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The web is a fantastic depository of information, but sometimes the sheer quantity of information can be overwhelming--which is why RSS feeds have become a popular way to synthesize the information each person wants to access (in bite-size pieces). But another great way to get a variety of information from a number of sources is to subscribe to newsletters.
There are tons of interesting, high-quality environmental newsletters out there, but if you're just getting started, check out these five—they each have a lot to offer.
1. Eco-Education Matters (Rainforest Alliance)
The Rainforest Alliance works to protect biodiversity by working with farmers and other industries to create sustainable land-use and business practices that are as good for the planet as they are for the workers-in other words, the focus is eco-friendly and fair trade business models. So you can imagine their newsletter is pretty fantastic. Recent topics have ranged from saving the Sumatran tigers to ethical tea to a lunch program in Guatemala, so there's pretty much something for everyone.
Subscribe here: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/education.cfm?id=newsletter
2. Mother Nature Network
Mother Nature Network is one of the top environmental news and eco-living websites, and their newsletter is fantastic. You can choose a daily briefing, featuring snippets of the day's top news stories on mnn.com and from around the web, or a weekly newsletter focused on lifestyle news (or both). You can also subscribe to thematic alerts, such as In The Green Room, which links to interviews with eco-friendly musicians and ["http://www.naturallysavvy.com/naturally-green/eco-living/eco-celebrities/2361-daryl-hannah-eco-warrior"]entertainers, or Earth Matters, an alert for the latest climate, outdoors and political news. Subscribe.
3. Recycling Rag
Eco-artware.com's quarterly newsletter features spotlights of artisans working in environmental and environmentally friendly art. The Summer 2009 newsletter features a profile of an underwater sculptor, "animal estates" (little homes for small wild animals in the city forced out of their habitats), garden art and more. You can read the newsletter on their website, but signing up for the newsletter just seems like an easy reminder since the newsletter is less frequent than most. Subscribe (at bottom of page).
4. Eco Fashion World
The newsletter to this fantastic website is full of tons of great eco-fashion information for green fashion-lovers. Subscribing automatically generates a login or the website, giving you access to the magazine, resources, eco fashion guides and other features of the site. (Plus they give away one eco-accessory or clothing item each month to new subscribers.) Subscribe.
5. The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy's newsletter is packed with news from the environmental organization, plus they generally include an article focusing on one way you can bring green living into your life--in August it was summer grilling tips, and this month's offers tips on organizing a green book club. There are also amazing images, a photo of the month from readers, and links to their weekly Nature Stories podcasts. Subscribe here: http://support.nature.org/site/PageServer?pagename=archive
And while we're on the topic, sign up for Naturally Savvy's newsletter for natural, organic and green living tips and articles and we'd be remiss if we didn't point to the Planet Green Newsletter, full of green tips, video and interesting forum topics, and the TreeHugger Newsletter, full of breaking environmental news and latest in sustainable design.
Cara Smusiak writes on behalf of NaturallySavvy.com, about how to live a more natural, organic and green lifestyle.
