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This year’s Earth Day theme is “A Billion Acts of Green,” but it may seem more like a billion ads. Beginning with your morning coffee, you’ll likely encounter special eco-efforts all day long. Environmental Leader shares a brief round-up of promotions, and The Huffington Post highlights “Earth Day Freebies.”

If you’re overwhelmed, you’re not alone. In Cone’s 2011 Green Gap Trend Tracker, 51 percent of Americans said they are overwhelmed by the amount of environmental messages in the marketplace. But that doesn’t mean environmental marketing cannot be effective. To stand out from the green din on Earth Day, and all year, strive to meet these three evergreen rules for environmental marketing:

1. Be a resource – Provide sufficient supporting information to back up environmental claims at point of sale. Seventy-nine percent of consumers want companies to provide information about environmental commitments on the package to help them make informed purchases. And the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed revisions to the Green Guides will soon require it.

2. Be grounded – Tell a story that ensures what the product delivers is what consumers believe. Our research revealed consumers’ interpretations of environmental messages are often not aligned with product realities, which puts companies at risk for consumer backlash. Sixty-seven percent of consumers wish companies would do a better job of helping them understand the environmental terms they use to talk about their products and services.

3. Be realistic – Put environmental claims in a wider context with a humble, “work-in-progress” tone. Consumers value authenticity over perfection when it comes to environmental marketing. Three-quarters of Americans say it’s ok if a company is not environmentally perfect – as long as it is honest about its efforts.

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day! No, we’re not behind the times. We’re well-aware yesterday was Earth Day, and we celebrated right alongside every other eco-conscious organization in the world. We applaud the efforts, announcements and commitments organizations made. But for us, and hopefully many of you, today is Earth Day, too, and therefore still worth talking about.

Despite data showing most consumers (91%) want to hear about companies’ social and environmental commitments, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by “earth-friendly” messages on Earth Day. One sustainability writer tallied 287 Earth Day-related email announcements in his inbox – an obvious gluttony of green. One can only imagine consumers feel the same.

So instead of blasting your latest green product launch or environmental announcement only on April 22, why not use all 365 days in a year to communicate with your consumers? In fact, most consumers (85%) want companies to communicate their environmental commitments year-round, as opposed to seasonally to coincide with isolated events, such as Earth Day. Not only will an ongoing communications strategy help your organization avoid the green deluge, but it will also increase the exposure of your efforts by reaching stakeholders throughout the year, likely when they can pay closer attention.

As consumers and other stakeholders become ever-more demanding of corporate sustainability efforts, it also becomes harder for companies to break through with their messages. Choose your timing wisely. Your customers – and the media – will take better notice and appreciate your efforts when they’re not already drowning in green.

Today, greenbiz.com highlights the activities many companies are undertaking to celebrate Earth Day internally.  The activities, according to the post, fall into one or more of four major categories: on-site events, creating or acknowledging “green teams,” awarding and recognizing achievements and engaging in community service efforts.

At Cone, we’re pleased to report that we’re engaging in all four.