If you don't read the rest of this diary, please take away these two requests:
- Remember to add the 'eKos' tag to your eco-diaries. Rules for tagging are beneath the fold.
- Please, please, please consider adding the eKos Widget at the end of your environmental diaries. It's fast and simple. Code is found here, bookmark it!
Also, check out the 'Singing for the Planet' concert report by WarrenS, and rec the mothership!
I don't normally ask for much, but today I want a small piece of the meta pie. You know, the good kind, without the falme wars.
eKos has received a lot of support from the eco-community, and for that we are thankful, but we'd like to spread the word far and wide. I'm hoping that this shameless bid for the rec-list will do the trick.
Follow beneath the fold for more info, and of course, more pooties!
What is eKos? It's all very simple, as explained in this uber-professional eKos heirarchical diagram that I made in mspaint:
In the early days of eKos, we had a few dedicated Rangers going around tagging diaries, and then manually copying and pasting the information into a Google spreadsheet. This spreadsheet was then used to produce the diary tables for the eco-diary roundups that we call Earthships.
Then, we discovered RSS and Python.
Soon, we were automating almost everything. We now feed eKos diaries directly to our Twitter account and widget. I've also written some Python code that allows us to streamline the process of creating diary tables, and updated it to allow importation of the database into the new eKos library.
So what do I want from you? It's very simple.
Tag environmental diaries eKos
and
Use the widget. I can't stress this one enough:
Our original vision was to use the Earthship as a hub, with all participating diaries linking back to it. The widget, though, provides real-time titles and links, and acts as a portal without the need for a middleman. In this way, we drive up readership of all eco-diaries. If you don't like the way it looks, you can post it in your tip jar. This is all voluntary, of course, but the more Kossacks we get to use it, the better it will work.
We just have a few rules for tagging diaries:
- If you see or write an eco-diary or front page story, tag it 'eKos'. and inform the diarist. Use of the tag is strictly voluntary, so always defer to the wishes of the diarist.
- Fix the tag if it is wrong ('e-kos' or 'ecos' tags won't work).
- Watch out for tag abuse. eKos is meant to be inclusive, but if you see writing that is clearly not friendly to environmental causes, or which breaks site rules that has been tagged, please remove it.
- Don't tag diaries that call-out or in any way directly criticize other Kossacks or diaries. It is fine if it addresses a meme or argument, but it cannot specifically mention or link to any comment or diary. (We are going to work on the wording of this rule some more)
- If someone other than the diarist removes the tag without justification, please put it back, and explain to them very politely why you did so. If there is still a disagreement, please contact us at eKos.
- If there are any other questions, comments, or issues, please e-mail ekos350atgmaildotcom.
That's it in a nutshell. We're all in this together, fighting for a better world. I hope that eKos is making a difference. The environmental writing and activism on Daily Kos deserves more attention.
I deeply appreciate the contributions of the eKos Rangers and editors, and everyone who has supported us along the way. Thank you.
eKos Rangers
In no particular order:
Regina in a Sears Kit House
boatsie
Hopeful Skeptic
RLMiller
patrickz
Earthfire
Ellinorianne
A Siegel
dRefractor
SolarMom
Look for eKos Earthship eco-news and diary roundups every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evening!