About Simple Steps

Get Informed, Be Engaged, Change the World with NRDC Simple Steps

Consumers are concerned about their health and well-being and hungry for credible information about their choices. Though the web is crowded with “green consumer” sites, there is no site that has behind it the authority held by NRDC. NRDC not only commands a leadership role in every environmental and health debate of our time, it is a globally recognized and trusted non-profit that boasts as its foundation a team of experts whose research, reporting and advocacy adhere to the highest standards. NRDC Simple Steps aims to fill this void in consumer information, and be the premiere "news-you-can-use" portal, the go-to info-site on how to be safe, be secure, live well at home and in your community.

The simple truth behind Simple Steps is that all this is really quite personal: How we live matters, what we eat matters, the products with which we clean our homes, our bodies and our pets matter, how we get to school or work matters. And what is most important is that we know that our personal actions matter, that we can be part of the solution. And so at Simple Steps, we strive to keep the focus on what matters most and what we can do to be safe, secure, healthy and happy.  

Our content is divided into four core topic areas, each of which is divided again into several subtopic areas, as follows:

Health -

Pregnancy
Infants & Children
Youths & Adults
Pets

Food -

Shopping Wise
Cooking Essentials
Eating Well

Home & Garden -

Energy
Water& Air
Stuff
Getting Around
Yard & Garden

Community -

Nature & the Outdoors
Businesses & Markets
Community Services

The site also includes a number of fun features and interactive tools:

Simple Steps Smackdown Use our easy calculators to track the energy and water you use and how much heat-trapping CO2 you emit in the process. Learn how to smackdown all these costs by making simple adjustments to your home and lifestyle.

Label Lookup Confused by the many claims you see on products? Let Label Lookup be your guide to what they mean and which you can trust.

Chemical Index Heard there are harmful chemicals in everyday products? Use this Chemical Index to learn which are problems, where they may be found and how to reduce your family's exposure.

How To's Want to make improvements to your home that save you energy, water and money, but don't know what to do? Start here.

This or That Paper or plastic? Powder or Liquid? Which is better? These photo essays help you decide.

Photo Essays How much water does it take to make a hamburger? Find out this and more here.

Quizzes Test your eco-IQ and exercise your mind.

Got a Minute? A Morning? A Month? Change the world! It's easier than you think.

Simple Steps Guides Make smarter choices. Download these pocket guides and take them with you when you shop.

We also want to feature your content - DIY home improvement videos, slide shows of your school or work place going green, recipes using seasonal produce or simple solutions that you'd like to share. Sign up as a community reporter for OnEarth and start writing. Or if you have an idea that you would like us to research and report on, email us today.

And remember, join us on facebook.