The 40th Earth Day is Thursday, a reminder that going green isn't always easy. Most people are slow to change their behavior, and even the most eco-conscious consumers can forget to bring their own bag to the grocery store or coffee mug to the office.

Now several startup companies are building business models around information technology and the idea that consumers need an extra push — from free cupcakes to gift cards for iTunes or Starbucks — to go green. They've tapped into the fact that Americans love to earn coupons, prizes and rewards, and are far more apt to participate in recycling, carpooling or energy-saving programs if there's a tangible payoff.

Nonprofit organizations have known this for a while. 511.org, a public agency managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, provides Bay Area residents information about public transit, bicycling routes and ride-share programs. They've found that prizes work wonders when it comes to luring people out of solo driving and into carpools or public transit.

"People are very receptive to incentives," said Kit Powis of the 511 Regional Rideshare Program. "Currently we have an incentive where if someone carpools two days within two weeks, we send them a $5 coupon for Ghirardelli Chocolates."

Now several for-profit startups are getting into the act, finding that they can make money by promoting energy conservation, recycling and other

environmentally friendly consumer choices. Here are three companies worth watching.

 

Ridespring: This Santa Cruz-based startup, which makes money by selling its services to local governments and corporate clients, pitches itself as one-stop shopping for those who want to encourage carpooling or alternative commuting among their employees.

Ridespring creates a ride-matching database that allows employees to sign onto a website and either look for or offer rides to and from work on any given day — a service that allows for maximum flexibility given constantly changing work schedules.

Employees who carpool, bike, walk or use public transportation then earn chances to win monthly prizes. Rewards range from $25 gift certificates to outlets like Starbucks and Borders to $300 gift cards at Nordstrom or REI.

"You need something to really drive participation, and prizes and incentives are the way to do that," said Ridespring founder Paul McGrath, an avid cyclist. "Even small prizes, like a $25 gift certificate to Starbucks, are greatly appreciated."

Ridespring's clients include software company SAP, the city of Santa Cruz and law firms Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Cooley Godward

Kronish.

 

Lori Santos and Theresa Perez, two legal secretaries who work at Cooley, regularly commute together from their homes in Fremont to the law firm's Palo Alto office. But if one of them has to work late, the other can log onto the Ridespring Web site and find a ride home with another colleague. The law firm has more than 600 employees in the Bay Area, and 68 percent of them use Ridespring. The prizes are part of the appeal.

"Last year I won a $300 gift certificate to Nordstrom's, and that was really exciting," Perez said. "It was right before my wedding, so it was great timing."

Ridespring offers clients detailed monthly statistics on how the alternate commuting program is working, including the number of solo car trips saved and the amount of carbon emissions reduced. Since signing up with Ridespring three years ago, Cooley employees have saved 81,386 commute miles, 3,753 gallons of gas and 73,426 pounds of CO2, according to Ridespring's calculations.

Earth Aid: Thousands of households across the country earn "reward points" for energy conservation through Earth Aid, a startup based in Washington, D.C. Households link their utility accounts to Earth Aid's software platform, which then automatically tracks utility usage and savings. Consumers earn points based on kilowatt-hours of electricity, cubic feet of gas, and gallons of water saved. Anyone in the Bay Area can sign up; the points are then redeemed at several local businesses, and national chains including The Body Shop, which just announced it is becoming a national rewards partner.

"You can earn cupcakes for saving energy," said CEO Ben Bixby. "It's the American way of using the carrot instead of the stick, and it has a way of reaching folks who haven't been compelled to do it for the polar bears."

Earth Aid makes money largely from its "Reward Partners," who pay Earth Aid fees for the promotional benefits of being part of the rewards network. In the Bay Area, the Earth Aid Rewards Network includes the San Francisco Soup Company, Red Brick Pizza and Green Java, among others. Parcel 104, a Santa Clara restaurant that features seasonal food from local farms and ranches, is offering a $200 gift certificate to the person who saves the most energy at home during a six-week period that ends April 22, which is Earth Day.

RecycleBank: This startup teams up with cities across the country and gives people points that are redeemable at stores based on how much they recycle. Los Angeles is one of several cities partnering with the New York-based company, which generates revenue by helping cities reduce landfill expenses. And though RecycleBank isn't currently operating in the Bay Area, local residents can use the company to recycle e-waste like old cell phones, laptops and iPods.

"You can earn points by recycling your e-waste," said spokesperson Melody Serafino. "Send it to us and we'll pay for the shipping and handling charges."