Reference/Links: Our Favorites

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• Good Stuff? - Planning a shopping trip? Before you leave the house, check this Worldwatch Institute guide to learn about the environmental and social impacts of the products you buy. You'll find facts, tips and resources to help you make smarter shopping decisions about everything from CDs to soap. The site also offers suggestions for reusing and recycling products to limit waste.
  
  
• All-Star Endangered Critter Cards - Want to turn your Yu-Gi-Oh!-obsessed niece or nephew into a young environmentalist? This Why Files collection of printable endangered species trading cards is a great place to start. The front of each card features an animal photo; move your mouse over it to read about the species and how it is threatened.
  
  
• ECOLEX - Research national and international environmental law easily at this website, which features a searchable database of treaties, legislation, court decisions and related literature. A joint project of the World Conservation Union, the United Nations Environment Programme and the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization, the site was created to make environmental laws more accessible to professionals and the general public.
  
  

• Skin Deep - The Environmental Working Group conducted a six-month investigation into the health and safety assessments of more then 10,000 ingredients commonly used in personal care products. Here, you can read the results of the study, which found that many ingredients are potentially dangerous or have never been tested at all. See how your favorite products scored by using the searchable guide to create a custom report.
  
  
• Hot Times in Alaska - Premiering Tuesday, June 15, a new episode of "Scientific American Frontiers" focuses on how global warming is affecting Alaska. According to scientists, changes happening now in Alaska could be used to predict how warmer weather will affect the rest of the world. The show's companion website gives specific examples of the effects of changing weather patterns, describes how certain animals depend on sea ice to survive and explains what governments are doing about global warming. If you miss the show when it airs on PBS, check back soon to watch the episode online or read a transcript.
  
  
• National Collection of Endangered Plants - This section of the Center for Plant Conservation's website contains plant profiles for over 600 endangered plants that grow in the United States. Search the database or select a plant from the alphabetical list to view photos, descriptions and distribution maps. Want to view endangered plants in person? This map shows where they're on display around the country.
  
  

• EcoHealth - Students, teachers and anyone looking for reliable information about environmental health issues will appreciate this website, created by experts at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to help "sort the science from the sound bites." For starters, find out the facts and fiction behind the global warming action movie The Day After Tomorrow.
  
  
• Nab the Aquatic Invader! - Developed by NOAA's National Sea Grant College Program, this website invites kids in grades four to ten to become "Sea Grant Super Sleuths." Budding private investigators use the site's resources to track down aquatic invaders in U.S. waters. Full of colorful illustrations and creative text, this online activity is an entertaining way to teach kids about invasive species. Don't miss the list of suspects, a collection of wanted posters for characters like Louie "Sucker Mouth" Sea Lamprey and Wilma "the Creeper" Watermilfoil.
  
  
• Volcano Above the Clouds - Alaska's tallest peak, Kilimanjaro, is made up of six distinct ecological zones, stretching from the tropical rainforest at its base up to the snowy summit. This Nova episode and its companion website look at how melting glaciers on Kilimanjaro and around the world could affect drinking water, air pollution and weather patterns. Read the full transcript of the show online, and view a slideshow with facts, photos and maps of the highest peaks on each of the seven continents.
  
  

• Code Red: America's Five Most Polluted National Parks - You might expect a national park visit to include lots of fresh air and beautiful views, but at some parks you'll find ozone pollution and haze instead. This new report from the National Parks Conservation Association, Appalachian Voices and Children's Earth shows where you'll find the most pollution, and offers recommendations on how to clear the air.
  
  
• Focus on Your World - In order to create a "visual journal depicting the challenges facing Earth's rich environmental diversity," the United Nations Environment Programme is holding an international photography competition. Winning photos will be featured in traveling exhibitions to increase environmental awareness. Visit the website to learn more about the contest and view prizewinning photos from previous years.
  
  
• Great Cats of India - Which is larger, a lion or a leopard? How fast can a cheetah run? Find answers to these questions and lots more at Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom website on big cats. Listen to audio clips of cinematographer Alphonse Roy describing his experiences in India, and check the FAQ to read an expert's responses to common cat queries.
  
  

Looking for links on a specific subject? Find our complete list, organized by topic, on the Reference/Links page.