created by mother-daughter team Judy Pezdir and Jill Palermo. Judy and Jill are artists, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, and people who are just crazy enough to get a vision and follow it through. They started this site which sells cool, motivating t-shirts for people making efforts to be green.

This is the scoop from their website:
It’s easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed. People are asking, “What difference will changing my light bulbs really make? The problem is so huge, and I’m just one person.” WE ADD UP is a global campaign using organic cotton t-shirts that literally “counts you in” in the fight against global warming. Every shirt is printed by hand with a unique number. Your number represents your place in the sequential global count of all the people who are taking steps to help stop climate change.

On the back of each shirt is a word or phrase that describes an action almost anyone can take to reduce their carbon footprint - the contribution their lifestyle makes to greenhouse gases - such as, Unplug, Lights Off, Carpool, Hybrid, Bike, Buy Local, and 18 others. You choose which action you are committed to doing and get counted in. No one can do everything. Everyone can do something.

Our goal is to get millions of people around the world counted in and committed to helping stop global warming. With our combined effort, we can create a healthy, thriving world for generations to come. So, get counted in. Because you + everyone else = change."

Their shirts are made from 100% certified organic cotton. It is grown, woven, and sewn in the USA using sweatshop-free labor. The shirts come custom hand-printed with YOUR unique number on the front. This number represents your place in the sequential global count of people committed to helping stop climate change.

WE ADD UP also offers its products as a fund raiser for high schools, colleges, and community and non-profit groups. In addition to the shirts, they also sell tote bags, water bottles, and mugs. A portion of the profits are donated to charity and they also are careful about their overall carbon footprint.

I love when people have an idea to make a difference and can actually make it happen. I think I'll get a 'carpool' shirt for my brother-in-law, who has recently started (you guessed it) carpooling. I can't decide which message I want...maybe the 'buy local'.

p.s. I tried to upload some images of the shirts, but blogger is not letting me upload the pictures right now. Go see them at www.weaddup.com