My intention in writing this blog was to create an online forum that others could look to as a reference for legitimate and accurate data. Therefore I felt it necessary on my part to search the web and provide a number of sources that readers of this blog could turn to for further insight on the green movement. During my research, I kept in mind both the Webby Awards Criteria and the IMSA Criteria to evaluate websites as well as blogs. The sites I discovered offer a multitude of information, not just limited to California, and cover all different aspects of sustainability. One such resource that I often visit, and can frequently be found on my feed items, is TreeHugger, a comprehensive, interactive website dedicated to all things green. The creators' main goal in launching TreeHugger was to push sustainability into the mainstream, and with over a million different viewers, one could easily make the argument that they are well on their way to succeeding in their endeavor. I find TreeHugger to be one of the best places for information; not only do they have a thirty post per day blog, but they also provide a daily and weekly newsletter for quick and easy access to current information. My only criticism would be that with such a vast amount of material in one location, it is easy for viewers to become overwhelmed. Thankfully the "About" section of the site provides helpful suggestions on how to best navigate TreeHugger depending on each individual's specific needs. Got2BeGreen is another similar website. Like TreeHugger, Got2BeGreen supplies readers with a variety of green knowledge through articles and blogs. It lacks the same amount of popularity as TreeHugger but as it is only recently launched, Got2BeGreen has garnered a significant amount of attention and only continues to grow. Another resource I have previously utilized is Green Tech Gazette, a weblog that presents information on new green technology. Despite the fact that the exact credentials of the author are unknown and posts are not always updated on a daily basis, the topics are consistently relevant, of the utmost interest, and seem to be drawn from reliable primary sources. Many times green products have the connotation of being inferior or technologically behind non-green products, but this blog continually proves that is not the case, promoting cutting edge sustainable inventions. Stepping away from the blogging community, I chanced upon Smart Growth America, a coalition of numerous organizations on a national, state, and local level. This group's website is dedicated to improvements in building for cities and towns all across the country. I found this website to not be quite as informative as some others I have come across but was nonetheless a good source of information and simple to navigate. A better example can be found in the U.S. Green Building Council page. This non-profit organization is devoted to promoting the expansion of sustainable building practices throughout the United States. USGBC is a much heftier coalition uniting over 13,500 building industry organizations under this cause, and their members include engineers, architects, designers, and government agencies. This website is highly authoritative but at the same time seems to be directed more toward knowledgeable professionals in the field rather than the average citizen. The Green Home Guide is much more suited for the everyday layman who may not be quite as well versed in the world of sustainability. This San Francisco based website was created with the intention of providing simple and trusted advice to the masses. Green Home Guide allows their visitors to engage with professionals in the field who will answer any and all questions they may have when it comes to building a greener home. An easily navigable page, simple and pleasing design aesthetic, and wealth of reliable information make this website one of my favorites. Building Green is yet another resource for sustainable architecture and design. This independent company's mission is to transform the building industry using a whole-system perspective, improving environmental conditions for the outdoors, indoors, employees, owners, and associates. Unlike Green Home Guide, this website serves a much more commercial purpose for those in the industry. Narrowing my search to California centered web pages, one of the first to come up was the U.S. Department of Energy site for California. It provides the latest government news regarding anything that has to do with California energy and also provides a list of upcoming events in the state. The benefit of this website is its authority since it is a government organization, but the negative would have to be the relatively small amount of information that can actually be translated into something useful by its readers. For all that the U.S. Department of Energy lacks, the California Energy Commission's Consumer Energy Center provides. It is in fact the very premise of this website to supply the public with knowledge on how to effectively utilize energy in our homes, work, and vehicles. Simple and straightforward, the Consumer Energy Center is the ideal resource for everyone, regardless of how informed or uninformed they may be. Lastly is Environment California, a citizen-based advocacy group that fights for the protection of the state environment. They cover all environmental issues from clean water and air to state legislature. I found this site to be a particularly strong source for California specific information. To visit any of these website simply click on the corresponding link provided in my linkrolls.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Links Galore: Some of the Best Online Resources For Everything Green
My intention in writing this blog was to create an online forum that others could look to as a reference for legitimate and accurate data. Therefore I felt it necessary on my part to search the web and provide a number of sources that readers of this blog could turn to for further insight on the green movement. During my research, I kept in mind both the Webby Awards Criteria and the IMSA Criteria to evaluate websites as well as blogs. The sites I discovered offer a multitude of information, not just limited to California, and cover all different aspects of sustainability. One such resource that I often visit, and can frequently be found on my feed items, is TreeHugger, a comprehensive, interactive website dedicated to all things green. The creators' main goal in launching TreeHugger was to push sustainability into the mainstream, and with over a million different viewers, one could easily make the argument that they are well on their way to succeeding in their endeavor. I find TreeHugger to be one of the best places for information; not only do they have a thirty post per day blog, but they also provide a daily and weekly newsletter for quick and easy access to current information. My only criticism would be that with such a vast amount of material in one location, it is easy for viewers to become overwhelmed. Thankfully the "About" section of the site provides helpful suggestions on how to best navigate TreeHugger depending on each individual's specific needs. Got2BeGreen is another similar website. Like TreeHugger, Got2BeGreen supplies readers with a variety of green knowledge through articles and blogs. It lacks the same amount of popularity as TreeHugger but as it is only recently launched, Got2BeGreen has garnered a significant amount of attention and only continues to grow. Another resource I have previously utilized is Green Tech Gazette, a weblog that presents information on new green technology. Despite the fact that the exact credentials of the author are unknown and posts are not always updated on a daily basis, the topics are consistently relevant, of the utmost interest, and seem to be drawn from reliable primary sources. Many times green products have the connotation of being inferior or technologically behind non-green products, but this blog continually proves that is not the case, promoting cutting edge sustainable inventions. Stepping away from the blogging community, I chanced upon Smart Growth America, a coalition of numerous organizations on a national, state, and local level. This group's website is dedicated to improvements in building for cities and towns all across the country. I found this website to not be quite as informative as some others I have come across but was nonetheless a good source of information and simple to navigate. A better example can be found in the U.S. Green Building Council page. This non-profit organization is devoted to promoting the expansion of sustainable building practices throughout the United States. USGBC is a much heftier coalition uniting over 13,500 building industry organizations under this cause, and their members include engineers, architects, designers, and government agencies. This website is highly authoritative but at the same time seems to be directed more toward knowledgeable professionals in the field rather than the average citizen. The Green Home Guide is much more suited for the everyday layman who may not be quite as well versed in the world of sustainability. This San Francisco based website was created with the intention of providing simple and trusted advice to the masses. Green Home Guide allows their visitors to engage with professionals in the field who will answer any and all questions they may have when it comes to building a greener home. An easily navigable page, simple and pleasing design aesthetic, and wealth of reliable information make this website one of my favorites. Building Green is yet another resource for sustainable architecture and design. This independent company's mission is to transform the building industry using a whole-system perspective, improving environmental conditions for the outdoors, indoors, employees, owners, and associates. Unlike Green Home Guide, this website serves a much more commercial purpose for those in the industry. Narrowing my search to California centered web pages, one of the first to come up was the U.S. Department of Energy site for California. It provides the latest government news regarding anything that has to do with California energy and also provides a list of upcoming events in the state. The benefit of this website is its authority since it is a government organization, but the negative would have to be the relatively small amount of information that can actually be translated into something useful by its readers. For all that the U.S. Department of Energy lacks, the California Energy Commission's Consumer Energy Center provides. It is in fact the very premise of this website to supply the public with knowledge on how to effectively utilize energy in our homes, work, and vehicles. Simple and straightforward, the Consumer Energy Center is the ideal resource for everyone, regardless of how informed or uninformed they may be. Lastly is Environment California, a citizen-based advocacy group that fights for the protection of the state environment. They cover all environmental issues from clean water and air to state legislature. I found this site to be a particularly strong source for California specific information. To visit any of these website simply click on the corresponding link provided in my linkrolls.
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