13 Earth Day Freebies & Deals

Help the earth and get something in return at the same time: free trees, free coffee, free reusable shopping bags, free milkshakes, free skin cleanser, and more.

Anthropologie: free Earth Day workshops for kids that teaching potting and basic gardening are being held throughout the weekend (times and dates vary by location)

Caribou Coffee: BYO reusable cup or mug into any of this company’s 400+ locations and enjoy a free coffee on Friday, April 22

DealOn: with this flash deal, available for purchase through April 24, $25 worth of all-natural, biodegradable products from LetsGoGreen.biz—including water bottles, travel mugs, food containers, plates, utensils, and cleaning supplies—are being sold for $10

DiggersList: this neat money-saving site, where DIYers list leftover home improvement supplies for sale or swap, is giving away a free packet of wildflower seeds to anyone who posts items by the end of April

Disney Store: bring in five plastic shopping bags on Friday, April 22, and you’ll receive a free reusable shopping bag featuring a green silhouette of Mickey Mouse

Drugstore.com: up to 60% off on dozens of natural, homeopathic, and organic products

EVOS: this restaurant chain, which maintains a special focus on environmental sustainability and has locations in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, is giving away free homemade organic milkshakes to all customers on April 22

Fresh & Easy: print out this coupon and redeem it by April 22 for a free canvas shopping bag when you spend at least $20 at a Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market

Lowe’s: home improvement centers around the country are giving away a total of one million trees on Saturday, April 23

National parks: free admission lasts through April 24 during National Parks Week

Origins: bring in any skin product you use and a filled-out form available at this link to an Origins store on Friday, April 22, and you’ll receive a free tube of chemical-free Origins Cleanser ($18 value)

Starbucks: bring in a reusable mug and get a free coffee or tea on Friday, April 22

thredUP: sign up with this kids clothing-swap service on Earth Day and get a credit for one free swap ($15.95 value — $5 plus $10.95 for shipping)

The Growing Debate Over Prepaid Debit Cards

At an event in Durham, N.C. on Wednesday, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Richard Cordray announced that the agency is “decid[ing] how we should go about regulating prepaid cards to better protect consumers and to provide clear rules for prepaid providers.”

The rapidly growing prepaid market is attracting both banks and non-banks, and more Americans, especially those classified as “unbanked” or “underbanked” are using these cards as de facto checking accounts.