In early March, Austin-based Whole Foods launched Whole Earth Generation, a video podcast series designed to raise environmental awareness among youngsters.

To kick it off, Whole Foods announced a contest to find six kids aged 8 to 17 to serve as hosts for the series, which runs through April 29.

Children in North America could either submit a video on the Whole Foods YouTube channel or show up for auditions in Whole Foods stores in New York, Chicago and Austin on select days.

"So many shoppers tell us they have learned how to be more environmentally conscious by listening to their kids," said Heather Kennedy, Whole Foods' senior coordinator of national marketing. "We hope this program takes that trend to an even broader audience via the internet."

The company is currently sifting through contest entries.