It seems everything's going green in ad land. In recent months there's been a deluge of press releases and announcements coming across our desks, notifying us of projects and companies that are becoming environmentally responsible by offsetting the carbon emissions they produce. Some do it overtly, like LA's Instant Karma Films, whose name speaks to their MO, while others are choosing to subtly add that they're carbon neutral at the bottom of emails or on websites. Either way, it looks like we've got a bona fide trend on our hands.

But with all trends, there's gotta be a motivation behind getting on board. In our story on Droga5 - which in March teamed with UNICEF to generate money for World Water Day with their Tap Project - agency CEO Andrew Essex uses the phrase "philanthropy for profit". While admitting it sounds a bit gauche, he points out that there's no need to eschew a conscience in order to do good business. "We believe brands should have commerce with conscience," he says.

At the other end of the world, Leo Burnett, Sydney partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to create Earth Hour - one hour at the end of March where Sydney flicked off their lights.

Both of these projects were certainly not cash-cows for the respective agencies, but they demonstrate what Essex calls "pure ideation". And if companies want to dabble in philanthropy to show off their big brains, then we'll all be a little better for it. Let's hope we don't see this trend go the way of the Betamax.

Speaking of doing good, the judges for this year's First Boards Awards did a great job coming up with our list of the most promising new talent. As usual, we coyly coerced them into committing hours upon hours to the task, and for that we thank them.

Cheers
Rae Ann Fera
Editor

2007 JUDGES
Sue Bell (DDB Canada, Vancouver)
Zoë Bell (Mother, London)
Sam Benson (BBDO, Toronto)
Nadia Blake (Publicis, New York)
Matt Bonin (Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Miami)
Bob Cagliero (89 Edit, New York)
Adam Chasnow (180, Amsterdam)
Toby Clifton (Saatchi & Saatchi, London)
Tom Dunlap (W+K, Amsterdam)
Todd Davidovich (RIOT, LA)
Karin Fong (Imaginary Forces)
Elise Greiche (BBDO, New York)
Andy Hall (A52, LA)
Roger Harris (Vapor Music, Toronto)
Dolores Keating-Malen (Corus Entertainment, Toronto)
Tim Kentley (XYZ Studios, Sydney
Mark Kudsi (Motion Theory, LA)
Greg Lane (GSD&M, Austin)
Eliot Liss (WCRS, London)
Nick Losq (Motion Theory, LA)
Alan Madill (Grip Limited, Toronto)
Laurie Malaga (La Comunidad, Miami)
David McElwaine (MTV, New York)
Loni Peristere (Zoic Studios, LA)
David Perry (Saatchi & Saatchi, New York)
Owen Plotkin (The Now Corporation, New York)
Mateus de Paula Santos (Lobo, Brazil)
Jose Silva (Vegaolmosponce, Buenos Aires)
Damian Stevens (Saatchi & Saatchi, LA)
Kevin Shapiro (Logan)
John Stollar (AXYZ, Toronto)
Ed Ulbrich (Digital Domain, LA)
David Verhoef (DDB, San Francisco)