By Colleen Luckett, Guest Blogger

When I think of the word “philanthropist,” I usually imagine a bunch of uppity rich folks at a black-tie benefit, standing around a banquet table, champagne in hand and nose firmly in the air. OK, that’s a bit judgy. But the point I’m making is . . . you know who else are philanthropists? Little ole you and me and everyone in between. And what better day to let out your inner do-gooder than on Make a Difference Day, October 28?

We here at Koffee Kompanions like to encourage use of our reusable, recyclable Kup Kollar cup wraps all year long, but we’re highlighting them on this special day and asking you to stop throwing away those cardboard wraps! Make a difference for the environment by not contributing to overflowing landfills (and look stylish while you sip your brew!).

Here are some other ways you can help the environment on Make a Difference Day:

• Pick up trash at a local park
• Plant flowers in the community
• Paint a mural over graffiti
• Raise money for playground equipment
• Host a recycling event
• Organize a car pool in your neighborhood
• Test the health of local rivers, lakes, and streams
• Clean trash on the beach or nature preserve
• Create a campaign to encourage biking or walking to school
• Make a pact with yourself to ride your bike more and drive less

And a few other off-the-beaten-path ideas:

Check out Lyft's new “Lyft Line” service: join forces with another person going your way, split the fare, and save the earth from one more car on the road. Bonus: maybe meet a new “special” friend, if you know what I’m saying. Great story for the grandkids!

Kill two birds with one stone: get some Christmas shopping done earlier and save the environment by shopping online on October 28 rather than driving around to the stores. Not only is it convenient and a green way to make a difference, but you also save money on gas. Score! Might we suggest you start your virtual shopping spree at www.koffeekompanions.com? Great stocking stuffers await you! Win-win . . . and win!

Convince your boss to let you telecommute to work: You get to work in your pajamas, your company saves money on work space, AND you keep the air cleaner by not driving to work.

Whatever you do, DO SOMETHING! If we all make one little change, it will lead to big changes over time. And hopefully, all this do-gooding will prompt you to keep it up every day. Happy Make a Difference Day!

Have other ideas about how we can make a difference by saving the environment? Please share in the Comments section below.