This is one of the things I’ve been working on: a community environmental site, which anyone able to write (or paint or photograph or whatever) can join and post to, for free. All you need is a bit of HTML knowledge, some content, and the ability to write in complete sentences.
The idea has been germinating for some time, but became a bit more urgent recently when I noticed that the major environmental sites online seemed to have gone completely over to climate coverage at the expense of endangered species and a whole host of other issues that are every bit as crucial, and ominous, as climate change.
I’m going to make it as easy as possible to post, from web forms, email or your smart phone, and within a few sensible guidelines — no hate speech, no climate denialism, etc — contributors will have free rein over their own material. Essays and long-form journalism are strongly encouraged, but even if you only crosspost something from your own blog every once in a while — even if you stick to one-off links with a sentence of explanation — you’re invited to come on board.
Contributors’ guidelines and an FAQ of sorts will be up by 4/20/09. In the meantime, spread the word.
You’re right, Chris—it’s high time we had a site like this. I don’t know how consistent a contributor I’ll be, but I hope to cross-post things here from time to time, and I will definitely be spreading the word. Thanks for taking the initiative.
Complete sentences! Oh no!
This is a great idea, Chris! I feel a bit intimidated by the “complete sentences” requirement. Hell, I feel intimidated by needing “the ability to write”! Maybe your standards are a bit too high…
Kidding aside, this looks like a great idea made manifest. I hope to participate at a level that doesn’t warrant mockery!
Great idea!
I tried to sign up for it, but it rejected my “hankfox” screen name. Does it bounce names already used here, or am I possibly already signed up there by virtue of being signed up here?
I figured you’d want in, Hank, so I bestowed “Contributor” status on you unilaterally.
And jason, you just let me know how you want your registration to go, under “jason” or your more formal four syllables ort whatever. Would love to have you join in the fun.
Let’s go with my formal name, Chris. That seems in keeping with the current trend. Besides, I don’t spend a great deal of time hiding from anyone; I just like “jason” for its simplicity.