Shopping for the Earth

Would you like to help the environment, at no additional cost to you? With the "Shopping for the Earth" program, your regular shopping trips can make a difference in your community. Huron Valley Group members (and their friends & families) have raised funds to successfully support land protection proposals that have allocated millions of dollars to protect land in our area.

There are two ways to shop:

1. Purchase gift cards for local stores using a mail-in order form. (This form uses Adobe Reader.)
2. NEW! Online program that includes national stores like Amazon, iTunes, LL Bean, Land's End and many orthers.Purchase gift cards online and use them to shop online! Click here for details.

Shopping for the Earth cards are great for shopping and as gifts.

Q: How does it work?
A: You purchase gift cards from us at full face value for any of the participating stores, and you receive cards for the full face value to spend at your selected stores. For each gift card that we sell, the stores give us a donation of 5% typically and 15% or more for some merchants.

For example: If you buy a Borders gift card through "Shopping for the Earth", Borders will donate 5% of the face value of the card to Sierra Club. So if you buy a $50 card, Sierra Club will get $2.50 from Borders and you'll get $50 worth of books, CDs, or other items from any Borders store in the U.S.

Q: What can I buy with these cards? Which stores accept them? Do they ever expire?
A: You can use EarthCash cards to buy almost any item at any U.S. location. Cards cannot be redeemed for their full face value in cash.

Merchants participating in the local mail-in program:

• Ann Arbor People's Food Co-op
• Arbor Brewing Company
• Arbor Farms
• Borders Books & Music
• Busch's
• Hiller's Markets
• Kroger - be sure to register at Kroger Community Rewards and record your card number in your account information so that the Sierra Club receives a donation from your reloads. Click here for information.
• Produce Station
• Whole Foods
• Meijer - Community Awards Program details (pdf)

 The change and expiration date policies for each participating store are provided in detail on the order form - most of the cards never expire.

NEW! Online program that includes national stores like Amazon, iTunes, LL Bean, Land's End and many others. Purchase gift cards online and use them to shop online!

Q: Which store locations accept the cards?
A: They are accepted at any U.S. location of the merchant so they make great gifts!

Q: Can Sierra Club non-members buy or use EarthCash cards?
A: Absolutely! In fact, we encourage you to tell your friends and neighbors about the program -- it's a chance for them to help improve their local environment, too. Since EarthCash cards are transferable, you can give them to others as gifts.

Q: Do I still receive the usual store bonuses and benefits?
A: Yes!

Q: Can the store replace EarthCash vouchers if they are lost, stolen, or defaced?
A: Sorry, neither the stores nor HVG can replace cards after you purchase them (except at Kroger).

Q: Can I pay online?
A: Yes! With the new online program you can order cards and pay online and also shop online. For the local merchants listed on the paper order form payment must still be by check. The processing fees for services like PayPal are too expensive--the fees represent most of the discount we receive for the cards.

Q: I love what you're doing! How can I get more EarthCash Vouchers?
A: You can get more cards at any time by mail, or in person at our monthly public programs. Busch's, Hiller's and Kroger cards can be reloaded by the respective store cashier and the Sierra Club receives a contribution for every reload, so only one card is needed per person from these merchants. You can also download additional order forms to print and mail. (This form uses Adobe Reader.) Click here for information about the new online program!

Have other questions?
Please contact Ed Steinman (734-665-0248).