Jeff Kart, Forbes – One way to mark Earth Day is with a credit card, by making donations to charities involved in environmental protection throughout the year.

And if you're going to give for April 22, you might as well get the most for your money. Charity Navigator, which evaluates nonprofits, has a handy list of highly rated three- and four-star organizations that provide education, draft legislation and lead efforts to protect the planet. What's more, you may have heard of many of these orgs, but the list also highlights a number of smaller groups working on innovative projects.

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