Helpful Green Web Sites

[Green Gaia]

These links are from the book It's Easy Being Green, by Crissy Trask, which I HIGHLY recommend.

BUILDING AND HOME IMPROVEMENT

buildinggreen.com
Informative articles and a comprehensive directory of green building products are available to Web site subscribers, or buy a hard copy of the GreenSpec directory, with over 1,400 product descriptions, environmental characteristics and considerations, and manufacturer contact information.

greenhomebuilding.com
A layman's introduction to different sustainable building considerations with links to books and an "Expert Advice" Q&A forum.

greenbuilder.com/sourcebook
Information on green building systems and materials including definitions, considerations, market status, implementation issues and guidelines.

oikos.com/products
Search by product type to find manufacturers of sustainable building materials and finishes.

usgbc.org
Locate a builder accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council under their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program (LEED).

salvageweb.com

build.recycle.net
If your city is short on businesses that cater to those wanting to take advantage of architectural salvage and used building materials, try searching one of these online materials exchanges.

rehabadvisor.pathnet.org
Guidelines for conducting an energy-efficient house renovation.

eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_paints.htm
An excellent article on how to choose safer paint coatings.

organicarchitect.com/pdf/countertops.pdf
This article will help the kitchen remodeler sort out the eco-benefits, the eco-impacts and the relative costs of several countertop materials.

CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONSUMER PROTECTION

corpwatch.org
Information on corporate improprieties every consumer should know about.

prwatch.org
Get the facts behind misleading public relations campaigns designed to trick consumers and voters.

responsibleshopper.org
Before you buy, learn more about the companies behind the products. A searchable database allows the user to find reports on over 350 different companies.

eco-labels.org
The Consumers Union's searchable database of eco-labels allows users to review an independent evaluation of several labels used on food, personal hygiene, household cleaners, and wood and paper products.

chemicalindustryarchives.org
The real and present danger of many widely used chemicals has motivated chemical manufacturers to spend a great deal of money to "convince" the public that we have nothing to worry about, but we do, as documents at this Web site attest.

ENERGY
eere.energy.gov
nrel.gov

repp.org
Information on renewable-energy technologies, energy facts and figures, and resources for further learning.

energystar.gov/products
Make energy-efficient choices when buying appliances, electronics, lighting, etc. Energy Star, a project of the U.S. EPA, tests and qualifies energy-efficient products in thirty-eight product categories. Identify Energy Star-rated products and locate stores through their Web site.

homeenergy.org/consumerinfo/lighting
Convert watts and calculate savings between incandescent and fluorescent bulbs.

hes.lbl.gov

energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_improvement.hm_improvement_index_tools
Do-it-yourself energy audit tools. Enter details about your home and learn of upgrades that can save energy and money.

doityourself.com/doors/more.htm
Improve the energy efficiency of existing windows or choose replacement windows for your climate with the help of this easy-to-understand guide.

dsireusa.org
The Database of State (and Federal) Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is a source of information on state, local, utility and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy.

green-e.org
Learn how to support renewable energy through renewable energy brokers or tradable renewable energy certificates.

woodheat.org
Whether burning wood for heat or ambience, do it efficiently and follow the suggestions and guidelines provided by the Wood Heat Organization.

 

[Green Gaia]

GARDENING AND LAWN CARE

wildflower2.org

plantnative.org
Provides assistance in the cultivation and preservation of native flora with directories of suppliers, helpful organizations and specific plant information.

nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat
The National Wildlife Federation will help you create a wildlife habitat in your backyard through their Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program.

richsoil.com/lawn
Organic lawn-care steps and principles anyone can understand and follow.

icangarden.com/document.cfm?task=viewdetail&itemid=734
"Xeriscaping," by Julie Ferraro, covers the basics of water-wise landscaping. Related links to more articles and books to help you get started are conveniently located in the right-margin table of contents.

organicgardening.com/steps
Organic gardening basics are covered with articles and related links on building healthy soil, controlling weeds without chemicals, and growing specific vegetables and flowers organically.

gardensablaze.com/companions.htm
Learn which plants, planted side by side in your garden, can provide natural pest management and improve yields.

ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/crops-agriculture.html
This online pest identification and management guide from The University of California Integrated Pest Management Program is superb if used properly. It's helpful for identifying diseases and pests through descriptions and pictures, and in many cases recommends Organically Acceptable Methods of management.

beyondpesticides.org
Information on specific pesticides, "least toxic" alternatives for controlling yard and garden pests, a directory of service providers and lots more information to help you control pesticide use in your community.

batcon.org
Learn where to buy or how to build a Bat Conservation International-approved bat house for the purpose of natural and very effective pest control.

digitalseed.com/composter
Information on home composting that demonstrates how easy it can be.

recycleworks.org/compost/compingr.html
A list of what can and should not be added to the compost pile.

bark.addr.com/pat/compost/pooppat.html
One of the few online resources for how to compost dog waste.

southface.org
A guide to simple rainwater collection for landscaping.

GLOBAL WARMING

ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html
A scientific yet understandable explanation of global warming.

climate.org
Overview of critical topics related to global warming with links to more resources on each topic.

GREEN CLEANING

householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/
Database of more than 5,000 common household products. Consumers can find out about ingredients in brand-name products and their potential health effects.

checnet.org/healthehouse/home/index.asp
Get help identifying and replacing unsafe products and practices that expose our families to pollutants in the home.

cnt.org/wetcleaning/final-report/learned
Find out more about professional wet cleaning -- a safer alternative to dry cleaning.

extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h110indoorair.html
Houseplants that can improve indoor air quality.

LIVABLE COMMUNITIES

empowermentinstitute.net/files/LNP.html
The Livable Neighborhood Program promotes initiatives designed to work at the neighborhood level to improve the overall livability of communities.

sierraclub.org/sprawl
The Sierra Club identifies both the problems and solutions of sprawl and directs the reader to resources for further reading in their comprehensive online guide to stopping sprawl.

ceds.org
Download Community & Environmental Defense Services' free publication, "How to Win Land Development Issues" -- a guide to winning specific development issues and winning the adoption of Smart Growth principles throughout a town, city or county.

bikewalk.org
This site can help you create neighborhoods and communities where people walk and bicycle.

lta.org/conserve/index.html

nature.org/joinanddonate/giftandlegacy
Protect your undeveloped land from the threat of development. Land Trust Alliance and The Nature Conservancy explain options that are open to landowners who want their land protected now or for the future.

darksky.org
Learn how to fight light pollution in your community.

scorecard.org

rtk.net
How insulated is your community from polluters? Retrieve available information on local pollution and who's responsible from these online databases.

communitygreens.org

pps.org
Resources, case studies and publications to help citizens create or preserve parks and public spaces that build and nurture communities.

cohousing.org
Find out more about eco/community living options that can conserve land and foster community.

MEDIA

fair.org
Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, by exposing well-documented examples of media bias and censorship, is making it a little easier for news watchers to know who to trust for honest and diverse reporting. Access the latest edition of their weekly radio program CounterSpin, for news that mainstream media isn't reporting.

prwatch.org/spin
The Center for Media and Democracy's daily bulletin entitled Spin of the Day reports on spin and propaganda in the media from the previous news day.

altpress.org
alternet.org
mediachannel.org

npr.org
Use these resources for better access to independent and alternative journalism.

 

[Green Gaia]

OFFICE/BUSINESS

naturalstep.org
Helps visionary companies achieve sustainability and profitability through cost savings and product and service innovation.

greenbiz.com
Provides businesses with access to tools and information that can facilitate their transition to more sustainable business practices.

epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/reduce/wstewise
The EPA's WasteWise program helps interested businesses develop, implement and measure waste-reduction activities to eliminate costly municipal solid waste, benefiting the bottom line and the environment.

epa.gov/greenpower/join
Join the EPA's Green Power Partnership and commit to the purchase of green power. Available assistance, tool kits and resources help partners purchase green power and promote their involvement in the program.

safeclimate.net/business/index.php

epa.gov/climateleaders
Information and tools to help businesses of any size begin to manage their greenhouse gas emissions, demonstrate leadership and make a meaningful impact on the climate.

ofee.gov/recycled/cal-index.htm
This easy-to-use paper calculator allows you to compare the environmental impacts of paper with different post-consumer recycled content.

rethinkpaper.org
Determine which tree-free or recycled-content paper best fits your needs with the interactive "Paper Selector."

svtc.org/cleancc/index.html
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition's scorecard of the most environmentally responsible computer companies.

techrecycle.com
interconrecycling.com
recyclingsupersite.com
Business solutions for recycling obsolete computers and eliminating storage and disposal liabilities.

commuterchoice.gov
Enroll your business in the Commuter Choice program and get help adopting solutions that reduce commuter driving.

sustainablebusiness.com/jobs/
Whether hiring or looking to be hired, this is one of the most current and comprehensive databases of job openings at sustainable businesses or within the environmental field. If you want to post a résumé, try greenbiz.com/jobs.

POPULATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT

populationaction.org/issues

worldpopulationbalance.org/pop
Fact sheets and answers to questions about population and natural resources.

plannedparenthood.org/health
Voluntary family-planning resources.

myfootprint.org
Test your ecological footprint.

REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE

isharestuff.org
This site helps you share specific belongings, i.e., high-cost or seldom-used things, with family and friends. Whether it's your pickup truck or a hot-glue gun, useful things you own, and want your friends to know you'll lend, can be posted here and they'll be notified. Before you know it, people you'll lend to will start their own accounts and post things you can borrow from them.

freecycle.org

craigslist.org
The surest and fastest way to find a second home for acceptable quality items you no longer have a use for is to give them away for free. Post items, or look for things yourself, at one of these Web sites organized by city.

mothering.com/articles/new_baby/diapers/joy-of-cloth.html
thediaperhyena.com
Find almost everything you ever wanted or needed to know about cloth diapering.

fleamarketguide.com
collectors.org/FM/
For used merchandise, get acquainted with flea markets, swap meets and antiques fairs in your region.

obviously.com/recycle
Obvious Implementation Corp.'s online recycling guide is full of valuable information on basic recycling, recycling obscure materials and reducing unwanted junk mail. If you don't find an answer here, check out "More Reuse and Recycling Links" below.

earth911.org

Provide your zip code upon entering the Web site to locate municipal recycling centers or to find out where to recycle specific items. Don't assume something can't be recycled or donated for reuse until you've checked here first.

wirelessfoundation.org/CalltoProtect
collectivegood.com
wirelessrecycling.com
Donate used wireless phones. They will either be refurbished for a charity in need or recycled in an environmentally sound manner.

greendisk.com
ecodisk.com
Recycling solutions for your personal or business media products and more.

techsoup.org/recycle/10tips.cfm
If you're going to donate an old computer, do it right; follow Compumentor's "Ten Tips for Donating a Computer."

epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/plugin
The EPA, through its Plug-In To eCycling campaign, is making it easier to recycle electronics by indexing businesses that take back used and obsolete electronics.

ciwmb.ca.gov/RCP
The Recycled Content Product Directory, a project of California's Integrated Waste Management Board is a searchable database of all kinds of recycled products. You can even specify a minimum recycled content for your search results.

 

[Green Gaia]

SAFE FOOD AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICXULTURE

Home Page - The O'Mama Report
Organic news and articles including "Questions and Answers about Organic" and "Buying Organic: Considering the Real Costs."

FactoryFarm.org
GRACE's Family Farm Project defines the factory farm and provides current news and information about factory farm issues by topic (i.e., dairy, poultry, fish, etc.) and region.

Council for Responsible Genetics
about gmos — Friends of the Earth International
Frequently asked questions on GMOs are answered by the Council for Responsible Genetics and Friends of the Earth International.

List of Food Companies
In the absence of a labeling system for GE foods, Friends of the Earth has compiled a list to help consumers identify companies known to use GE ingredients.

True Food Now!
The True Food Shopping Guide identifies non-GE brands in several categories.
ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/biotechnology/page.cfm?pageID=337
The Union of Concerned Scientists' guide to GE crops allowed in the U.S. food and feed supply.
Meatless
The environmental consequences of eating meat are summarized in "Eating Green: A Re-examination of Diet in Light of Environmental Concerns," by Walter Simpson. Simpson's article touches on nearly all the major issues including inefficient land use, water scarcity and pollution, loss of biodiversity, depletion of fossil fuels, global warming, deforestation, and native species decline.
Veg.ca - Vegetarian Position Paper
dietitians.ca/news/downloads/Vegetarian_Food_Guide_for_NA.pdf
Learn more about a vegetarian diet, which can be healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.
Local Harvest / Farmers Markets / Family Farms / CSA / Organic Food
Search for farmers' markets, family farms, food co-ops and restaurants selling locally produced, organic food.
csacenter.org
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) connects local farms with local consumers, encourages land stewardship, develops a regional food supply and strong local economy, and promotes the economic viability of small, family farms. This site enables visitors to locate CSA farms by state or get help forming a CSA network.
Eat Well Guide :: Home
Enter your zip code to find where you can buy sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs near your home.

Environmental Working Group || foodnews.org
A report card of the best and worst produce choices relative to pesticide contamination.
Monterey Bay Aquarium: Seafood Watch Program - A Consumer's Guide to Sustainable Seafood
Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program educates shoppers on the least to most sustainable seafood choices. From their Web site, download a free wallet-size chart to refer to when buying seafood.

FarmToSchool.org Home Page -- FarmtoSchool.org
Transform your child's school lunch program into one that supports local farmers, sustainability and healthy food choices.

thehia.org/hempfacts.htm
Welcome to ABOUTHEMP.COM
If you haven't heard about industrial hemp yet, it's time you knew of its history, vast applications and superior qualities.

TRANSPORTATION
bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/
Statistics reveal a conspicuous addiction to cars and very real impacts. If you like numbers, this site has lots: tables on motor vehicle fuel consumption and travel, annual wasted fuel due to congestion, principle means of transportation to work, public road and street mileage, air pollution trends, and over 200 others.
GreenerCars.com: Highlights of the Model Year
The best and worst cars for the environment.

Hypermiling Forums
Hypermilers are, as stated by Wikipedia, "drivers who exceed the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated fuel efficiency on their vehicles by modifying their driving habits." This is a forum that discusses increasing fuel economy and techniques on how to achieve better fuel efficiency.

Green Vehicle Guide | US EPA
Look up cars and trucks by vehicle class or a specific model to find scores on air pollution, fuel economy and greenhouse emissions.

Fuel Economy
Find and compare cars side by side on fuel economy, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. This site also explains how you can earn a federal income tax deduction if purchasing a "clean-fuel" vehicle before the end of 2006.

suv.org/introductory.html
This site is designed solely to educate consumers on the impacts and dangers of driving an SUV.
FC2K
Vehicles that run on fuel cells are in development and will be available soon. Learn more about the technology and the benefits to the environment.

Home | Biodiesel America
National Biodiesel Board - www.biodiesel.org - www.nbb.org
Information on renewable biodiesel for diesel engines.
Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips: Introduction
Cycling activist Paul Dorn offers prospective bike commuters tips to make the transition from car to bike easy, safe and fun.

eRideShare.com Carpool / Rideshare Community
Enterprise Rideshare, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Vanpool
Get help connecting with other commuters going your way.
Metro Transit
Calculate the cost of driving a car and add it to the many environmental reasons to drive less.

Flexcar
Joining a car-sharing service can be much cheaper, and lower impact, than owning a vehicle if you rarely need to drive.

 

[Green Gaia]

TRAVEL AND RECREATION

ecotour.org
Find travel opportunities that benefit local communities and preserve the environment.

greenhotels.com/members.htm
Identify hotels that are committed to reducing waste, conserving resources and reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals.

triplee.com/environment/carbon_offsets.htm
Offset the greenhouse gas emissions produced from your air travel by joining Better World Club and booking flights through their Travel Cool Program.

oceanconservancy.org/site/DocServer/fscruiseships.pdf?docID=102
The impacts of cruise ships on the marine environment.

skiareacitizens.com
This environmental scorecard of ski areas grades over seventy western resorts on their environmental policies and practices. For comparison, the National Ski Area Association maintains a database of specific preservation and conservation programs being implemented by ski areas at nsaa.org/nsaa/environment/the_greenroom.

lnt.org
When visiting the outdoors, follow the Principles of Leave No Trace to minimize your impact on the natural environment you're passing through.

nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/titinx.asp
Natural Resources Defense Council's annual report of water quality at vacation beaches.

VOTING AND POLITICS

firstgov.org
This is the U.S. government's official information portal. Link to any agency's Web site; find contact information for elected officials at the local, state and federal level; and look up and comment on federal regulations.

lcv.org/scorecard
The League of Conservation Voters' National Environmental Scorecard provides factual information about the environmental voting records of U.S. Representatives and Senators.

vote-smart.org
Project Vote Smart's Web site is comprised of thoroughly-researched data covering candidates and elected officials. This data includes factual information about their voting records, campaign finances, position statements and backgrounds. Project Vote Smart's National Political Awareness Test (NPAT) is a voluntary, comprehensive questionnaire that allows candidates to reveal their issue inclinations to voters. It is a remarkable tool for voters to learn candidates' issue positions and willingness to provide information to the public.

factcheck.org
This organization reveals factual inaccuracies in the statements of politicians, pundits and spokespeople so voters won't be so easily deceived.

citizen.org/litigation/free_info
Public Citizen assists individuals and organizations in accessing information held by government agencies.

gp.org
lp.org
natural-law.org
reformparty.org
constitutionparty.com
Traditional and entrenched thinking from the predominating political parties may not hold the best solutions for today and tomorrow. The advancement of alternative views comes from many sources. Read what other parties are saying about the environment, government spending, taxes, etc. For a complete list of all political parties, visit politics1.com/parties.htm.

opensecrets.org
An educational resource on the problem of money in politics.

congress.org/congressorg/megavote/
Track your Senators' and Representative's votes by e-mail with MegaVote.

greensheets.com
Analysis of environment, energy and natural resource issues coming before the U.S. Congress.

regulations.gov
Look up federal documents published in the Federal Register and open for public comment.

WATER

h2ouse.org/
Take a virtual tour of a typical home and learn how to reduce water use at home.

epa.gov/owow/nps/whatis.html
Polluted runoff is the leading cause of water quality impairment. From this page on the EPA's Web site, you can learn about key sources of non-point source pollution and what you can do at home and in your community to protect water quality.

epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/hhw-list.htm
A list of common household hazardous waste (HHW) products that should always be disposed of at a HHW treatment center.

repository.unm.edu/handle/1928/364
Whether you live in the West, consume its agricultural products or just pay federal taxes, every American should be cognizant of what's happening with water in the West. Check out Chapter 2 of this report for the critical points.

 

[Bishka]

That's excellent Amy. I get so discourage though, because I live in an apartment building and have no say over really what goes on. Do you have any links that would perhaps help apartment dwellers?

 

[Green Gaia]

That's excellent Amy. I get so discourage though, because I live in an apartment building and have no say over really what goes on. Do you have any links that would perhaps help apartment dwellers?

Hmm... it is easy to get frustrated when you don't have control of your housing, I know. But you can still control things like what you buy, what you recycle, the products you use, your transporation, etc. You might look into a co-op gardening venture in your area and join that, they may have some composting resources as well. You might even ask the apartment manager about installing recycling centers, it never hurts to ask!

 

[Willamena]

That's a lot of people who care about the earth.

(Mostly U.S. sites, though *cough*.)

 

[Green Gaia]

That's a lot of people who care about the earth.

(Mostly U.S. sites, though *cough*.)

What was that? Did you just volunteer to compile a list of Canadian websites?

 

[Willamena]

I have a week off (to sleep) so I'll see what I can find.

 

[Djamila]

http://www.greenvisions.ba

Green Visions is an eco-tourism company serving visitors to Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is also a eco-progress group, which fights to preserve Bosnia and Herzegovina's wealth of natural beauties.

 

[MaddLlama]

A couple of other more general green living sites:

http://www.thegreenguide.com/
http://www.green-living.com/
http://www.campaignearth.org/mainpage.asp
http://globalgreen.org/greenbuilding/
http://www.conservation.org/
http://www.lowimpactliving.com/

 

[bain-druie]

Your Dream Home Article 1 | BioArchitecture - Michael Rice, BioArchitect

 

[Batista Petrov]

Act now. Planet earth needs you. Here are the link if you are Interested.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Act now. Planet earth needs you. Here are the link if you are Interested.

I totally agree! Hemp could be one of the most important resources on earth, yet we ban it and destroy it....

Anyway, how do I support the cause on there? I will totally find a way to hack quarters for money to support this!!

 

[Regolith Based Lifeforms]

If it were not for some very useful advice i wouldn't be growing anything in Hemet CA. The city water is so chlorinated it's toxic to plants. Cyanobacteria mitigates the chlorine and i have about 200 gallons of green living water stored at any given time which is constantly used, circulated and replenished only by the chlorinated city tap water. All my plants and flowers grow to sizes far exceeding their normal sizes. Many of the plants show strong pest resistance as well as resistance to frost and even drought.
I keep small fish in the larger containers to control mosquitos and their respiration and waste products keep the algae green and healthy. Soil from the bottom of a nearby dried vernal pond provided the original cultures and helps to maintain a healthy balance for the algae and fish. Dragonfly nymphs surviving to fly away as adult dragonflys are a good sign that the water is healthy. The algae takes in co2 and produces o2. Agriculture websites will tell you cyanobacteria is toxic and should never be used on crops and kept away from livestock. I've been eating my own delicious tomatoes for two summers now and the stray cats drink directly from the open water containers with NO ill effects at all.