By Gina Mussio, CG Lifestyles & People

Twitter, the most talked about social media platform in 2011, is proving itself quite useful as a way to follow ideas and issues instead of just friends.

I began following many “green” Twitter accounts to keep up on ecological news, facts and interesting articles from Southeast Ohio as well as national and international platforms.

Here’s a compiled list of the top 10 “green” twitter accounts, so you don’t have to do the research yourself!

1)    @eartheats

 

 

 

Eartheats is not just a Twitter handle, also a weekly public radio program, podcast and accompanying blog that posts news about local and sustainable food and agriculture. I found their account before the blog and like that it is strong enough to provide its own information independently of their website. Great Twitter account for foodies!

2)    @greenforall

 

 

 

Greenforall’s Twitter bio reads “Green For All is a national organization working to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.” It stood out to me as an account that combined environmental and social justice, something that is frequently related. Their tweets are often about what we as a country need to change as well as how economics affects the environment.

3)    @nytimesgreen

 

 

Nytimesgreen is an account for the New York Times blog  “Green.” While they only post links to their latest blog posts, this Twitter account is perfect for the follower who wants to dig a little deeper and stay up-to-date on national environmental news. Their posts cover eco-news from biomass to oil, fracking to drilling and nearly everything in-between.

4)    @EPAgov

 

 

 

EPAgov delivers news, tips, links and more from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. I find that it gives practical tips beyond just “turning off your lights” and keeps me up-to-date on what the United States is doing for our environment.

5)    @earth911

 

 

 

Earth911’s bio claims it is “The how, where and why of recycling.”  But as the example tweet shows, it also delivers practical and simple eco-friendly tips. I have also seen them answer followers recycling questions, such as where to dispose of aerosol cans.

6)    @SustainableOU

 

 

 

Ohio University’s Office of Sustainability tweets links about local Athens eco-news as well as specific goals of the OU Office of Sustainability.  It’s a great way to follow Athens environmental news!

7)    @TreeHugger

 

 

 

TreeHugger is a part of the Discover company and claims to be “the leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream.” Sometimes their posts can feel a bit jumbled as it delivers such a wide range of eco-news such as links, ideas  facts or forwarded news stories. But their Twitter is updated constantly and won’t leave you bored.

8)    @SlowFoodUSA

 

 

 

This is another great Twitter account for the foodie to follow. The Slow Food Movement, started in Italy and is now here in the United States. Their Twitter delivers important and in-depth looks into our food. This includes statistics, sustainable ways to feed ourselves and information on our food system.

9)    @Earthjustice

 

 

 

Earthjustice is the Twitter account for Earthjustice.org, an organization that provides free legal representation for organizations or persons trying to defend the earth. Earthjustice’s  slogan is “because the earth needs a good lawyer.” They post concise and timely news, often about laws passed for our environment and updates on what our politicians do or fail to do for the environment.

10) @GoingGreenToday

 

 

 

I am relatively new to this account, but I am pleased with their relevant and to-the-point tweets about environmental facts. They often provide eco-facts, statistics on “green” companies as well as calculations of what we can save through conscious consuming.

You can also keep track of College Green Magazine through our Twitter account @CollegeGreenMag.