The Internet has become a tremendous resource for anyone wanting to inform themselves on environmental issues. Hundreds, if not thousands, of websites are devoted to all manner of environmental issues from clearcutting to global warming and toxic pollution. The FEN website - http://www.powerlink.net/fen - has an extensive links page listing many environmental websites by category. Below is a small sampling of a few of the more important sites.

Maine Environmental Policy Institute - http://www.meepi.org/ - The purpose of the Maine Environmental Policy Institute is to help Mainers understand the importance of healthy ecosystems to a healthy economy. The Institute is dedicated to researching environmental challenges facing the state and reporting this research to policy makers and the public. See the article about the MEEPI in this issue.

Forest Conservation Portal - http://forests.org/ - The Forest Conservation Portal provides vast rainforest, forest and biodiversity conservation news & information, including the ability to fully search reviewed forest conservation information on the Internet. The mission of Forests.org is to contribute to ending deforestation, preserving old-growth forests, conserving all forests, maintaining climatic systems and commencing the age of ecological restoration. Their Forest Conservation Archives includes over12,000 forest conservation news and information articles. Non-permanent Internet content that otherwise would be lost, is archived here for non-commercial and educational purposes.

Rainforest Action Network - http://www.RAN.org/ - Rainforest Action Network works to protect the Earth's rainforests and support the rights of their inhabitants through education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action. Their Old-Growth Campaign is designed to save endangered old-growth forests by changing the buying practices of consumers.

American Lands Alliance - http://www.americanlands.org/ - A broad coalition of activists and organizations dedicated to protecting our forest heritage and restoring ecological integrity to the landscape

Native Forest Council - http://www.forestcouncil.org/ - promoting Zero Cut on Public Lands ­ Our mission is "To provide visionary leadership and to ensure the integrity of public land ecosystems, without compromising people or forests. Native Forest Council is dedicated to the preservation and protection of all publicly owned natural resources from destructive practices, sales, and all resource extraction. We believe a sound economy and a sound environment need not be incompatible, and that current land management practices are devastating to both."

The John Muir Project - http://www.johnmuirproject.org/ - "The John Muir Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to placing all federal public forest lands in the United States beyond the reach of commercial exploitation, just as John Muir envisioned over a century ago. Our immediate goal is to end all timber sales on federal public lands nationwide and redirect the timber subsidies into worker retraining, ecological restoration, and reduction of the national debt."

Earth Island Institute - http://www.earthisland.org/ -"Earth Island Institute develops and supports projects that counteract threats to the biological and cultural diversity that sustain the environment. Through education and activism, these projects promote the conservation, preservation, and restoration of the Earth."

Circle of Life Foundation - http://www.CircleOfLifeFoundation.org/ - The Circle of Life Foundation, promotes efforts to protect and restore the Earth through education and outreach. The foundation works to inspire, support and network individuals, communities and organizations to jointly create environmental solutions that honor biological and cultural diversity.

ReThink Paper - http://www.rethinkpaper.org/ - ReThink Paper educates the public about the problems associated with traditional wood-pulp paper; advocates for replacement of virgin wood content with non-wood fibers; and stimulates interest in and demand for tree-free and recycled paper

RESTORE: The North Woods - http://www.restore.org/ - The mission of RESTORE: The North Woods is to restore, preserve, and defend the native ecosystems of the North Woods of the United States and Canada through advocacy, public awareness, and citizen activism.

Native Forest Network - http://www.nativeforest.org/ - The Native Forest Network is a global autononomous collective of forest activists, indigenous peoples, conservation biologists and non-governmental organizations. Its mission is to protect the world's remaining native forest be they temperate or otherwise, to ensure they can survive, flourish and maintain their evolutionary potential.

Rachel's Environment and Health Weekly - http://www.rachel.org/home_eng.htm - Providing very readable and understandable scientific information about human health and the environment.

Pesticide Action Network North America - http://www.igc.org/panna/ - The Pesticide Action Network has campaigned to replace pesticides with ecologically sound alternatives since 1982. PANNA links over 100 affiliated health, consumer, labor, environment, progressive agriculture and public interest groups in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. with thousands of supporters worldwide to promote healthier, more effective pest management through research, policy development, education, media, demonstrations of alternatives and international advocacy campaigns.

HotEarth.net - http://environet.policy.net/warming/ - A source for information on global warming and how you can help prevent it.

Climate Ark - Climate Change Portal - http://www.climateark.org/ - The Climate Ark is a Climate Change Portal and Internet Search Tool that provides access to reviewed climate change and alternative energy news and information.

Climate Solutions (formerly Atmosphere Alliance) - http://www.climatesolutions.org/ - Climate Solutions works to effectively communicate the urgent need for action on global warming and promotes the rapid acceleration of clean energy technologies and more livable development of our communities.

Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!) - http://www.yesworld.org - This youth-run organization leads presentations at schools and holds Action Camp trainings for activists ages 15 to 25. Its online offerings include primers on key environmental issues and the Green Schools Manual.