This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cooper Tire for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

You probably already know that Cooper Tire, has been crafting tires for life’s road trips, for nearly 100 years.They boast a full product portfolio, that fits most vehicles on the road today. Cooper Tires manufactures top quality passenger, light truck, sport utility, performance and winter tires.

As of today, March 22, Cooper Tires Facebook fans may submit their not-so-every day road trip stories on the company’s Facebook  fanpage. You can enter the Cooper Tire’s My Every Day Road Trip Contest, in one of the following ways: a written story, a photo or a video. Winners will be selected based on criteria such as originality, creativity,  your passion for Cooper tires as well as your own compelling content. You have until March 29th, to enter in this way or by photo.

The top written story will win a $100 gift card to use toward gas for one week, and the highest rated photo entry will receive a $500 gift card to use toward gas for one month.

Whether you enter the contest or not, you can visit Cooper Tire’s Facebook page, for complete contest and sweepstakes rules and submission guidelines. While you are there, you may also want to “like” the Cooper Tire Facebook fan page, perhaps enter the contest, and visit the Cooper Tire website.

If you need a little inspiration watch this video:

From the video enteries in the contest, the top five video finalists will each win a new set of four Cooper tires and advance to the final phase of the competition.

In the final phase of the competition, Cooper Tire Facebook fans will be encouraged to vote for their favorite Every Day Road Trip video, to help determine the final winner. Voting [for an opportunity to enter the sweepstakes] begins April 15).Then, the video with the combined highest score and most votes will be awarded a gift card for $5,000 toward gas for one year to fuel their daily drive. What a deal!

You even have an opportunity to Win, just by voting. Cooper Tire is also offering its fans a chance to win a “Road Trip Kit” just for voting during the “My Every Day Road Trip” sweepstakes. Beginning April 15, you can vote for your favorite top video to help determine the overall Cooper Tire Facebook video winner. Each time you vote (only once per day),you will automatically receive an entry to win a “Road Trip Kit.” The “Road Trip,” prize pack includes several items to keep you on-the-go, including a $100 Cooper Tire auto service voucher, a $50 gas card, $50 iTunes gift card and Cooper gear. Best of luck to all who enter, and remember, tires are for people and safety, NOT just for cars.

“Who Cares About This Planet?” – Challenge

Back on November 1, 2011, I wrote this post entitled “Who Cares About This Planet?” -Challenge.  The challenge was announced by Planet People, inviting you to enter your own environmentally friendly and innovative projects or ideas, that could make an impact your community, and show Who Cares About This Planet.

“Who Cares About This Planet?” – Winner

Below is the press release and announcement of the winner.

PLANET PEOPLE ANNOUNCES VIKAS MALHOTRA AS  THE WINNER OF THE

‘WHO CARES ABOUT THIS PLANET?’ – CHALLENGE

His Eco-Friendly Workplace Idea Submission Receives Highest Number of Fan Votes to win the challenge.

Toronto, Canada—(January 18, 2011) – Planet People, a manufacturer of innovative and sustainable cleaning products, today announces Vikas Malhotra, as the grand prize winner of the “Who cares about this Planet?” Challenge.

In early November, the Challenge asked for submissions of creative and innovative environmentally sustainable project ideas that can make a sustainable impact within their communities.  Five finalists were selected by an Advisory Committee in December, and fans were asked to vote for their favorite finalists by January 12, on the iQ Facebook Page.

The winning entry was submitted by Vikas Malhotra, resident of Brampton, Ontario with a passion to encourage environmental living in both his home and his workplace.  His submission introduces incentive-based programs for carpooling and encourages using online billing to reduce paper waste. He also creates incentives for individuals to remove wasteful, non-recyclable materials from the workplace.  As the winner of the Challenge, Mr. Malhotra will be awarded $1,000 to help bring his idea to fruition.

“Who Cares About This Planet?” – inaugural challenge

“As the inaugural ‘Who Cares About This Planet?’ Challenge, we are both inspired and proud of all those who submitted an entry,” said Eric Green, Planet People President. “Mr. Malhotra, has a fantastic idea that will not only create a more sustainable workplace, but one that will also inspire others to take on his mission. We congratulate Mr. Malhotra for this achievement.”

The Challenge, follows the company’s 2011 launch of iQ, a line of household cleaning products that questioned conventional cleaning with innovative packaging that allows consumers to reduce plastic waste by over 80%. The Challenge Advisory Committee, consisting of leaders in the environmental sector, that includes the CEO of Green Living, eco-journalists from Mother Nature Network, and a representative from Planet People, judged submissions based on iQ’s core values that stress innovation, creativity, and sustainable impact at a community level.

“What people don’t realize is that if everyone put in a little bit of effort, towards something that will help our planet, we could all make the world a better place,” said Malhotra. “Thanks to this grant, I can start doing that at work, hopefully driving change here and eventually implementing the plan in my community as well.”

To support the “Who cares about this Planet?” Challenge, Planet People worked with Made Wade and filmmakers, Eighteen Eighty, an emerging Toronto based Spoken Word artist, to create a thought provoking short film that expresses the conflict between concern and ignorance for our planet. Here is the  “Who cares about this Planet?” short film, created by Made Wade.  It is both eye opening and truthful! So, “Who Cares About this Planet?”  Hopefully, we all do, as we work toward many greener tomorrows, and show the world Who Cares About This Planet.

Are You Up for a Challenge?

This post is to call your attention to an online Challenge.  The Challenge, calls for YOU, the public to create innovative, environmentally sustainable projects that will impact your community and the world. The Challenge is to show “Who cares about this Planet?”  YOU do!

iQ, manufacturer of innovative and sustainable cleaning products, is hosting the “Who cares about this Planet?” Challenge.  They are accepting submissions through mid-November on their Facebook page here .

Image via Wikipedia

Are You Up for the Challenge? We love to help spread the word as much as possible, and get creative, sustainable minds like yours, thinking of new ways to help your local communities and the Planet. Sounds like a lot of fun, and a great way to get yourself out there, with your great ideas.

How to accept the Challenge

Below is the Press Release with everything you need to know, to get your creative juices flowing..and show Who cares about this Planet?

Planet People Launches the “Who cares about this Planet?” Challenge!

Up to $5,000 Grand Prize- to be awarded for an innovative environmentally sustainable project!

October 14, 2011 – Planet People, the manufacturer of innovative and sustainable cleaning products, is proud to launch the” Who cares about this Planet?” Challenge,  It’s a video contest urging both individuals and groups to challenge, convention, and inspire environmental change.

The “Who cares about this Planet?” Challenge, asks for submissions of creative and innovative environmentally sustainable project ideas that can make a sustainable impact within their communities.

To accept the Challenge, contestants need to create and upload a video of their idea to iQ’s Facebook page, where 10 finalists will be selected by an Advisory Committee. The 10 finalists will then share their videos across social networks, asking viewers to vote for their favorite project. Each vote will count towards $1 that will be awarded to the grand prize winner (up to $5,000). The video with the highest number of votes will receive the grand prize.

What inspired the Who cares about this Planet Challenge

The Challenge follows the company’s 2011 launch of iQ, a line of household cleaning products that questioned conventional cleaning with innovative packaging that allows consumers to reduce plastic waste by over 80%. Submissions are now being accepted in the US and Canada at the contest hub,Facebook page .  Following the entry period, an Advisory Committee will select the top 10 entries eligible for the voting process.  The Advisory Committee will consist of leaders in the Green Space, that are highly recognized for their commitment to the environment.  Judges will select finalists based upon criteria that includes innovation, creativity, and sustainable impact at a community level.

“Inspired by our experience with iQ, we hope this Challenge will encourage others to also challenge, convention, and develop creative and innovative green solutions to foster sustainable change in our communities. “We want people to realize that with the right ideas, we can actually make a difference,” said Ami Shah, iQ brand director at Planet People.

Voting for the winning ideas will begin mid November 2011, and the grand prize winner will be announced the following month. To learn more, visit the Facebook page.

About iQ®

The iQ cleaning system is a revolutionary approach to cleaning.  The patented iQ REFill® (Reduced Environmental Footprint) reduces the plastic waste associated with traditional cleaners by 80 per cent.  They do this, by packing all the non-toxic cleaning concentrate into a small, recyclable cartridge. To make a bottle of cleaner, consumers just fill the re-usable iQ bottle with their own tap water and drop in the no mess REFill® cartridge.

By combining the most advanced green cleaning formulas with an award winning packaging system, that was recently honored with both the Best of Show and Gold Award from the PAC Sustainable Packaging Competition, iQ has the potential to dramatically make a sustainable impact on our environment.

iQ products are available in Canada at Wal-mart, Loblaws, London Drugs, Whole Foods and a number of natural food retailers, and in the US at Hannaford, Sweetbay and Spartan Supermarkets. They are also are available online at www.drugstore.com and alice.com.  For more information on iQ cleaning products, please visit www.iQclean.com.

About Planet People™

Planet People, a division of Siamons International Inc., is a manufacturer of innovative, sustainable products that offer high-performance cleaning to consumers and professionals. The company’s brand portfolio includes Concrobium Mold Control®, Gloves Off® and iQ®. For more information about Planet People, please visit www.planetpeopleco.com.  So, show us that YOU are up for the “Who cares about this Planet.” Challenge.