Green Daily

Combine a snappy title, catchy sound effects, moving cartoon graphics and funny, hip writing, and what do you get? A site that's bound to get noticed, especially by the younger generation.

Launched today, Unscrew America is a non-profit site launched by Lesley Chilcott, producer of An Inconvenient Truth and run by Austin company GSD&M Idea City. The site's tongue-in-cheek name is also its main focus; a banner when you first visit states, "You can change a lightbulb, right?" implying that such a tiny, simple, and seemingly insignificant task can make a huge difference.

As visitors scroll over and click on various icons composed within three separate clouds, they get honest, non-preachy, witty remarks about how to take small steps toward more eco-friendly living, and down-to-earth explanations of more involved concepts. For instance, clicking on the bubbling science beaker will bring you to the "Are you into science, or what?" section, which provides the "science" explanation and the "regular people" explanation of the difference between incandescent, CFL, and LED lightbulbs.

But the best part? The site provides three sound options: the default setting ("I love music"), mute ("I hate music), and Hall & Oates' Private Eyes ("I love music, but only Hall & Oates). It's the details that count.

The final word: the site doesn't have funding yet, but it seems to have found its niche. It appeals to the masses by providing environmental information in a nonthreatening, informative, and - dare we say - entertaining forum. And that's something we can all appreciate.