Natural Choices Top 10 Green Websites 2007

2007 has seen some great new sites being launched for the ethically inclined, as well as the continuing of some of the classics. Information is the key to eco and ethical lifestyles and business, and the rise of a forest of new sources is a key in gaining critical mass.

However before I launch onto a list of new publishers it is worth while looking at the stalwarts who have also been under going changes and developments in 2007.

The first and best are the Ethical Consumer Research Association, publishers of the Ethical Consumer magazine, also of the superb Ethiscore, the Buyer’s Guides for over 160 products. With customisable ratings tables, updated daily, detailing company performance against 15 key ethical criteria. They also now publish Corporate Critic Database - a unique online service for business and social sector users, giving access to information on the ethical records of over 30,000 companies worldwide. A Manchester based workers co-op they have been investigating and reporting on corporations and brands for 20 years and still remain the best source of information on the market.

Ethical Consumer Research Association

The Ecologist, an eclectic mix of articles, with a tendency sometimes towards the conservation wing of the environment movement, The Ecologist continues to pour out original research on products as well as campaign on key environmental issues of the day. The website has been developed over the last year and provides a great archive of green issues.

The Ecologist

Ethical Investment Research Services- EIRIS- the first and foremost resource for information on ethical investment. Ethical investment funds have had a great year in 2007, not just in terms of the performance of the funds themselves but in the interest and take up those performances have generated amongst a wider audience. None of this would have been possible without the steady work of EIRIS.

Ethical Investment Research Services

Last but not least in the old timers is Ethical Junction, the accreitattion organisation for ethical companies, 2007 has seen some major developments to the website, and the re-launch of ethical pulse, their twice monthly newsletter. If you are looking for a truly ethical supplier then Ethical Junction is the place to start.

Ethical Junction

And now onto the newcomers.

1. SmartPlanet After the buying of treehugger.com by the Dicovery Channel it was inevitable that major media groups would start getting interested in green issues. Smartplanet is a launch by media group CNBC. It is a blog formated site edited by Adam Vaughan, of Hippyshopper and New Consumer fame. A great steady outpouring of all the latest in green and eco products, with a particular emphasis on fashion. Light at the moment on finance and business, a shortfall I am sure we will see rectified in 2008. A great addition to the green media universe.

Smart Planet

2. Green Bang Another blog formated site with a strong emphasis on environmental business and technology, written by a network of hacks from the national press, it highlights the latest in green gadgets as well as a good focus on the technology and business of renewable energy. A great little niche site.

Green Bang

3.Green Girls Global and Green Guys Global

Green Girls Global has its first year anniversary, and celebrated it by launching Green Guys. A fun site with a serious edge, covering a wide range of less reported issues as well as the main green stories.

Green Girls Global

Green Guys Global

4.Carbon Commentary

Chris Goodall, author of ‘How to Live a Low-carbon Life’ has set up this great weekly newsletter investigating the facts and the figures behind the green news. One of the truly original new sites and a must read for anyone serious about understanding the facts behind renewable energy, climate change and environmental policy. Chris’s original idea was to make the newsletter a paying subscription but he has just informed me that he has decided to keep it open access. Good move Chris.

Carbon Commentary

5. Ethics Girls

A new co-operative that produces a news magazine and e-commerce site for ethically minded women. Early days but all the signs are pointing in the right direction, and it is great to see that the co-op model of company is still going strong. It is good to see that the blog fomate has taken over the entire world.

Ethics Girls

6. Natural Collection

OK so they may be older than a year, but the site has undergone a massive transformation, its wide range of stylish green products combined with cool feature like the Wedding and Gift list makes it one of the best in the green e-commerce range of sites. It has just won the contract to be the green e-commerce machine behind the Guardian’s website as well. Way to go guys.

Natural Collection

7. Ethical Wines

Susan McCraith, a master of wine, has launched a site that speacialises in Fairtrade, organic and bio-dynamic wines. An absolute treasure trove of delicious and less well known ethical tipples.

Ethical Wines

8. Greenormal

John Grant’s blog behind his ‘Green Marketing Manifesto’. A great little blog on the theory and practice of green marketing- which Grant rightly defines as ‘Making green things normal not normal things green’. Full of consumer trends, new gadgets, ideas and thoughtful interventions in the world of marketing.

Greenormal

9. Actis

There has been a rash of social network sites all wanting to cash in in one way or another on the marriage of Web 2.0 with the eco and ethical sector. Some are bad, others mad and some are quite sensible. Actis is one of the more sensible, at the moment it is still in beta formate, but the idea is that companies and individuals link together around common values and re-enforce each others efforts to improve. At the moment it ahs limited functionality, and also has not achieved that all so important critical mass. Hoever 2008 should see it coming into its own.

Actis

10. Ethical Business Network

Another site linked to a book, this one is Paul Allen’s Your Ethical Business, the network is run by the book publishers NGO Media, and brings together a range of ethical entrepreneurs in the UK and beyond. Once again it hasn’t reached critical mass yet but it is showing signs of getting there.

Ethical Business Network

Peter Shield