Something old is new again. GreenBiz.com, of which I am executive editor, has just relaunched with a new, improved format. The new site — the result of a revamping of the somewhat antiquated technology platform on which the site was originally built in 1999 — now reflects the topics you deal with daily: energy and climate; the various aspects of daily operations, from purchasing to cleaning to fleets; the design of products and packaging; the more efficient use of energy, water, and materials; and the way you communicate all of this through marketing, PR, and reporting. There are also sections for smaller businesses and on green careers.
Kudos to the team, headed by Matt Wheeland and Carlie Peterson, for making it all happen.
The new look represents the beginning of a forthcoming wave of new products and other enhancements we'll be making in coming months. Look for new newsletters and sites, and a few surprises.
And while we're on the topic of GreenBiz, please check out Greener by Design, our forthcoming conference on the mainstreaming of green product design at both big companies (Clorox, Dupont, GE, GM, IBM, Nike, Procter & Gamble, Wal-Mart, Xerox, and others) and smaller ones (Method cleaning products, TerraCycle garden products), as well as insight into how green innovation happens inside big organizations. There will also be some features that are not your usual conference fare — such as Green Gurus @ Play, during which conference participants will engage in small consulting sessions with select speakers and panelists (on a first-come, first-served basis); Innovative Flashes; and other experiential opportunities that get past conventional talking heads.
(Also, per my style: almost no speeches or presentations — rather, conversations facilitated by pro's, such as Marc Gunther of Fortune.)
Registrations are rolling in nicely, and the event — June 12 and 13 — is likely to sell out. Don't say you weren't warned.
Meanwhile, my colleagues at GreenOrder have launched a new site that offers a world of green possibilities. GreenYour.com is a smart and information-packed site offering tips and products on the greening of just about everything.
The site features more than a dozen categories of topics — appliances, personal care, energy use, lawn and garden, clothing, car, food and drink, travel, etc. Each category drills down further into subcategories and sub-subcategories — for example, under "Office and School" there are business operations (building, business travel, career, company values, lighting, mail, staff commuting) and office supplies and equipment (batteries, cell phone, computer, copier, copy paper, mobile device, printer).
Under each are clearly written tips, fact, and products. If you register (free), you can register your own tips, products, and resources — the wisdom of crowds.
It's a work in progress, but off to a promising start. For all of the hundreds (thousands?) of consumer-facing websites out there, no one offers such clear, no-nonsense, and accessible information on life's basics. The fact that experts can add their own two cents will no doubt make the site richer and richer over time.
As they say, none of us knows as much as all of us.
Joel,
As long as it's a work in progress, I'd like to make one suggestion. Use RSS feeds for the categories. I've subscribed to your everything feed, but my real interest is marketing & PR, so I'd like to subscribe to that feed separately. Any chance that could happen? Thanks and keep up the great content!
Posted by: Nathan Schock | April 28, 2008 at 10:57 PM
The power of the internet is incredible. A wealth of information is available to explore any topic imaginable. If you want to go further into depth on a particular topic or find a related topic, search engines or links provide that opportunity. This is particularly relevant today as people are starting to think of ways to improve their lives and the world around them.
The best thing about the internet is that it's constantly changing and adapting, allowing users to see and create the most up-to-date information. Additionally, nobody has to accept the information as is and can easily find a site that supports their views or create one that will. That's what it will take to solve the environmental and social problems today; a variety of ideas/solutions as no one solution will be the answer. I'm glad that sites such as GreenBiz.com and GreenYour.com are available to help in the cause. If they're not perfect, they can be changed. If they're not the answer for you, look elsewhere.
Posted by: Mitch | May 04, 2008 at 10:14 AM