Guide to Online Environmental Communities

Online environmental communities are a great way to stay informed of environmental issues. You can learn how to form an environmental strategy online and you can network with other environmentalists.

Here's how to get involved with online environmental communities.

1. Go local and look for online environment communities close to home so you can meet up with other members.

2. Go global! Sign up and get involved with the global environmental community.

3. Start your own online environmental community.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for local online environmental communities

While an all-inclusive, exhaustive list of locally based online environmental communities is probably impossible to find, these places will give you a heads start.

I recommend: Conservation International has a great site that urges involvement. Become a member by filling out a short form for a free subscription to their newsletter. The US Environmental Protection Agency offers an interactive map so you can get involved with Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) projects. In California, there are hundreds of small online environmental communities, like the California League of Conservation Voters and Communities for a Better Environment. In the Pacific Northwest, you can join ConservationEconomy.net. In the Midwest, join Midwest Environmental Advocates. In the South, you can subscribe to Southern Village, and in the East Coast, you can join the community at Green Media Toolshed.

Get involved with the global environmental community

The environmental trend has spread all over the Earth - get involved with communities in other countries.

I recommend: EnviroLink is one of the biggest online environment communities, with volunteers and members from more than 150 countries. Sign up for email lists on the EnvioLink E-Mail List page. You'll find everything from online communities for environmental justice, to World Oil Boycott. Browse EcoWorld, or get involved with AllAfrica Global Media.

Create your own environmental community

There are so many ways to create your own community - you can start by getting together some of your friends for an environmental cause, or start a blog or news group online. Start small; think big.

I recommend: Friends of Albuquerque's Environmental Story offers a step-by-step manual on how to create your own "environmental" story. Start an online news group using Meetup or Yahoo Groups.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Stay involved and meet new members when thinking about online environmental communities. They are great sources of networking with others who care about environmental causes.

The official source of Online Environmental Communities is
the Online Environment Communities page at Business.com