No, really, it’s for the birds.
For months, my smart phone-, Mp3-, cable-less self was
reluctant to join, even explore the world of Twitter. Constant updates on
Lindsay Lohan’s latest faux pas? No, thanks. I only signed up for the service
in January as a way to keep track of some politicos in the statehouse while I
was working there for another publication. But somewhere in my new follower
frenzy I found a few treasures that speak to my
environment/science/how-things-work/politics tastes. So, here are a few of my
favorites:
As the BP oil spill crisis dragged on, I received play-by-play
Twitter updates – ripe with shocking facts, humor and sarcasm – from Kate
Sheppard, a Mother Jones reporter. Somehow, in 140 characters or less (usually much less), she relayed
some of the most dramatic episodes happening in the Gulf and back in the
nation’s capitol. Using Twitter, she complemented her regular full-length coverage
of incidents including BP-tied Sherriff”s deputies barring journalists from
tainted beaches and lawmakers calling oil spill hearings unwarranted
“shake-downs.” Oy. (Of course, to lighten up the mood on the oil spill front,
the infamous BPglobalPR is also a must-follow.)
But I have to credit Grist, an environmental news and
commentary website, with leading me to Sheppard. (Retweets rock! Er, I mean,
they’re helpful sometimes.) Grist’s latest stories have included a feature
about a “conservation community” in Illinois and an audio recording about the “population
bomb.”
Another favorite of mine, the Society of Environmental
Journalists,
can be great. It can also be really annoying. It posts links to great environment
news stories from across the U.S., but it also posts about 30 at a time. Overload!
For the official word on environment and science, I’ve
started following several government agencies. (And then when I visited Washington,
D.C., for the first time earlier this summer, I got just as excited to walk
past an event I’d seen promoted on Twitter as I did about seeing the monuments.
Sorry, Abe!). A quick run-down with a sample tweet for each:
• Greenversations, the Twitter account for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s official blog
Science Wednesday: Growing Green
Minds: Each week we write about the science behind environmental protection.
Prev… http://bit.ly/aBShLr
• EPAowow, the Twitter account for the USEPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
Ways to Take Action: Let native
vegetation grow by the lake—mow and fertilize less! #lakesmonth
EPA Science Advisory Board panel
holding public meeting 7/20-7/22 on the impacts of Mountaintop Mining http://bit.ly/aPL8dh
• USDAgov, Twitter account for the United States Department of Agriculture
USDA Blog: Endangered Birds Benefit
from Wetlands Reserve Program http://bit.ly/a8vsux
• National_Ag_Lib, the National Agriculture Library’s account
Have kids ages 8-13? Have them
check out the recently redesigned Sci4Kids website: http://bit.ly/sci4kids (via @ARSInformation)
• USoceangov, for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA)
Ocean Service
Learn about sea turtle conservation
via NOAA’s latest online game, “Waterlife: Sea Turtles and the Quest to
Nest”: http://go.usa.gov/OVa
• USGS, for the United States Geological Survey
It’s National Pollinator Week! Get
the Buzz: http://bit.ly/cZ5Wuh
A few others:
• Nature_org, for the Nature Conservancy
Boeing reveals its new
hydrogen-powered plane the Phantom Eye! (via @BBCnews) http://nature.ly/a9jrCV
• NSF, Twitter account of the National Science Foundation
News: Indian Ocean Sea-Level Rise
Threatens Coastal Areas: Indian Ocean sea levels are rising unevenly and
threate… http://bit.ly/cJsde1
And, like I said, for the birds:
Creating new wetlands to protect
migratory birds from Gulf #oilspill http://bit.ly/9YzyeR
I’m not about to recommend my own account because I fail at
tweeting (I think I’m up to 15 tweets since I signed on, and most of those are random
retweets), but be sure to keep up with the Illinois Times’ account.
ALSO, I’m sure there are tons more out there that I don’t
know about but really ought to be following. So, a request: PLEASE fill me in!
I need some recommendations, especially for good Springfield-area Twitter-ers.
This article appears in Jul 15-21, 2010.
