Use the Internet to Go Green

By Elizabeth Wasserman

News of the melting ice caps, dangerous produce pesticides, and Al Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth, about global warming, has convinced a growing number of families to be more environmentally conscious. Many consumers, however, are stumped about how to make new choices that are Earth-friendly.

"You don't need to smell like patchouli oil and wear Birkenstocks," says Alexandra Kennaugh, editor of Simple Steps, a web site launched by the Natural Resources Defense Council that outlines many ways families can go green. "It's about living in balance with your world and making the best decisions you can."

Here's how to use the Internet to find the environmentally-conscious information and services you need:

1. Learn about "greening" basics  The first step toward what experts call "greening" your lifestyle is to get educated about critical environmental issues and toxins.

Yahoo! Green explains Climate Science 101. The site also has a  survey that can help calculate your family's carbon footprint, a measurement of how much carbon dioxide gas is emitted by your families lifestyle and activities.  (This is important because carbon dioxide is the key greenhouse gas fueling global warming.)

Several other trusted sources also provide helpful web sites for understanding how average citizens can change their ways to improve the environment. National Geographic's Going Green site and the Green Guide provide information about how your family's actions -- from driving your car to leaving your lights on -- impact the environment. For example, the Green Guide takes you through every room in your home and suggests environmentally-friendly alternatives to everything from tissues to non-stick cookware.

The Natural Resources Defense Council also has a Green Living section and toolkit that covers how to buy so-called clean energy or control household pests without pesticides.

2. Find green products  The next step to going green is to use the power of your pocketbook. You can use the Internet to search for organic produce, hybrid vehicles, or green cleaning products, and some web sites also offer one-stop green shopping.

Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, has launched Greener Choices, which provides green ratings for products ranging from appliances to food to lawn mowers. Coop America, another nonprofit, offers the National Green Pages, a searchable directory of 3,000 businesses committed to sustainable, cruelty-free, organic and fair trade products. Also check out the Tip Library on Ideal Bite to find out how to buy green products in every category, plan eco-friendly vacations or become a green-thinking pet owner.

For an entertaining introduction to buying green, Treehugger not only provides how-to articles about buying eco-friendly apparel, furniture, and kids' stuff, but it also features video tutorials. "TreeHugger's mission," says Collin Dunn, a TreeHugger senior writer, "is to bring sustainability to the mainstream: make it fun, hip, exciting and cool to be green."

3. Make going green a family value  Learning to live a green lifestyle involves everything from decorating your home with sustainable products, to finding a greener way to commute, to teaching green principles to your kids.

WalkIt is a mapping site to help bicycle and pedestrian commuters find safe and simple directions and avoid burning fossil fuels. Looking for new chairs for your living room, but you don't want to buy imports that need to be transported overseas? Turn to the Freecycle Network, a grassroots online community that promotes waste reduction by encouraging recycling of unwanted items.

Perhaps nothing you can do is as important as what you teach your children about the need to be green. Earth 911 has a kids' site with cartoons, games and Earth Day activities. National Geographic Kids also has a "Green-o-Meter" to test the eco-awareness of the younger set with questions such as: what to do with that empty soda can as you're driving to Grandma's house (the right answer: wait until you get home and add it to the recycling bin). Even the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a web site for kids with games about recycling and protecting endangered species.

The real key to going green? Whether you're using the web to find tips or do some green-minded shopping, even small steps matter as long as they're in the right direction. "We want to engage people who are already recycling or researching products," says Kennaugh. "You don't have to put a wind tower in your backyard to make a difference."