MNN - Mother Nature Network

A little over three years ago, when I first launched Lighter Footstep, we made our goals clear: A healthier family. A cleaner planet. Making the most of your weekly budget.

 

Hard as it is to believe today — with perhaps thousands of eco-themed websites online — there were, in 2007, only a handful of places you could go for quality information about greener living. We've always tried to be a good example of the genre, focusing on practical, original writing designed to help you make informed lifestyle choices.

 

That's why I'm delighted to announce that Lighter Footstep is becoming part of the Mother Nature Network (MNN).

 

By now, you're probably familiar with MNN. The Mother Nature Network has grown phenomenally over the last 15 months, and they share our vision that environmentalism is for everyone. From their About Us page:

So when MNN began talking to us about the possibility of working together, we realized we'd found the best possible home for Lighter Footstep.

 

MNN has assembled a terrific staff of writers and editors who are as passionate as we are about greener living — and the quality of our publications. Beginning today, Lighter Footstep is joining hands with their efforts.

 

Over the course of the next few weeks, we'll be bringing all of Lighter Footstep's key content into MNN.com. If you've got a Lighter Footstep article bookmarked somewhere, no worries: the original links will seamlessly redirect to their new locations. This process is already underway. Here, for instance, is the new MNN version of our popular article on five reasons to rethink bottled water.

 

You'll notice that this story — like all the other pieces we'll migrate to MNN — bears the familiar blue Lighter Footstep logo. Clicking on this will take you to a page with some suggestions on how to explore the Mother Nature Network further. Want to locate Lighter Footstep articles? Enter "Lighter Footstep" in the search box at the top right of every MNN page, and you'll be presented with an index of our content. This list will get longer as we complete our partnership.

 

At some point in the next month or so, LighterFootstep.com will be redirected to a special landing page within MNN. If you subscribe to Lighter Footstep's RSS feed (via Google Reader or some other client), you won't need to do a thing. We will also be inviting those of you who read our articles via e-mail to receive a similar service from MNN.

 

I'll be joining the Mother Nature Network as a contributing writer, so there are no goodbyes necessary. But some thanks are in order.

 

Thank you for reading, subscribing, and commenting on Lighter Footstep. We've literally served millions of visitors in the past three years, and the journey has been a joyful one. Thanks to the talented authors who have shared their writing with us, and anyone who has helped propagate Lighter Footstep via e-mail, company bulletin board or social media.

 

And a special thanks to Lighter Footstep's Managing Partner (and my business partner in this venture), Lisa Cagle. It would be impossible for me to overstate Lisa's continuing support, beginning at a coffee shop where I first trotted out the idea of a Web-based green living magazine. There would be no scene without Lisa's behind-the-scenes efforts.

 

I will continue to blog about simpler living at More Minimal. I can be contacted through my professional site, and feel free to follow me on Twitter or Facebook. Of course, be watching for me on MNN.

 

Here's to our green future,