Remember that big bully back in the fifth grade? Sure, we all wished he’d just go away. His early growth spurt meant wedgie sandwiches all around for the little guys. But what if, whenever he did something right, he was congratulated instead of being frowned at or ignored?  Today, the big kids of Corporate America are starting to do things right and it’s important to give them a pat on the back to let them know that they are going in the right direction.

It wasn’t long ago that all we saw was Wal-Mart wedgie-ing mom and pop, McDonalds flunking Health 101, and General Electric hanging out with the Military Industrial Complex kids. When these mega corporations start greening their grades and brushing up on their social responsibility manners, we all grumble suspiciously that they’re just doing it for attention. But with so much positive change happening in the business world, it may be time that we start to show the big guys a little love.

If a company does something that impresses you, then write or call to tell them so. And remember to play nice; being polite and respectful to the person you speak or write to is absolutely key in encouraging the company’s green growth. By sharing how excited you are about the company’s green business practices, you encourage further green development while making the customer service representative you speak with or write to feel good about his or her job and perhaps excited as well about helping to green the company. You’ll stand out in their minds and you could even completely make their day. After all, chances are that he or she is already an advocate for positive change. So make the most of your communications.

Just how green, you ask, is big business becoming? Take a look for yourself. You can visit the websites of your most (or least) favorite corporation and see what they’re doing to make good. When you find something you like, find the “contact” link on the website and shoot them a quick note: “psssst! Thanks for your commitment to or involvement in…!” You might be happily surprised by what you learn.

Did you know, for instance, that Starbucks is the biggest U.S. importer of Fair Trade certified coffee or that it pays its corporate employees to bicycle to work? How about that General Electric is positioning to take the lead in renewable energy? McDonald’s buys beef from ranches inspected by animal behaviorist, Temple Grandin, and plans to convert all of its U.K. delivery trucks to run on biodiesel made from its own cooking oil. Waste Management Inc., the tycoons of trash, are converting waste to energy—enough to power 600,000 homes a day—in addition to their recycling services. Already, thanks to utility companies, many of us can buy clean energy from our existing energy suppliers. Even Wal-Mart is taking steps toward solar and already funds the conservation of one acre of wildlife habitat for every acre occupied by a store. Also, get a look at the Chevy Volt hybrid plug-in or the Lotus Zap-X Crossover electric vehicle.

We’re not saying that you have to become bosom buddies with Mr. Big from Corporate America. Certainly, there are an overwhelming number of improvements we all need to make before our global society is a sustainable one. Just kind of put your arm around him and let him know you think he’s cool when he makes environmentally and socially responsible decisions.

For a roll call of who’s doing good, take a look at a list of the world’s top 100 most sustainable corporations at Global100.org. To sort these companies by business values, see this page from Business Week. And, for a shortlist of the exceptionally green, visit EnvironmentalLeader.com. Those with an interest in Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) can also look for greener pastures at sites like AltEnergyStocks.com or InsideGreenTech.com, or by searching the portfolio holdings of SRI funds.

But it’s not just the big guys who are making a difference in the world today. Keep your eyes peeled as well for just what smaller businesses are doing to make positive change. For example, check out Strauss Family Creamery, a local dairy that provides organic milk in glass bottles, which it cleans and reuses. They even run their farm with 100% renewable energy that they generate with their own cow power: no, not cows on a treadmill, but methane gas from the cow pies that they store and turn into electricity. And you might be interested to know about Earth Tones, a cell phone co-op company that donates 100% of its profits to environmental non-profits.

So, whether it’s the big kid who’s trying to make good or the little guy with a heart of gold, write to or call the companies you see doing the right thing and let them know they are doing a good job. You will brighten someone’s day and help encourage the world to become a little bit greener.

Photo Sources: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintmclean/158995528/, http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjbj/76107112/.