(ROCKVILLE, Md, May 1, 2012) – Green Passport DC, a social media contest that awards players with cash each time they check in using their mobile phone to any of forty-eight local wind powered businesses, is entering its fourth and final week.

Clean Currents, a wind power supply company operating in Washington, DC and Maryland, launched Green Passport DC on April 3rd.  The contest will conclude on May 6th and the $2,000 grand prize will be awarded to one lucky winner the following week.  To date, over three-hundred people have started playing the game, resulting in hundreds of individual check-ins at the forty-eight participating business locations. 

The goal of the Green Passport DC contest is to increase public awareness of the plethora of green powered and sustainable businesses that exist in the Washington area.  “I make a conscious effort to support green businesses in my day to day life. Green Passport DC provides even more encouragement for conscious consumerism by paying me $2.50 to visit any of the forty-eight wind powered locations that are participating in the contest.  It's fun, simple to play, and a great way to get rewarded for living green,” said Steve Ma, Washington, DC resident and founder of Live Green, a leading network of green businesses and consumers.

Despite their popularity, many of the participating Green Passport DC locations are not commonly known as being wind powered.  A few of the participating locations include local favorites like Tryst, Logan Tavern, Belga Café, Granville Moore’s, American Ice Co., Meridian Pint, Hudson Trail Outfitters, Open City, and Cakelove. 

“I’m happy that we decided to be a part of the Green Passport DC campaign.  So far, over 150 individuals have checked in to Open City, Tryst, or the Diner by using their mobile phones and playing the game.  It’s really been a win-win for us, as Green Passport DC has increased business at our locations while also highlighting that the restaurants are local wind-powered businesses,” said Constantine Stavropoulis, owner of Open City, Tryst, and the Diner.
 

Players who registered for Green Passport DC have also been able to select one of five local non-profits as a beneficiary throughout the campaign.  The participating non-profits include: Martha’s Table, LearnServe International, Washington Parks & People, Cultural Tourism DC, and CentroNia. Each time a player checks in to any of the forty-eight participating Green Passport DC locations they earn $2.50 for themselves. In addition, if the player selects one of the beneficiaries upon registration, the non-profit will receive a matching donation for each of the player’s check-ins.

“The Green Passport DC campaign has been an innovative and fun way to raise awareness about the importance of using sustainable sources of energy and Martha’s Table is proud to be a part of it.  Not only are we one of the beneficiary organizations, but as a Clean Currents customer ourselves, we are glad to do our part to make DC a greener city.  Being green also makes great economic sense, since becoming a Clean Currents customer we have saved more than $3,100 on our electric bill during the last year—which is so important to a non-profit that must watch every penny,” said Ann Brookover, Director of Development at Martha’s Table. 

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