| Top level domains, or TLDs, are the recognizable | | | | allowing everyone in the environmental movement |
| suffixes found in internet addresses, such as | | | | a designated place to communicate with and |
| .com, .org, or .edu. The astonishing growth of the | | | | monitor each other. One of the primary goals of |
| internet over the past decade alone has given rise | | | | environmentalists is to stop climate change and |
| to a corresponding need for more specific TLDs | | | | preserve the earth's livable habitat, not only for |
| to help clearly identify businesses and | | | | the continuation of other species, but most |
| organizations and steer internet traffic effectively. | | | | importantly, for the survival of humanity itself. |
| ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned | | | | Because the internet has become one of the |
| Names and Numbers, will shortly hear a petition | | | | most important ways in which people |
| for new TLDs. Several organizations, among them | | | | communicate with each other, the implementation |
| Dot Eco LLC, will petition ICANN to allow for the | | | | of an effective environmental TLD is of the |
| addition of a new TLD, .eco, which would be an | | | | highest priority. |
| umbrella address for all ecological and | | | | Currently, there are other environmental |
| environmental causes and organizations. | | | | movements who wish to petition the ICANN for a |
| .eco's proponents include a variety of prestigious | | | | .green TLD. The proposed .green TLD is not as |
| and informed environmental representatives, | | | | effective as the .eco TLD because it is of much a |
| including former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. A | | | | longer string length. Years of internet testing and |
| .eco TLD would harness the benefits of | | | | research have revealed that longer string TLDs |
| conglomeration-in this case, an ability to rapidly | | | | are far more problematic technically than the |
| and effectively raise funds and develop ideas-by | | | | shorter, two to three letter TLDs. |