DoNoBad

New .eco top level domain to support environmental causes

Mar 5, 2009 Information of the Day

.eco

A company, Dot Eco LLC has now applied for the new .eco top level domain. It claims that the domain level “.eco will be established for individuals to express their support for environmental causes, for companies to promote their environmental initiatives, and for environmental organizations to maintain their websites in a namespace that is more relevant to their core missions. By charter, a majority of the profits of the .eco initiative will be distributed to support environmental causes.”

The companyhas also managed to get into a partnership with former US Vice President Al Gore and his philanthropy, the Alliance for Climate Protection (www.climateprotect.org), to secure and promote the .eco top level domain.

Personally I think this is an instance of greenwashing. But it remains to be seen how many people and companies hop on to the .eco bandwagon to secure their green credentials. While people may assume that by choosing to register their domain under the proposed .eco extension, individuals and corporations can signal their interest in joining a global ecological movement that promotes nonpartisan change, it may end up lining the pockets of ICANN and this company registering thethe .eco top level domain.

The mitigating factor may be the claim that profits from registration fees will be used to fund scientific initiatives and research in climate change, ocean analysis, economic policy, and other environmentally related areas.

Tags: .eco. greenwashing