Green blogging made easy

Blogging seemed like a slightly suspicious activity in the mid-2000s, at least to some of the higher-ups at the large environmental nonprofit where I used to work. They recoiled in horror at the thought of a few writers publishing unvetted words that the cantankerous masses could comment on with abandon. Resistance proved futile, though, and today there's nary an NGO (nor company, university, or knitting group) without at least one blog.

The challenge now is one of standing out in a sea of bloggers. For those with an environmental bent, the newly released ebook "Barefoot Bloggers: Write to Save the Planet" offers a primer on engaging, effective blogging, from basics such as how to register a domain and find news to tips on generating revenue and search-engine optimization to questions of ethics and safety.

Lead author Karin Kloosterman, the editor of the Mideast environmental news site Green Prophet, tapped me to write a chapter on blogging for NGOs. Other contributors talk about building a popular mainstream green blog, making the transition from print journalism to blogging, green tech blogging, and writing for religious audiences of various faiths.

Sound intriguing? Purchase a copy online and be on your way to better blogging.