General Interest: Starting Points
Grist
The preeminent source for environmental news online, plus an added touch of humor to soften the tough-news edges. Top features include the Grist List of hot topics, a weekly podcast and a "greenwashing" crew keeping tabs on companies making "green" claims.
Yahoo! Green
Breaking news headlines, feature articles and columns, blogs, discussion boards and handy tools for measuring your carbon footprint and building a greener home -- all backed by the resources and visibility of one of the Web's top destinations.
Tree Hugger
Leading site for sustainability blogs, newsletters, videos and a weekly radio segment, usually with an optimistic edge. "Knowing that apocalyptic predictions tend to paralyze the masses instead of mobilizing them, we also prefer an enthusiastic, upbeat outlook."
Eco Street
A blog devoted to "street-level" green living -- topics range from cloth diapers and kid-friendly green products to heavy metal bands with an eco-friendly (and loud) message.
EnviroLink
One of the oldest and most comprehensive sources for sustainability news, blog directories and online resources. Site features a database of thousands of environmental resources and also provides Web services to non-profits.
EcoTumble
Brevity is the key to wit -- short hits covering a wide range of sustainability topics from climate change to useless plastic items. Liberal doses of humor and links to video and multimedia make it a fun daily destination.
WorldChanging
One of the largest blogging and community sites online devoted to the subject of sustainability. Extensive roster of columnists and contributors from all across the globe, addressing issues ranging from social justice to carbon offsets.
Calculators, Maps, Sims, Databases
Earth Institute at Columbia University
Loads of online resources, including a unique mapping tool and a quiz on the origins of the sustainability movement.
Green Map
Teams from more than 50 nations chart their community's natural, cultural and green living resources, organized around "green maps." Also features map-making tools and tutorials to expand the site's map and resource database.
Starbucks: Planet Green Game
Learn how to "go green" at the local level as you skateboard, bicycle or drive around a virtual neighborhood looking for clues and gaining points for making the right ecological decisions. You can also enter a virtual Starbucks — sorry, no virtual coffee...
BBC's Climate Challenge
Feeling wonky? This game allows you to try your hand at politics, all the way from the international and national levels of big-time policy to the personal politics of your own home. Sometimes complex, but great graphics and facts from a trusted global news source.
Global Warming Interactive
This simulator created by the National Science Foundation is possibly the most complex and far-reaching "game" about climate change, aimed at education about CO2 emissions and focusing on the relationship of global warming to economic, political and science policy decisions.
Activism, the Public Policy Game
Learn what it's really like to shape the future of your state or the nation... Activism is a fairly sophisticated game where you can control everything from the quality and well-being of teachers to the military. Sponsored by the Democratic Party during the run-up to the 2004 elections.
Oil God
This simulator created by the National Science Foundation is possibly the most complex and far-reaching "game" about climate change, aimed at education about CO2 emissions and focusing on the relationship of global warming to economic, political and science policy decisions.
CO2 Climate Challenge
Try to change the amount of carbon dioxide "pouring" into our atmosphere with this fun and unique tool created by the Sustainability Institute and the Society for Organizational Learning, using research from a leading climatologist.
Be Green Now
Calculate your individual carbon footprint, get "eco-action" tip sheets and buy carbon offsets. You can also purchase carbon offsets as gifts for others.
Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Easy-to-navigate menus with reviews of nearly one-quarter of currently available cosmetics, with ratings given for the relative safety of each and a list of dangerous components. A project of the Environmental Working Group.
Governments, Agencies and NGOs
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
A government site packed with useful features, from graphical air quality meters to updated lists of potentially dangerous consumer items.
United Nations Environmental Programme
Maps, graphics, videos, charts -- this site is full of useful multimedia elements to help explain global challenges like climate change, biodiversity, disappearing world cultures, even art.
United Nations: Division for Sustainable Development
A treasure trove for sustainability researchers -- white papers, policies and an A-to-Z guide to topics ranging from agriculture to toxic chemicals to the crisis facing the world's fresh water supply.
The Nature Conservancy
One of the most globally influential non-governmental agencies focused on sustainablity of the Earth's natural resources. Details of the group's activism on all continents, plus fact sheets and multimedia covering seemingly every threatened habitat.
Union of Concerned Scientists
Online experts covering a range of topics including food safety, clean energy technologies and global warming. Site features green-living tips, reviews on "clean" autos and building techniques and much more.
World Wildlife Fund
Now featuring a Second Life virtual home. One of the most respected NOGs in the world, the WWF focuses on protecting endangered or threatened species by preserving their natural habits.
Energy Star
A wealth of tools and tips from the federal government on how to make homes more energy efficient. Site features tools and printable, downloadable guides for everything from finding energy-smart appliances to building upgrade calculators.
HUD E-Maps
Worried about potential pollution in your neighborhood? This Housing and Urban Development site shows the locations of hazardous-waste generators and handlers plus sources of air pollution and other toxins across the U.S. The site also generates maps for population, ethnicity, income and other factors.
Activist and Grass-Roots Groups
Sustainable Communities Network
Online tools and worksheets for grass-roots groups looking to "go green" at the very local level, with tips on everything from planning sustainable events to ratings of colleges based on how "green" they are.
Greenpeace
Since 1971, Greenpeace activists have put themselves in harm's way to draw attention to causes ranging from nuclear testing to hunting whales. With more than 2.5 million members worldwide, the group is focusing more on the threat of global warming.
Planetsave
Blogging, microloans and wind energy credits are just a few of the features at this diverse site. "Community and quality information are at the core of personal and social change." Free blogging platforms for registered users.
Heal the Bay
Originally begun to push cleanup of heavily polluted Santa Monica Bay in Los Angeles, Heal the Bay has grown to lead efforts to clean up beaches, riparian watersheds and rivers that originate hundreds of miles from the ocean's shore.
Sierra Club
Touting itself as "America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization," the Sierra Club's mission is a model of sustainability: Enjoy nature, preserve it for future generations, educate and fight the good fight in court.
Rainforest Alliance: Sustainable Agriculture
Looking to counter "rampant deforestation and careless agrochemical use," the Rainforest Alliance has a wealth of resources online and curates a network of farmers following the principles of sustainable farming.
Slow Food International
Site for a growing global movement emphasizing local produce, sustainable agriculture and biodiversity. "Slow Food helps people rediscover the joys of eating and understand the importance of caring where their food comes from, who makes it and how itís made."
Think Tanks and Universities
Clinton Global Initiative
Site founded by former President Clinton aims to "help our world move beyond the current state of globalization to a more integrated global community of shared benefits, responsibilities, and values." Sustainability of resources and population is just one of many subjects, with an overall focus on responsible globalization.
Global Green USA
Founded by former Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev, Global Green focuses on three areas: global warming, nuclear proliferation and safe drinking water. Site includes the Green Building Resource center, a how-to guide for sustainable construction.
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Site's global network of 150 contributors work to mitigate "changing climate, biodiversity loss, abject poverty and environmental degradation" through government and non-governmental agency organizations. Exhaustive list of policy papers and expert sources for journalists and researchers.
Natural Resources Defense Council
One of the best-organized and most comprehensive non-government sites dedicated to environmental activism. Issue briefings break down the latest scientific and political jargon into readable articles. Many other features, including live Q&A sessions with environmental experts.
Redefining Progress
Site for the influential think tank focused on the environment, sustainable economic policies, the ecological footprint on the planet and ecological justice. Includes footprint quizzes and an environmental quiz aimed at kids.
Post Carbon Institute
The group is a "think, action and education tank offering research, project tools, education and information" for strategies to deal with sequestering carbon in the atmosphere and adapt to a world where energy is a precious commodity.
The Sustainability Institute
A research consortium and think tank with an in-house crew of "biologists, writers, social scientists, system dynamics modelers and facilitators" engaged in finding new business and government policy models for sustainable development.
Earth Institute at Columbia University
"Understanding Earth as one integrated system, The Earth Institute at Columbia University is working to achieve sustainable development through education, scientific research, and action." Features include useful factsheets on global ecological issues.
Alliance for Global Sustainability
The AGS is an international partnership between four of the world's leading science and technology universities: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, MIT, the University of Tykyo and Chalmers University of Technology.
Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy
A relatively new "peer-reviewed, open-access journal that provides a platform for the dissemination of new practices and for dialogue emerging out of the field of sustainability." Review board includes leading researchers in the field of sustainability research.
Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture
This educational and advocacy resource, founded by a wealthy oilman and U.S. senator who grew up on a small farm in Oklahoma, features local sustainable food guides, lesson plans and tips and tricks for sustainable agriculture "best practices."
The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Research & development at the Iowa State University that "explores and cultivates alternatives that secure healthier people and landscapes in Iowa and the nation."
Center for Environmental Farming Systems
An education and advocacy site by North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University. These folks practice what they preach on a demostration model farm, and offer online resources so that traditional farmers can follow their footsteps.
Business, Investments and Watchdogs
Sustainable Business
A "power-user" destination for the latest news, columns and blogs on the growing number of "green" companies worldwide. Useful features include a powerful tool to track stock prices of companies in dozens of different sectors.
Green Blog
"TMC's Green Blog is dedicated to providing information and opinions that will help environmentally conscientious business leaders choose environmentally-friendly solutions." Categories include green investing tips and emerging technologies from a business point of view.
>Green Bang
A grass-roots-based nexus of corporate reviews and criticism. "Greenbang tracks the explosion of the environmental industry. It's blogged by a small but growing team of reporters around the world, and anyone else who cares to join in..."
Conservation Value
Blog posts, news headlines and links from contributors who keep an eye on corporate "greenwash" and offer timely advice and news, plus very helpful tip sheets on everything from recycling to sustainable business practices to resources for educators.
GreenBiz
Site aims to be a one-stip clearinghouse on sustainable business practices and a guide for finding and rating "green" business investments. Valuable tools include an "award directory" that honors companies for being environmental leaders.
Business for Social Responsibility
Online advisory service covering investments and companies that "demonstrate respect for ethical values, people, communities and the environment." Comprehensive listings with updated ratings and reviews, plus free and subscription-based online resources.
Calvert Online
The leading online experts in "socially responsible" mutual and bond funds, including investments in local communities and environmental initiatives. Features include the "Calvert Social Index" which measures the ethical performance of U.S.-based companies.
Ceres
Mission: "Integrating sustainability into capital markets for the health of the planet and its people." The online hub for a growing coalition of businesses that vow to follow green and ethical standards and practices.
Green Money Journal
For more than 15 years, founder Cliff Feigenbaum and his contributors have extolled the virtues of ethical investing and sustainable manufacturing, acting as a "greenwash" brigade debunking claims by some companies and praising others.
CenterPoint Carbon
A comprehensive news and information site devoted to business happenings on the sustainability beat, focusing on the international trade of carbon offsets and power generating. Stock tickers, energy sector bulletins, carbon market trackers, custom research and much more.
Sustainable Industries
Touting "economic gain through environmental innovation," this news and blog site covers everything from marketing sustainable crops, book reviews and columns and to downloadable guides for buying "green" building products.
Teaching Tools and Kids' Resources
Starbucks: Planet Green Game
Learn how to "go green" at the local level as you skateboard, bicycle or drive around a virtual neighborhood looking for clues and gaining points for making the right ecological decisions. You can also enter a virtual Starbucks — sorry, no virtual coffee...
Ben & Jerry's: Lick Global Warming
A fun game with a serious message at the end -- ride around in a gas guzzler, an eco-friendly van, a hybrid or a speedster, picking up passengers and hopefully finding the gas station on your way to a Guster concert. The serious part comes at the end, when you're prompted to contact your elected officials to take action.
National Geographic: Environment
Resources for teachers and quizzes for students covering topics ranging from global warming to air pollution to family farming. Interactive tools illustrate complex concepts, and tip sheets and how-to guides make taking action easy.
The Great Green Web Game
A virtual board game created by the Union of Concerned Scientists, with "Did You Know" factoids and a Q&A approach to learning facts about environmental pollution and carbon footprints.
School Carbon and Ecological Footprint Calculator
A graphics-heavy, easy-to-navigate guide to what an ecological footprint is all about and how the younger set can take steps in their own lives to reduce their carbon output. Follow the ketchup bottle (in British-speak, tomato sauce) from Italy to your table.
U.K. Environment Agency: Fun and Games
A full menu of games designed to be both fun to play and instructive about the need for conservation and sustainable resource practices. Interactive lessons on separate subjects help keep kids focused, and the bright graphics and sounds entertain.
The Green Squad
An interactive game from the Natural Resources Defense Council, featuring a cast of tweens helping solve some real-world puzzles about the environment and sustainability from the vantage point of their school. Lesson plans and a progress chart are included.
Climate Change Kids Site
Created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this site helps explain how human activity is changing the global environment. Site includes simple, familiar games with a focus on the environment.
The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education
Helping young students "invent a sustainable future" with curriculum and guided seminars for teachers. The group creates "innovative courses and professional development programs that focus students' thinking, research and creativity" on sustainability issues.
How-To Guides for Living Green
Sustain Lane
Reviews and "greenwash" critiques of natural and organic foods, products and businesses. Useful tips for living "green" at home, including top-five lists and easy-to-find entries sorted by category -- the site makes it much easier to live a sustainable life...
Green Options
Extensive directory of blogs, articles, how-to guides and forums for those "hunting for practical, personal knowledge that allows them to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle without breaking their budget or seriously sacrificing comfort and convenience."
Greener Buildings
A comprehensive source for all aspects of building energy-efficient "green" structures. Directory also includes hundreds of online tools for both individual homeowners and building contractors on best practices for construction or remodeling.
Appropedia
A clearinghouse of thousands of articles, organized in a wiki format, highlighting practical solutions for sustainability, poverty reduction and international development. Site's mission is to organize project examples, best practices and how-tos.
Greenopia
A growing list of city guides on practical ways to live green. Site features handy tip sheets, green business directories and blogs by regular contributors covering everything from social movements to green gift items.
Architecture for Humanity
Practical applications and research on low-cost, sustainable, small-footprint housing solutions for both developed nations and nations where housing is in critically short supply. Focus on energy efficiency, local materials and simple construction techniques.
Green Progress
Focused on technological approaches to "green" living, including online resources for building efficient homes and news about alternative energy research, transportation and global climate change.
Sustainable Design Forum
A self-described "big picture" site with news, resources, discussion board and online tools to help the U.S. construction industry take the lead in an emerging "green" world economy.
Eco-Cycle: Working to Build Zero-Waste Communities
Looking for practical ways to reduce your waste stream or start a local effort? This site offers very practical tips and factsheets on everything from re-using what used to be considered household trash to composting.
Local Harvest
A very useful map-based guide to organic produce and U.S. farmer's markets. Also a comprehensive and rapidly growing list of stores that adhere to "slow food" principles and stock mostly local groceries. Monthly newsletter, forums and much more.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch
Learn about the overharvesting of the world's oceans, which species are ideal to eat, which are borderline and which -- like the Patagonian toothfish, aka Chilean sea bass -- are popular in restaurants but should be avoided.
Sustainable Food Laboratory
A project led by the Sustainability Institute, aimed at educating consumers about the virtues of locally grown food, with downloadable tip sheets on sustainable eating and shopping practices, nutrition tips and much more.
Global Warming
Fight Global Warming
A site created by the group Environmental Defense, featuring energy-saving tips, fact sheets on climate change, a carbon calculator and avenues to join other activists.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
This joint project of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has a wealth of online documents and graphics suitable for presentations on the subject — straightforward, factual reports from experts, plus avenues for mitigating the impact.
NOAA: Global Warming Facts
This site by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration springboards from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report of 2001, with links to real-time data from satellites and other sensor networks, plus an FAQ on key aspects of global warming.
World Data Centre for Greenhouse Gases
Unique real-time access to readings from monitoring stations positioned in hundreds of places across the globe, measuring CO2, methane, ozone and other gasses linked to global warming and climate change.
National Geographic: Global Warming Simulator
An interactive guide to the causes and potential fixes to global warming, plus links to other interactive and media-rich features on climate change from the National Geographic Society's archive.
Time Magazine: Global Warming Survival Guide
Fifty-one attainable, concrete steps detailed in a 2007 Time magazine special -- everything from tips on building an energy- and resource-frugal "green" house to paying a carbon tax and encouraging local use of alternative energy sources.
GlobalWarming.org
A project of the Cooler Heads Coalition, a sub-group of the National Consumer Coalition. Aims to "dispel the myths of global warming by exposing flawed economic, scientific, and risk analysis." FAQ asserts that global warming is a natural process and the threat of climate change does not justify the economic impact of mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
EPA: Climate Change
Features a helpful "What You Can Do" guide for personally reducing carbon output and energy use. Also quick guides on official federal policies regarding greenhouse gas emissions, water resources and health. An eye-opening chart details temperature elevation over time in relation to projected emissions of CO2.
Climate Hot Map
Interactive guide of temperature readings, greenhouse gas levels, photo evidence and more gathered from volunteers and scientist across the globe.
Forecast Earth
Read about scientific findings on climate change, advances in green living, and see interactive reports on the effects of global warming.
Politics & Policy
On the Issues: Environmental Policies
Stated positions (if any) of each of the declared major candidates for the 2008 Oval Office race. Some entries also include voting records tallied by the League of Conservation Voters, presented as a percentage of pro-environment votes.
On the Issues: Energy and Oil
Stated positions (if any) of each of the declared major candidates for the 2008 Oval Office race. Most candidates listed also linked to quotes from speeches and Congressional testimony on subjects from ANWR drilling to CAFE standards.
Presidential Profiles 2008
A comprehensive guide compiled by the League of Conservation Voters covers the full record of each candidate on both the Democratic and GOP tickets, plus a historical voting record if available.
2Decide.com Presidential Positions
Large table-based list of positions on issues for each major declared candidate, ranging from abortion to energy policy. Updated regularly.
NPR Election 2008: Climate Change
Positions and related stories from each of the major declared candidates in the upcoming presidential race.
The Heat is On: Making Global Warming a Presidential Priority
Going beyond "official" statements, this site (again, by the League of Conservation Voters), features videos from debates and speeches, plus printed quotes, about how each candidate would address global warming and carbon emissions.
Democratic Party Platform: Environment
"We reject the false choice between a healthy economy and a healthy environment... Democrats will fight to strengthen the laws that ensure we have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink."
Democratic Party Platform: Energy
Platform highlights "reducing our dependence on foreign oil, eliminating billions in subsidies for oil and gas companies and use the savings to provide consumer relief and develop energy alternatives, and investing in energy independent technology."
Republican Party Platform: Energy
Platform "promotes America's four main sources of electricity: coal, nuclear, natural gas, and renewable sources." Plan calls for deveoloping domestic sources of energy by drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, and also by promoting "clean, safe" nuclear power.
