EcoLinking#4 by Don Rittner The Environmental Forum America Online is an online service that provides a sporty icon-based graphical interface for Mac, DOS, Windows, and Apple II users. It's also the home of the Environmental Forum (EForum)! The Eforum has four major areas: public conferences, file libraries, databases, and a public chat room. A public forum means everyone is welcome (AOL has half a million members); Even those that think environmentalists are crazy. To no surprise you will find hot and heavy debate on a variety of environmental topics in the public message folders. There are four message areas: Environmental Issues - National; Environmental Issues - International; Members Folder (where members create their own topics); and the Water Cooler (the debate area). File libraries are where you upload (contribute) or download (receive into your computer) software programs, recent environmental legislation, reports from environmental organizations and government agencies, environmental clip art, or any kind of environmental data. There are actually five libraries: A general library; Environmental News Service Archives, which store press releases and stories from the ENS; a file library for the Global Action and Information Network (GAIN), and a library for the Nuclear Information and Resource Service. Databases contain specific collections: EcoDirectory. This is the electronic version of P.J. Grimes' printed EcoDirectory listing hundreds of "Green" organizations. You can find where to buy environmental friendly products from all over the country. EcoOrgs. This database contains hundreds of names, addresses, and phone numbers of environmental organizations around the world. Books & Magazine Reviews. Read reviews of environmental books and magazines. SEJ. The library of the Society of Environmental Journalists. Read articles from their Quarterly SEJ Journal and writings of SEJ members. Publications. Yes, you can even read the latest issue of The Earth Times (and archives of previous issues). Other publications are coming online too! EcoLinking. A database that deals with environmental networking and is a support area for readers of my book EcoLinking. NewsWatch. Here you can read (and search) the daily news wires for environmental stories. Create your own daily environmental newspaper. The Chat Room is where real time, live discussions take place with Eforum members. International friends (except Canada) cannot get on AOL but can correspond with forum members using AOL's Internet mail Gateway. All they need to know is the member's id and AOL's Internet extension --AOL.COM. For example, my address is AFLDONR@AOL.COM AOL will have full Internet access soon but right now you can subscribe to Internet discussion lists. There are several that deal with the environment. All you need to access the Eforum is an AOL account. You pay $9.95 a month and that gives you 5 free hours. Anything over that is $3.50 an hour. You do need special graphical software to get onto AOL and that's free from the company. AOL uses packet switching networks - Sprint and Tymnet (Datapac in Canada) - so the phone call is local in most cities. To get a free AOL starter kit call 1-800-827-6364 Extension 8984.