> Going green on the web
- 10 Jul 07, 04:41 PM
After the Live Earth gigs at the weekend, when hundreds of rock stars jetted around the world in the name of saving the planet, I thought it was time to take a look at a couple of environmental sites on the web.
So lets kick off by taking a look at Climate Counts, a website that got a big plug during Live Earth.
The purpose behind Climate Counts is to track what steps major companies are taking to reduce their impact on climate change. Why should you care? Well, when it is time to go shopping, you can reward the greener companies with your business and shun those not facing up to their environmental responsibilities. For some people, the crucial decision as to whether to have a Big Mac or a Whopper for lunch, could hinge on who is greener. And the answer might surprise you.
It is a fairly accessible website. Granted, flexible font sizes would be appreciated for those that like larger text, but there is no content there that can’t be read by everyone. There is a PDF for you to download, but it is a handy pocket guide to information already on the website.
Web-based companies can be found at both ends of Climate Counts performance table. At one end, Amazon and eBay do not appear to be taking any steps regarding energy efficiency, whereas Google and Yahoo! are making progress in reducing their impact on the environment. And if you are still wondering about lunch, McDonalds are making more progress than Burger King on the green front.
Although Climate Counts provide a link to email companies, they could do worse than take a leaf from Greenpeace on how to leverage the power of the web for its campaign.
It is well worth reading about how Greenpeace have encouraged “online activists” to use web 2.0 tools to bring about change in the practices of Apple. By using YouTube for a spoof video to spread the word (sadly not captioned), flickr for a photo campaign, as well as employing social network sites and blogs, Greenpeace managed to convince Apple to stop using dangerous chemicals in its manufacturing process.
It is a brilliant example of what can be done with the new web to mobilise people and bring about real change. It certainly seems to be more effective than wandering around asking people to sign petitions.
The Greenpeace website is fairly accessible, and even includes “skip links” to jump navigation to go directly to the content to improve usability for visually impaired visitors using screen reader programs. There is plenty to find out and to join in with, from the discussion forums on the website to taking practical steps like signing up for the seven-step energy saving campaign.
It is good to see that both Climate Counts and Greenpeace recognise that the environment is an issue of interest to everyone, and so have fairly accessible websites. I didn't find a single verification image or CAPTCHA on either website. I could tab around both websites, and contrast appears fine. Both offer plenty of information, and especially with regards to the Greenpeace website, plenty of ways for everyone to get involved. If the Live Earth concerts at the weekend inspired you to play your part in saving the planet, then both these websites are good, accessible ways to start.
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