On May 2, AmericanTowns.com, LLC, formally launched GreenTowns.com, a new online network that celebrates sustainability initiatives and their leaders, locally and nationally.
AmericanTowns is a Fairfield, Connecticut-based creator of websites that feature “hyper-local news” for 15,000 small communities across the country. Its sites already get substantial traffic—a total of 4 million unique hits every month. Building on that infrastructure, AmericanTowns will feature local sustainability initiatives that are searchable by zip code and category.
“We are applying the technological foundation we designed and implemented successfully for AmericanTowns.com to now directly benefit green efforts,” commented Theodore Buerger, AmericanTowns Chairman and Co-Founder. “Our ultimate goal with GreenTowns.com is to create a trusted network for sustainable communities—a source of information, inspiration, and connection that will further the greening of America.”
The new online network is being produced in partnership with two well-known publications, Reader’s Digest and E-The Environmental Magazine, as well as master renovator and TV personality Bob Vila; and The Go Green Expo, a site that lists eco-friendly events; Decisions, a site that helps readers “make healthy and responsible” decisions; Edibles Advocate Alliance, a provider of sustainable business and marketing solutions; Planet Fuel, an organic beverage company; and SoundWaters, a nonprofit ecological organization.
According to the publisher, GreenTowns will make it easy to:
-- Discover inspiring green initiatives happening in your town, along with successful models from other communities;--
-- Share your questions, expertise, and support, and connect online and face-to-face, locally and nationally, across environmental issues; and
-- Help grow sustainable communities by working together.
A broad range of environmental issues will be featured, including green construction, energy, food, conservation, lifestyle, connections, recycling, transportation, and water. Subject matter experts including Bob Vila, and category advisors will supplement content and facilitate conversations through blogs and the question-and-answer sessions.
“We are adding a new dimension to the green landscape available online by featuring green initiatives that are working, spotlighting ways to get involved, and sparking local interaction,” said Daphne Dixon, Director of GreenTowns. “By sharing the expertise and enthusiasm of both dedicated specialists and local citizens who care, GreenTowns will be a valuable resource and a catalyst for change, as it connects and supports local green efforts across the country.”
GreenTowns is introducing a special feature produced by Reader’s Digest—called How Green Is Your Town?—that invites users to share local green initiatives that other communities may want to adopt. Initiatives of special note and the people leading them will also be featured on AmericanTowns’ community websites and, in select cases, in Reader’s Digest.
Bob Vila—probably known best as the host of several TV series, including This Old House, Bob Vila’s Home Again, Bob Vila, and Restore America with Bob Vila—commented on his role in the new online initiative: "Every town has its own unique challenges to finding green solutions. We want to help!"
He continued, ‘I’ll be an expert advisor in the building category on GreenTowns.com, answering your most pressing green building questions. I’ve [already] shared three of my original building green videos with this new site — an affordable, healthy green building in the South Bronx, NY; a Georgian Colonial house in Westchester that replaced the original mold-infested home with the latest green technologies; and an earth-bermed house made of salvaged materials in upstate New York. In these three homes, styles and materials from the past are embraced while incorporating the newest sustainable solutions.”
Vila noted, "The audience of BobVila.com is interested in sustainable building and green efforts, and we hope that our partnership with GreenTowns will connect them with specialists and local citizens across the United States who share the same green commitment."
In the coming months, GreenTowns.com will also provide a hub for local green events. Community organizations and environmental nonprofits will be able to post their information for free, utilizing the calendar and resource tools that have been a popular feature on AmericanTowns.com. Local e-mail updates will keep subscribers informed.
GreenTowns.com is a free service for green non-profit organizations and local communities. It plans to be self-supported through local, green-conscious sponsors, following the local business model which brought AmericanTowns.com to profitability within two years of its national launch.
Cheryl Kaften is an accomplished communicator who has written for consumer and corporate audiences. She has worked extensively for MasterCard (News - Alert) Worldwide, Philip Morris USA (Altria), and KPMG, and has consulted for Estee Lauder and the Philadelphia Inquirer Newspapers. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Rich Steeves
