Leaning into community
Here is how .eco plans to meet this moment at a time when the environmental movement is facing opposition.
In times like these it is easy to feel despair about the state of the world. Despite knowing the work in front of us to confront the environmental crises we have created, many seem to be wilfully ignoring the problem and trying to head in the opposite direction.
There are many of us in the environmental movement trying to figure out how best to respond to this moment. Do we keep our heads down and continue the good work? Or do we raise our voices in opposition to what’s happening?
Both approaches are correct and the path you take depends on where you are, your privilege and the power of your voice. What we can’t do is give up. This future of our planet is just too important to stand by silently.
Here are a few ways that we at .eco plan to meet this moment.
Lean into community
.eco was founded on the idea that the environmental movement is built on community. Our movement is based on disparate voices from all across our planet and from all segments of society united in concern for our planet and a commitment to a sustainable future.
When times are good, it’s easy to focus our attention outwards. But when times are tough, community is what gives us strength and certainty in our case.
Leaning into our community is our renewed focus for this year. If you have a hopeful story to tell, share it with us and we will amplify it. If you hear of a cool .eco website, let us know and please spread the word.
We are exploring ways to build and foster connection within the community. Every day, we come across new stories about the inspiring work that our community is doing. We want to find more ways that we can collaborate and collectively work together. If you are looking for a new supplier, a new partner, new clients or supporters, try reaching out to other .ecos. We are stronger when we work together.
Support those in need
Times can be tough for many of us in the environmental movement. Our non-profit sector is often dependent on public generosity and is especially vulnerable to loss of funding. We want to do our part to ensure that environmental non-profits can continue to launch and operate. If the cost of registering your .eco domain name is an expense that is difficult to bear, please get in touch and we can see what we can do.
To our broader community, if there are new environmental organizations that are just getting started, please encourage them to apply for a .eco grant. We would love to welcome them into our community.
Spread the word
When we face criticism or even persecution for taking a stand or speaking about the good we’re doing to help our planet, it seems safer to stay silent. This self-censorship is known as “green hushing” and has unfortunately become pervasive.
Depending on where you live and work, these risks are real. However, for those of us who can, we must continue to speak up about environmental issues and what we need to do to address them. If you can, do not give into green hushing as it only emboldens critics and deprives others from learning and benefiting from your work.
Our intention at .eco is to continue to be vocal about the work that we and the .eco community are doing. If you’re able, we encourage you to use your voice and keep talking about how you are working to support our planet.
In solidarity,
The .eco team.