• Grand Prize: A $5000 Live, Learn, and Experience Climate Change Prize from Brighter Planet, which includes a commuter bike and a trip for two to rapidly melting Glacier National Park
• Second Prize: Three one-night-stay gift certificates for any Kimpton Hotel in the U.S. valued at $600
• Third Prize: Two jackets from NAU
• Fourth Prize: Twenty-five fourth prize winners will each receive a reusable shopping bag from Chico Bags
• Everyone who signs up for this month's challenge will receive a 20 percent off coupon from ReusableBags.com

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Whoever most creatively and effectively inspires other people to take the Bring Your Own Bag pledge by January 6th will win a $5000 Live, Learn, and Experience Climate Change Prize from Brighter Planet, which includes a commuter bike and a trip for two to rapidly melting Glacier National Park, or one of 27 great runner-up prizes.

Brighter Planet helps all of us do our part to fight global warming and build a clean-energy future. In that light, we recently launched our flagship product the Brighter Planet Visa© credit card—a tool to make all your purchases greener. Click here to learn more or apply.

Live: Reduce your carbon footprint and get in shape by biking to work and running errands on your new commuter bike brought to you by Brighter Planet. Both the estimated carbon footprint of the production of the bike and the estimated carbon output from its shipping will be offset by Brighter Planet.

Learn: Start to build your climate change library. Brighter Planet will send you one copy of Bill McKibben's book "Deep Economy," one copy of Jon Isham's book "Ignition: What You Can Do to Fight Global Warming and Start A Movement," one copy of Michael Pollen's "Omnivore's Dilemma," and one copy of Alex Steffen's "Worldchanging: A Users Guide for the 21st Century." Brighter Planet will offset the estimated carbon output from both the production and shipping of the books.

Experience: A trip for two to Glacier National Park. On our current course scientists estimate that by 2030 there will no longer be glaciers in Glacier National Park. Brighter Planet wants you to see these glaciers and experience first hand the changes wrought by a warming climate. Meet with leading researchers on the issue of climate change, while, hiking, walking, and relaxing in one of America’s greatest natural treasures. Brighter Planet will offset all travel.

The second place winner will receive three one-night-stay gift certificates for any Kimpton Hotel in the U.S. valued at $600 The third place winner will receive two Nau jackets valued at $330. Twenty-five fourth prize winners will each receive a reusable shopping bag from Chico Bags.

After you take the pledge, use the "invite friends" form to get started or check out our online promotion kit for creative ideas and resources. Then be sure to email outreach@newdream.org with a 50 word description of your personal promotion method.

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Virtually everything we consume requires an energy input and unleashes a climate impact. Everything. That includes all the products we buy as well as all the bags in which we haul all that stuff home. Each year Americans go through 100 billion plastic shopping bags -- that's 12 million barrels of oil -- and 10 billion paper bags en route to living the consumer lifestyle that is responsible for a quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. This holiday season is a great time to:

1. Print out a wallet buddy to remind us to be deliberate in our spending and;
2. Start a habit of carrying our wise and efficient purchases in reusable bags.

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Virtually everything we consume requires an energy input and unleashes a climate impact. Everything. That includes all the products we buy as well as all the bags in which we haul all that stuff home. Each year Americans go through 100 billion plastic shopping bags -- that’s 12 million barrels of oil -- and 10 billion paper bags en route to living the consumer lifestyle that is responsible for a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. This holiday season is a great time to:

1. Print out a wallet buddy to remind us to be deliberate in our spending and;
2. Start a habit of carrying our wise and efficient purchases in reusable bags.

So what can we do now?

Climate scientists say we need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050 in order to stave off the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. If we emit 4% less carbon dioxide this year than we did last year, 4% less next year than this year, and keep up that momentum for the next four decades, we'll achieve 80% cuts by 2050.

Many of the high-impact areas - electricity production, building design and construction, heating and cooling systems, and transportation -- will require long-term infrastructure change and we need to push policymakers and business leaders to seriously initiate that process and planning now. We need better fuel economy standards, greater access to public transportation, and urban planning that is friendlier to getting around without a car—whether on foot, bike, bus, or rail.

Each of us can also calculate our personal carbon footprint today, then knock off the first few four percents by focusing on big opportunities within our reach as well as by forming climate-friendly habits throughout our daily life.

The C3 campaign will help you start to form such simple habits while getting a shot at some great prizes to boot. Just remember however that win or lose on the C3 contest, we'll all win with a stable climate.

What does climate change have to do with the American Dream and what is the New American Dream's role in the climate movement?

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