Hug Your Local Eco Blogger

Recently I’ve been noticing a lot of great new environmentally-oriented blogs popping up that are local in focus, a trend that I think is really important for creating change. It’s all fine and good to know what’s going on in the world, but just as we’ve all learned about supporting your farmer-neighbors, your home turf is the place where you can make choices that directly affect you and those crazy people next door. Community-building around environmental issues is also a great way to get folks who aren’t on the green wavelength thinking about these issues. Word-of-mouth people….

Here are some of my favorites I’ve found- I’m sure there are more out there, so please leave links in the comment box about those I’ve missed. Kudos to the hardworking bloggers behind these sites!

NYC-Based

The Flatbush Gardener
Xris covers all that is arboreal and growing in Queens, NY, as well as other great green garden news from all over the world.

Upper Green Side The Upper East Side of Manhattan is known for being a haven of moneyed businesspeople and Republicans. Here’s showing that stereotypes exist to be flouted!

Miami

Greener Miami
I have to say, when I think Miami, I think Nip/Tuck, not Green, but Rebecca Carter has reformed my ignorance since I’ve checked out her site (she also co-founded Ecorazzi, one of my fave places to go when I need my green gossip fix.) Carter is a one-woman blogging phenom, which I love to see!

Los Angeles

Green LA Girl
Widely-read and loved, LA Green Girl is LA-focused, but also covers lots of other topics, especially coffee!

London

The Times
The Times’ has a great blog run by Anna Shepherd, who also writes for Body&Soul. She tackles eco-issues from a light-hearted point of view, covering clever eco-arguements between couples, how greenies are actually happier than regular folks, and comments on whacking President Bush (with a report, not a hit man). Funny AND enlightening!

Australia (OK, I know Australia is a whole country and continent, but it’s population is the same as the NYC-metro area, so I think this blog counts as ‘local’. As a half-Aussie, I would attest, it’s a pretty small country, socially!)

Oikos
Blogger and environmental lawyer David Jeffrey writes Oikos, which means:

“Both the words ecology and economics come from the Greek word oikos, meaning “home” or “a place to live”. This blog is about environmental and economic issues.”

Last, but not least, check out Worldchanging, now with local editions. They have a host of new city-specific blogs, including Austin, Chicago, Denver, New York, Los Angeles, the Twin Cities, Portland, San Francisco, DC, and Canada. (disclaimer: I’m writing for the NYC blog)