EPA opens the Greenversation

The Environmental Protection Agency recentlylaunched a blog, Greenversations, to encourage dialogue inside and outside the agency about issues such as reducing energy consumption and "green" construction methods.

Comment on this article in The Forum.One of the first blogs to emerge in the federal government, Greenversations features posts from EPA employees sharing their unique perspectives on environmentalism. The site builds off the success of EPA Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock's blog, Flow of the River, which he has been writing since July 2007. Peacock is one of the first political appointees to venture into the blogosphere.

"The reason I started my blog is that it creates a broader discussion about what we do, how we do it and what we can do better," Peacock said. Now instead of his own blog, he writes for Greenversations.

Employees who contribute to the new blog represent a wide range of backgrounds, experience levels and job assignments. The posts include personal stories, such as why they chose to work at EPA, as well as information about the agency's programs and initiatives.

The blog's main goal is to encourage awareness, understanding and engagement, according to Peacock. "I don't think most people understand how eager the federal government is to hear their input on everything from regulatory processes to voluntary programs," he said. "We think Web 2.0 technology like blogging is a way to get us there. This is just one aspect of Web 2.0; we also have a widget and podcasts. We are looking to all these technologies to further accomplish our mission."

Peacock noted a recent blogger on Greenversations who talked about the importance of testing for radon in homes, which proved useful not only for EPA employees who set environmental standards, but also realtors who learned it is critical to have properties inspected for radon before selling them.

"We chose the name Greenversations quite deliberately to encourage people to talk with us and share their thoughts on the environment," said Jeffrey Levy, acting director of Web communications for EPA. "We want to emphasize both the positive and negative. It's not just about praising us, but about two-way communication." Levy said about 20 bloggers have signed on to write for the site and four or five other employees have expressed interest in joining.

The blog's comment section allows employees and citizens to discuss a wide variety of issues ranging from the New York Mets' new "green" ballpark to EPA regulations. Levy said the agency will not edit comments, but those that are inflammatory, profane or commercial will be deleted. "As long as you use a civil tone, you can pretty much say anything you want," he said.

The blog is "all about transparency," Peacock said, but there are certain areas that will be off limits. EPA will be careful not to cross any legal boundaries, Levy added, such as writing about ongoing investigations or parts of the regulatory process in which the agency is not allowed to comment.

"We want to share with the public the breadth of what EPA employees do in an informal, personal way," said Levy. A blogger from the Seattle regional office, for example, will write about what it's like to be the first on the scene, coordinating the agency's response to an environmental disaster.