Some competitors I am analyzing:

Sustainable Stanford (SS)

Strengths:
The SS website addresses Stanford students directly, and because Stanford students are a principal target audience of my website, I compete for their readership.  SS provides facts and statistics that show Stanford's progress in sustainability, so it is interesting and applicable to Stanford students.  SS also outlines goals that they want to achieve and results that they have achieved on Stanford campus.  A special feature is an "In the News" section on the Home Page that offers a list of recent sustainability news on Stanford campus; each date and event is linked to a page with more information about the event.  The website covers a large range of topics, including climate action and transportation, and it is both easy to navigate and visually appealing.  Because SS is a working group on campus, it is easy to get its word out to the students.

Weaknesses / Why My Website Is Better:
Although the SS website covers many topics, it does not go through them in depth and expects the reader to know some information about the issues beforehand.  Also, much of the information presented is only related to Stanford's campus, so the audience for the SS website is limited, whereas my target audience includes anyone interested in sustainability.  While the SS website is a major competitor, because my website lays out basic information about sustainability in an easy-to-learn fashion, it remains unique.  In addition, the "News and Resources" page on the SS website mainly offers links to other sustainability-related groups and departments on campus.  My resources page has more action information and links to a greater variety of resources. 

Back to Top

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Strengths:
The EPA covers unique topics that I do not on my site: bio fuels, climate change, materials management, and human health.  It also focuses a lot on explaining the current policies and programs in place that address these issues.  The site has a "How Can I Help?" page that lists a variety of things that the reader can do in order to promote sustainability.  The site in general is more concentrated on the government's actions and progress on sustainability.  Navigation is easy, and the EPA also has credibility that helps attract readers. 

Weaknesses / Why My Website Is Better:
Once again, the EPA website does not go in depth on the topics that it covers, and it does not cover the same topics that my site does.  While my site is concentrated on food, water, waste, and energy, the EPA site does not address waste or food.  These are two major categories under sustainability, and they are also the most action-oriented on the part of the reader; for example, the reader can go recycle or compost, and the reader can go buy local, organic food.  On the other hand, it is more difficult for the reader to act on water or energy issues.  The EPA too assumes that the reader has some knowledge about sustainability.  Its target audience is much broader than my site's, and the reader must have some interest in what the EPA is doing in order to read on.

Back to Top

The Unlikely Activist

Strengths:
This website is a blog about sustainability and about how the reader can get involved on an individual level.  The author discusses specific topics in depth, and people can leave feedback, therefore giving the site a more forum-type quality.  A distinct feature is the navigation bar on the right of the page, which is divided into two sections: "Info Blogs" and "Info Sites."  The links under these sections lead to other informational and helpful sites.  On the left-hand side of the page, there is a section called "Recommended Reads," and the author suggests some good books about sustainability that the reader may find handy and interesting.  This site is interactive, and readership is probably large because it is a more "fun" site.

Weaknesses / Why My Website Is Better:
Although this website has many features, it does not target Stanford students specifically like mine does.  In addition, because the site is in a blog format, it addresses certain issues one at a time, and the reader does not get a simple, complete overview of sustainability.  Educating the reader and offering him basic information about sustainability is one of my major goals, for which the blog does not seem to aim.  Also, if the reader does not find a particular issue or area of sustainability on the first page, it is unlikely that he will dig through the blog's archives and search for the topic.

Back to Top

Washington State Department of Ecology

Strengths:
This website is very well-organized, and it is tailored specifically to multiple audiences.  On the home page, there is a section that says "Ecology for You," and under that tab, it has bullets listing: General Public, Business, Government, Educators and Students, and Scientists and Researchers.  These links take the reader to respective pages addressing the concerns and main interests of that particular audience.  This is a great way of sorting but also addressing all of the site's target audiences.  This website also offers its information in different languages, which is unique.  It also has sections called "How Do I?" and "Ecology News," answering some specific questions the reader may have and giving the reader important updates on sustainability issues.  In addition, on the home page there is a "Spotlight" section that covers projects and programs.  On the navigation bar at the top of the page, the site is categorized into the following sections: Water, Air, Waste, Cleanup, Toxic Hazards, and Green.  Each link takes the reader to a page with tons of resources for that particular section.  This website is user-friendly, educational, and helpful.

Weaknesses / Why My Website Is Better:
This website is excellent, but it still does not have a basic step-by-step layout of the different categories under sustainability.  It does not explain everything simply for the reader like my website does, nor is it is specifically tailored towards Stanford students.

Back to Top

Sustainable Campuses

Strengths:
Sustainable Campuses is like an enlarged version of my "Get Involved" and "Resources" pages.  Its target audience is college students in France, and it helps students and different campuses to get their schools involved.  It is an excellent site for students looking to start sustainability groups or movements on campus, and it even provides a regional coordinator that the student can contact in France.  Even for students who do not live in France, the site offers ideas that they can use in their respective schools.

Weaknesses / Why My Website Is Better:
This website is not as aesthetically pleasing as some of the other ones I have perused, and it takes a very long time to load different pages, which will turn away readers.  Also, although it provides many resources, it does not offer the crucial knowledge and information about sustainability that the reader must know in order to act and use resources.  Moreover, our target audiences vary because I am generally targeting American students and Stanford students in particular.

Back to Top

University Office of Sustainability (UNH)

Strengths:
This website too is a blog, like The Unlikely Activist, except it is by the University of New Hampshire.  Therefore, it is more targeted towards the New Hampshire community.  While the site does not offer some of the special features that the other blog does, it is more organized and more user-friendly.  It divides all of its blog posts into categories: Biodiversity and Health, Climate and Energy, Culture and Sustainability, and so forth.  Therefore, the reader can choose one of these categories and read whatever post catches his attention.  Also, on the left hand navigation bar, the website has a "Blogroll" with links to other blogs that it believes to be worthy of the reader's time. 

Weaknesses / Why My Website Is Better:
UNH is more focused on New Hampshire and its happenings, and it still does not truly educate the reader with basic information about sustainability.  Instead, it jumps right into a topic or issue in a blog post.

Back to Top