I Love What You're Blogging: Hippyshopper's top ten green and ethical blogs
As 2007 draws to a close, Shiny Media's fashion and lifestyle blogs are giving something back to the blogging community by compiling a list of the ultimate top 100 blogs. The definitive list will be published before the new year, but for now, here are the Top Ten green and ethical blogs as chosen by the Hippyshopper team. Enjoy!
1. Eco Worrier
This refreshingly down-to-earth blog from Times columnist Anna Shepherd is a personal record of one woman's attempt to live a more sustainable life. Never one to be swayed by bogus claims to greenness, Anna is a and trustworthy guide through what has become a maze of conflicting messages. Her posts are concise, relevant to everyday life and well researched, with a lot of witty observations that ensure the tone of the blog stays firmly on the right side of preachy.
2. EcoRazzi
This snarky, celeb-focused site is so of-the-moment it hurts (but in a good way, of course). Stars are falling over themselves to grab the latest organic it-bag or hybrid car at the moment, so there's no shortage of material for the site, which has itself just undergone a slick makeover as glossy as the celebs that grace its pages. Often the first to break big stories, Ecorazzi keeps a good balance between patting the Leo Di Caprios of this world on the back when they do something genuinely green and blowing a well-deserved raspberry at those nameless 'slebs who try a bit too hard to land on the eco-bandwagon for their own dubious ends.
Follow the jump for more great green blogs!
3. Treehugger
No green blog roundup would be complete without Treehugger, and we've only put it down at no.3 to give some of the little guys a chance! That said, you can't beat this site for totally on-the-button green information, news and products. It's absolutely bursting with intelligent comment and observations on everything in the known green universe, from fashion to technology to health and politics. Navigating around this site can be daunting at times, but this is only because of the sheer amount of material here, and it's still the site that all green blogs want to be when they grow up.
4. Eco Street
The Eco Street blog brings you a daily dose of debate, products, news and other tidbits to keep you posted on all things green. It's all part of a wider network dedicated to green shopping, with a regularly updated, UK-based directory that I'd recommend to anyone looking for eco-friendly stuff. There's also a very active forum where you can chat to fellow greens about anything from carbon offsetting to keeping chickens.
5. Bean Sprouts Blog
In Bean sprouts blog, owner Melanie Rimmer gives a fascinating insight into her life as a devoted green living in a 'very small ex-council house' along with her partner and three children. Alongside posts on allotment-keeping, cookery and craft, you'll find pearls of wisdom on how to live frugally and embrace self-sufficiency with plenty of anecdotes from Melanie on how these lifestyle changes can be a fulfilling and enjoyable experience. Great reading, even if you sometimes come away wondering how on earth she does it!
6. New Scientist Environment Blog
The NS is such a great authority on current thinking in all areas of science, that greens everywhere would do well to get acquainted with it. Next time someone accuses you of spouting mumbo-jumbo hippy crap, quote the latest article you read and watch them eat their words! But if the mag itself is a bit heavy going, add the New Scientist Environment Blog to your RSS feed and give it a try. It's the same cutting-edge news presented in a very accessible and surprisingly funny way.
7. Environmental Graffiti
Environmental Graffiti takes a fun and irreverent look at the big green stories of the day, always with a strong opinion and suffering no green fools badly. It's a good place to keep abreast of important stories that are usually presented in a dry and po-faced manner elsewhere, and for those who care about such things, the site is very attractive and cleanly designed. Yes, we are also loving the name!
8. Green Girls Global and Green Guys Global
Simply put, Green Girls Global is a bunch of green girls doing green things – and reporting on it. The blog gained a baby brother earlier in the year, Green Guys Global, which as the name suggests runs environmental stories written by and of interest to men. Both sites are well written and researched, and keep you up-to-date on the latest issues. They are mostly news-focused, but with links to petitions and online campaigns to help empower readers.
9. Ecofriend
Brimming with pictures, Ecofriend is real eye candy for those who love to dream about the future, specifically a future that makes full use of renewable sources in new and exciting ways. It's prototype-heaven, with an emphasis on gadgets, cars and housing.
10. Green Jellybean
With the motto 'trying to be green, with a few wobbles along the way', Green Jellybean takes a fun and light-hearted look at the eco-friendly life, and is a good reference point for anyone wanting to take those first baby-steps into going green. With heads-ups on where to find the latest eco products and reports on green goings-on, there's always something to interest and inform.
I'm enjoying going through your list. Except for Treehugger, I hadn't heard of the rest of them.
Hey, your Ecofriend link is wrong, though. You're pointing to a clothing store, so I think you wanted http://www.ecofriend.org/
Posted by: deb | December 13, 2007 9:59 PM