The spring equinox marks a time of balance and renewal, for ourselves and our planet.

Back living on the west coast of the US for the first time in many years, I've been surprised at how early the trees have budded and leafed out. The cherry blossoms have come and gone. I pass a wetlands area on my bike ride to work, and a pair of snowy egrets that I saw each morning this winter seem to have moved on, replaced today by a red-winged blackbird.

It's time to shape up, clean up, and make a difference for ourselves and our planet.

The dry season begins soon in sub-Saharan Africa. Especially along the southern edge, clean drinking water is in short supply. But, it doesn’t have to be this way. YOU can make a difference!

Access to clean water is critical for human survival. Water-related diseases are the leading cause of death. In many villages, women and girls are primarily responsible for hauling water, sometimes over enormous distances.

PlayPumps International has developed an innovative solution that saves lives – a community water pump that is powered by children at play.

Learn about a great program to bring 100 water pumps to children and their families in sub-Saharan Africa in the next 100 days. Simply download PlayPump's new Action Kit.

The UN has declared today to be World Water Day. From now through June 29, PlayPumps International hopes to raise funds to provide clean drinking water to 100 communities - or 250,000 people - in sub-Saharan Africa. Each PlayPump costs $14,000 to build and install, with 10 years guaranteed maintenance. For as little as $6 dollars you can provide one person with access to clean drinking water for 10 years.

Make a difference now by joining the PlayPumps International 100 Pumps in 100 Days challenge.

Download the Action Kit to get started!

The lighter tastes and textures of spring make our bodies feel lighter, too, and more energized. Next time you're wondering what to make for dinner, try this healthy, satisfying salad with its fresh spinach and healthy avocado, its immune-boosting red onion, tender pasta, and zippy dressing--and feel renewed.

• Spring Veggie Pasta Salad

Feral cats are born outdoors. Uncomfortable around humans, they will never be happy living in our homes. They live in colonies wherever they can find food, be it in alleys or under a boardwalk. On their own without human intervention, breeding is not controlled, and their numbers steadily increase.

Feral cat colonies need to be controlled, but needlessly killing cats is not the answer.

Feral cats are killed daily in animal control facilities because they are unadoptable and animal control officers aren't aware there is a better way. Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR, is the most effective and humane way to manage feral cat colonies. It is a full management plan in which stray and feral cats are humanely trapped, vaccinated and sterilized by veterinarians.

Kittens and socialized cats are adopted into good homes, and adult feral cats are returned to their familiar habitat where they can live healthy lives under the lifelong care of volunteers.

Killing cats is not the answer! Sign our petition today

Keep in touch with your friends and share the message of living in harmony with nature. Conservation International has released a beautiful new set of E-Cards.

Find them in our New E-Cards section.

Once, spring cleaning was a necessity to get rid of layers of soot from candles, fireplaces, kerosene, and lamp oil. But even today, with our cleaner heating and lighting methods, it’s such a refreshing, liberating thing to do--as long as you use non-toxic, simply green cleaning methods. Help your home feel fresh as the proverbial daisy with Annie’s favorite easy tips for energizing green spring cleaning. Annie assures me this is fun.

• Green Cleaning Methods

If you are like me, you spend way too much time in front of your computer. That uses a lot of energy, which contributes to global warming. Care2 has introduced a new toolbar you can install on your browser that will offset your computer’s contribution to global warming.

Every day you use the Care2 toolbar, we'll make a donation to save 25 square feet of Amazonian Rainforest to recapture that carbon dioxide and reduce global warming gases. You can think of it as the Carbon Neutral Toolbar.

With Care2's free toolbar, you're always a click away from your favorite Care2 features like e-cards, click to donate, Care2Connect, daily action, online petitions, Care2 News Network, Care2 search and more. Stay connected to the Care2 features you love.

• Download the Free Toolbar

More and more people are making the Care2 News Network the first place they look for the news that matters to them. You post stories. You vote. You determine what gets Front Page attention.

What's on the Front Page today?

• Oceanic Expedition Uncovers Vast Genetic Diversity
• Harry Potter's Publisher Goes Green
• Mother Nature Still a Rich Source of New Drugs