Happy Earth Day! As billions of people take a moment to celebrate this beautiful blue ball we live on and take steps to make it cleaner, greener and better for all, let’s look at how taking care of the Earth can land you a scholarship.

Extra-curricular activities are always a highlighted portion of most scholarship applications, so starting a recycling program at your school, church, synagogue or popular hang-out is a great way to not only help the Earth, but it will also improve your resume. Talking to younger kids about the importance of thinking green is another example of a win-win.

Take your enviromental activity to the next level and join organizations like Conservation.Org or Greenpeace or take part in green projects in your city.

And a bonus - Environmental Scholarship:

Environmental Science and Engineering Scholarships

Criteria:

* an academic record with at least an overall GPA of 3.0;
* original research, scholarship, employment, volunteering, or other unique contributions to environmental science or environmental engineering;
* activity in nonathletic extra-curricular activities and organizations;
* ability to communicate;
* recommendations from education and environmental professionals; and
* a major in environmental science or environmental engineering.

April showers bring May flowers and if you’ve got a green thumb these scholarships are for you!

Francis and Evelyn Clark Soil Biology Scholarship

For a $1000 scholarship, you just need to:

-be a graduate student working in the field of soil biology or biochemistry or microbial ecology.
- demonstrate scholarship and leadership during his/her graduate studies.
-special financial need

J. Fielding Reed Scholarship

This scholarship is for outstanding undergraduate seniors pursuing careers in soil or plant sciences. The scholarship is in the amount of $1000.

Eligibility:
-an undergraduate, pursuing a career in the plant or soil sciences
-3.0, or above, cumulative grade point average
-a history of community and campus leadership activities, specifically in agriculture

What can you do for planet earth? Well, you could start by writing an award worthy essay responding to the question posted on A Better Earth.org, educating yourself and readers about the use of biofuels, and possibly win cash for college (your parents will appreciate your effort to conserve their own resources!).

Each year students have the opportunity to participate in an essay contest sponsored by ABetterEarth.org and earn money towards their college tuition. To participate students must be under the age of 25; if the student is over 25, he or she must be enrolled full-time in a college or university to qualify for the scholarship. Over $5,000 is awarded by A Better Earth.org each year to students who participate in their essay competition. Begin your essay today for a chance at one of the 7 awards donated by this organization.

For 2007, students must answer the following question (as displayed on the website) in 600-2,500 words:

1. Explore the potential unintended consequences of government-driven adoption of biofuels. What roles have governments played in the move to biofuels? What ecological and economic “ripple effects” has the move to biofuels created so far? What further consequences might a mass shift to biofuels entail?

2. Based on your research, argue for or against the proposition that government should decide which fuels to develop and commercialize.

As always, be sure to check your spelling and your grammar before submitting your essay for review. To register and submit an application, please visit: www.thinkforyourself.org

The deadline for this years essay contest is May 11th. This is an annual contest, so if you miss the deadline follow up with the organization within a few months and apply next year.