Wow. First of all kudos to Social Actions for doing the initial “Change the Web challenge” and then for Zemanata to  “pay it forward.” I have blogged about how great Zemanata is once before, but this truly sets them apart…Ok so let me get you up to speed as to what this whole challenge, “Blogging for a cause” is all about.

The kind people at Zemanata have stepped forward with the following challenge to each and everyone of us:

We Need You to Blog About Your Favorite Causes.

As a blogger, your voice can change the world. Innovative social media tools, such as blogging give you the means to promote any number of worthwhile charitable causes. It’s a big challenge, but one we know our community of blogging friends is up for: making the world a better place.

Zemanta has been working with Social Actions, an initiative that aggregates civic causes from more than 50 databases, to create a tool that recommends charitable causes to bloggers while they write. In recognition of Zemanta’s effort, we were awarded 2nd prize at the Change The Web Challenge.

What Zemanta is doing now is that they are taking that $3000 (and any matches they get) and donating that money to an organizations that gets the most blog press/coverage. (You know the basic concept of paying it forward I assume).

My response: “I accept your generous proposal, Zemanta!” Of course I am jumping at the opportunity to share my favorite organizations with you…

So I start with an amazing organization out in Arizona. I became familiar with their mission and work first hand during my work at ROI Solutions. The organization I’d like to brag about is the Center for Biological Diversity. Boy, based on the last 8 presidential years we should all be advocating for more biological diversity (*IMO*). The Center for Biological Diversity, or CBD as they are called, has been on the forefront of saving endangered species for years. Please consider this: most of those species are dying because of global climate changes, new housing or corporate developments, and simples things like off road driving; circumstances for which we are all responsible.

Some of their more familiar recent campaigns include Saving the Polar Bears, Cleaning up the Bush Legacy, and the Call of the Wild (you may recall those popular animal ring tones from a few years ago, that was them)…but beyond the general popularity of their campaigns, their campaigns are extremely well run and organized and managed by even more efficient people. Their staff are among the most dedicated and enthusiastic animal nerds that I have ever met, and that is so cool.

Cool as they may be, we have to remember that we are all responsible, and we should all pitch in to ensure the continued prosperity of as many living creatures, however big or small, on Earth as we can. So wether this inspires you to join CBD, to make a one time donation, or maybe to share this story with a friend, I am honored to have shared their work with you. I do hope that you do one of afore mentioned, and even better, take the time to write about this or your favorite organization.

This blog post is part of Zemanta’s “Blogging For a Cause” campaign to raise awareness and funds for worthy causes that bloggers care about.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Big win for a tiny endangered species (CBD success story – one of many) (sciam.com)
• Blogging For A Cause (zemanta.com)
• Zemanta now suggests ways to change the world (zemanta.com)