5.22.2008 - 10:40am ET

(CSRwire) VANCOUVER, BC -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 05/22/08 -- The search for the
"2008 Greenest Person on the Planet" continues and is being conducted by 3rdWhale.com, a social media forum and information source for people committed to green living. The unique contest aims to find the one person who makes the most exemplary sustainable lifestyle choices. The contest is the brainchild of 3rdWhale.com founder Boyd Cohen, a sustainability professor in Canada.

Since launching the contest on Earth Day -- April 21, 2008 -- more than 600 "green" citizens from 22 countries have submitted themselves as the "greenest person in the world." Currently, Canada (418), the United States (52), Venezuela (15) and India (11) have the highest number of residents with entries.

Through his research and experience teaching university students how to start environmentally-friendly businesses, Cohen discovered that people are concerned about the environment and the issue of climate change, yet they don't know what they can do to solve the problem. He designed the "Greenest Person on the Planet" contest in order to create dialogue about what it means to live a green lifestyle, and celebrate environmentally-savvy leaders among us.

Entries describe such green actions as purchasing locally-grown organic food, using solar power in the home and setting a four-minute timer to all showers. Others reduce air travel, take the David Suzuki Nature Challenge and disconnect cable for half a year to reduce electricity consumption and motivate families to spend more time outside. One participant from Boston, Mass. was a college senior majoring in aerospace engineering when he began studying environmental geology. This inspired him to select alternative energy technology as a thesis topic and build a prototype for a wave energy turbine.

The deadline for the contest is Monday June 9, 2008. To enter, go to www.3rdWhale.com, fill out the online survey and submit a brief essay. Finalists will be asked to submit a five-minute video that shows their green life. The prize for the winner? In addition to bragging rights, the winner will have a pod of Arctic beluga whales adopted on his or her behalf from the Defenders of Wildlife based in Washington, D.C.

Additionally, if there are more than 10 entries per country, that country qualifies to nominate a representative to compete in the finals. Taiwan, Bolivia and the United Kingdom are close to being eligible. Cohen notes, "I've received entries from as far away as Zimbabwe, Kuala Lumpur and Burke and Faseau. This competition demonstrates that people from all over the world are doing extraordinary things to make a difference."

3rdWhale.com is a social media forum and information source for "green" people -- it aggregates eight information channels including career, venture, education, blog and tourism information to empower people to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Recently, 3rdWhale.com launched an interactive green dating forum to help match like-minded people.

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