“Take care of the earth and she will take care of you.” – Author Unknown

Mother Nature is a big believer in quid pro quo. Do something nice for her and she’ll do something nice for you. You see quid pro quo isn’t just some evil tool used by lobbyists like Jack Abramoff or mobsters like Tony Soprano.

Actually, Mother Nature is a lot like a Soprano – Carmela, that is, Tony’s wife. She’s nurturing, fair minded, willing to drive you to football practice, and happy to slap you upside the head if you throw garbage out the car window. Being nice to Carmela makes good sense, even if Tony hasn’t figured that out yet after five seasons.

The fact is maternal connections are very important for a healthy, prosperous life, especially when it comes to the mother of all mothers, Ma Nature. Treat her respectfully, and she’ll do good by you. That’s why on this day, Earth Day, it’s a good time not only to consider positive ways you can impact the planet and your friendly neighborhood ecosystem, but also ways you can improve your financial life at the same time.

For instance, a great way to make some extra money and keep Mother Nature’s backyard clean is to invest in companies that do right by the planet. Here are some environmentally- and financially-sound companies, all of which are publicly traded:

Ballard Power Systems (Nasdaq: BLDP). One of the pioneers of fuel cell technology, Ballard is helping to reduce auto emissions and thus reducing the amount of crap we have to breathe.

Ormat Resources (NYSE: ORA). Since 1965, Ormat has combined ecology with economy to produce environmentally sound energy systems. Geothermal, biomass, solar energy, recovered-energy power generation, these guys do it all.

SunPower (Nasdaq: SPWR). SunPower produces high efficiency solar panels and cells for solar energy systems used by homes and businesses. It claims its solar cells have the highest conversion efficiency available for the mass market.

Zoltek (Nasdaq: ZOLT). A producer of carbon fibers, Zoltek is helping produce turbine blades for wind power generators, a clean source of energy.

In addition to earth-friendly stock options, there are other investments you can make that will bring more green to everyone’s world, including your own. Money Trees are great for the home or office (good feng shui), and they symbolize good fortune. They’re also easy to care for, as are Lucky Bamboo plants. The Chinese consider Lucky Bamboo a bringer of good fortune.

Another wonderful way to strengthen your financial life and help the planet is buying audio books. No book = no paper = no trees lost. Consider purchasing Prosperity Consciousness. Listen at home or in your car how you can change your relationship with money at the deepest levels. When you do, you’ll put yourself on a path where money easily flows into your life like an unpolluted river.

Finally, Earth Day is all about clean living – for the planet and you. Mothernature.com offers a wide range of great products that are all-natural and will help you feel healthier and stronger. The Ultimate Cleanse Kit - Multi Herb is designed to cleanse and detoxify your entire body. Multi-Herb has 29 herbs to help your body release toxins from all of your vital organs. The end result is an internally clean body that feels energized and renewed.

Do it for yourself, do it for Mother Nature, do it for Carmela. The woman deserves it.