There are plenty of reasons for consumers to try to reduce their carbon emissions, ranging from savings on their energy bills to good karma for simply doing the right thing. Working on the premise that there's nothing quite so persuasive as cold, hard currency, a new website aims to add yet another financial incentive by awarding consumers credits for their reductions and then converting those credits into cash.

MyEex was launched in March as an information exchange aimed at lowering carbon footprints, and has since expanded into a worldwide personal carbon exchange. To participate, consumers begin by creating a profile on the free site and then using historical data on their utility bill to enter their household electric and heat usage for the past 12 months. Taking seasonal variation into account, MyEex uses that data to calculate the household's baseline usage. Consumers then set about trying to reduce their footprint, with help from MyEex's community section, tips, blogs and other sources of advice. Each month they enter their current usage amounts, and the site certifies those reductions and awards members carbon credits similar to those currently granted to companies, states and countries. Through its partnership with OceanConnect, it then sells those Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs) on the Voluntary Carbon Market—one CER is equivalent to one ton reduced, with prices varying between USD 10 and USD 25 per CER, it says—and returns the earnings to consumers via PayPal. Meanwhile, the site itself makes a commission on the brokerage of those carbon credits.

Consumers from anywhere in the world can use New York-based MyEex, though weather data is still being collected for international locations. One to localize and emulate for your neck of the (increasingly green) woods...? (Related: Rewarding consumers who drive less — Green concierge reduces home's carbon footprint.)

Website: www.myeex.com
Contact: info@myemissionsexchange.com

Spotted by: Judy McRae

Late last year we wrote about the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's pilot program to offer free car charging in its parking garage, and now a brand-new McDonald's restaurant about to open in North Carolina will be the chain's first in the nation to offer the same thing.

The new restaurant in Cary—opening this week—will be North Carolina's first "green" McDonald's, and it aims to become gold-certified under the LEED standard. Both the interior and exterior of the restaurant have been designed with sustainability in mind. More than 95 percent of the wood used in construction, for example, comes from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, while tables and decor incorporate rapidly renewable materials such as sunflower seed board, wheat board, bamboo and kirei board. Solatubes inside provide quality natural light, while lighting fixtures automatically adjust to changing light conditions. All components used inside are free of urea and formaldehyde, while vinyl is PVC-free and all paints, adhesives, coatings and sealants are low-VOC. The kitchen and bathrooms, meanwhile, are designed to minimize the use of water. Perhaps most interesting of all, there will be preferred parking spaces for hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles, along with ChargePoint stations offering free electricity for plug-in cars. Two such stations will be available at the restaurant's launch, according to The News & Observer.

It's not entirely clear whether a 30-minute meal offers enough time to charge a vehicle adequately, as HybridCars points out. Nevertheless, plans are afoot to install charging stations at McDonald's locations in Sweden as well, the publication reported, and there seems little doubt that as adoption of electric vehicles increases, there will be demand for charging stations in convenient spots around the globe. Embrace such technology early, and you boost your eco-credentials; offer it as a free perk, and you could win eco-minded consumers' hearts, minds and dollars! ;-)

Website: www.mcnorthcarolina.com/7501/
Contact: www.mcnorthcarolina.com/7501/contact/comments

Spotted by: HybridCars.com via Judy McRae

Last summer we spotted Roof Ray, an online service that uses Google maps to estimate a building's solar potential. California-based Sungevity takes the notion one step further by using solar imaging and existing satellite images to design solar panelling.

Sungevity’s system means it cuts out visits to client homes to take measurements and make draft plans; speeding up process, saving customers a bit of cash, and also reducing carbon emissions. Interested customers can request a free iQuote. Staff then set to work with satellite images to measure the available roof space, determine the tilt and direction of the roof, and even identify obstacles that could make installation difficult or cause shade problems. Two to five systems are designed for every quote, allowing Sungevity to work around the target quote and take issues such as energy rebates into consideration. The company acknowledges that some more complicated homes may require visits, but for most a visit to the site isn't necessary until installation day. The company also takes care of permits and paperwork.

Sungevity breaks new ground by combining aerial photography with remote design and pre-fitted solar panelling. Services like this simplify retrofitting homes, which is half the battle in convincing people to act to cut carbon. One to bring to other sunny regions?

Website: www.sungevity.com
Contact: info@sungevity.com

Spotted by: Charlie Haims

Durable and malleable, leather is an ideal material for reusing and upcycling. Seizing that potential, reMade USA just launched a line of stylish handbags made from used and scrap leather. reMade's bags were initially made from leather jackets found in charity stores, with details based on the original garments. The company now also gets cast-offs from the furniture and automotive industries.

reMade has around 10–15 different bags available for order on its website at any time, currently ranging in price from USD 125–365. If they'd like to breathe new life into a garment they no longer wear, customers can also supply their own leather jacket and request a design based on one of reMade's models. Hand-crafted in San Francisco, stamped with its own unique serial number, and lined with a recycled silk scarf, each bag is inherently unique.

reMade isn't the first to make leather jackets into bags. But as planet-friendly products jostle for attention, it's not enough just to be green. How to stand out and create a sustainable business on top of a sustainable product? reMade's founder, Shannon South, demonstrates the importance of building a brand: using good design and photography; showing the process and telling a story; and adding charming and recognizable details like a silk scarf lining. (Related: Luxe upcycling: from cashmere sweaters to (very) soft toys — From 1950s pommel horses to 2008 gym bags.)

Website: www.remadeusa.com
Contact: shop@remadeusa.com

Spotted by: Edward Cotton

A few years back, we covered ride-sharing site Hitchsters, which matches travellers to help them cut down on cab fare to airports in New York and San Francisco. Now, in the UK, Luton Airport has now joined forces with ride-sharing enterprise Liftshare to connect commuters en route to the airport.

Interested passengers and airport employees can register to access a database of other commuters, dropping a line to those heading to the airport at a similar time. The site never reveals the user's email or other contact information, and suggests that ride-sharers meet in a public place for the first trip just to keep things safe. The program, which is the first of its kind in the UK, is a smart move by Luton Airport. Not only does it improve its less-than-stellar transportation links to London, but it can ease its negative impact on the environment by helping to reduce the numbers of cars on the road. Key, of course, will be to make it easy and safe for travellers to share, and targeting frequent flyers seems like the way to go. Other airports to follow?

Website: www.londonlutoncarshare.com
Contact: londonluton.carshare@ltn.aero

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau