I worked as an editorial intern with Natural Home from May to December 2009. During my internship I was responsible for writing the weekly e-newsletter, updating Natural Home’s MySpace page, uploading text and photos to the website using the content management system, updating archived Web content and researching and writing magazine and online content.
Below is a collection of my work with Natural Home, including printed articles, blogs, an e-newsletter, online news briefs and online product reviews.
Printed articles
Farmhouse Flavor
March/April 2010
This story appeared in the “Conscious Kitchen” section of Natural Home. The “Conscious Kitchen” section always features a story along with three recipes. For this story about farm-to-table programs I interviewed two chefs at different restaurants in the Serenbe community near Atlanta, Ga. I also contacted a public relations representative, requested recipes and photos, and wrote and edited the story.
To view this story as a pdf click here.
To view this story on Natural Home‘s website click here.
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3 Green Prefabs for Less Than $120,000
January/February 2010
This story appeared in the “Good to Know” section of Natural Home. I collaborated with another intern to conduct interviews, request photos and write and edit this story about three green prefabricated homes.
To view this story as a pdf click here.
To view this story on Natural Home‘s website click here.
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To Your Health
September/October 2009
This story appeared in the “Fresh Finds” section of Natural Home. I tested nine natural products, contacted public relations representatives and wrote and edited this story.
To view this story as a pdf click here.
To view this story on Natural Home‘s website click here.
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Blogs
Below are several blog posts published on Natural Home’s blog Leafy Greens. Through this blog I wrote about such topics as green fashion, organic food, great green products and simple ways to make everyday life more environmentally friendly.
When I started as an intern at Natural Home I knew little about green topics, but I learned quickly. It’s important for journalists to be adaptable and just plain curious. Below are three blog posts that show how I learned about green topics by applying them to my everyday life.
Green Fashion: Why it Matters
September 18, 2009
This blog post describes five reasons that green fashion matters. In this blog post I combined some of my own knowledge about ways to make a wardrobe more environmentally friendly with research I did on green fashion. Fashion is always a topic that I’ve been interested in. Through writing this post I enjoyed learning about how to be a more eco-conscious consumer.
To view this blog post on Natural Home‘s website click here.
To view this blog post as a pdf click here.
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Rediscover Public Libraries for Sustainable Summer Reading
June 11, 2009
This blog post describes the environmental benefits of using public libraries instead of buying new books. It also gives information on the consequences of producing virgin paper. I have a bad habit of buying and hoarding new books. Many of my blog posts, like this one, show how I learned to apply my everyday practices to sustainable issues.
To view this blog post on Natural Home‘s website click here.
To view this blog post as a pdf click here.
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Starbucks Greens its Coffee Cups
June 18, 2009
This blog post explains how Starbucks is working to make all of its plastic and paper cups recyclable. I did a lot of research for this post because Starbucks had gaps in information on its website.
This post also explains how coffee addicts like me can make their java more sustainable. I liked writing blog posts that showed that anyone can make parts of their lives more environmentally friendly.
To view this blog post on Natural Home‘s website click here.
To view this blog post as a pdf click here.
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E-newsletter
Look Forward to Spring Gardens
December 24, 2009
During my internship with Natural Home I wrote the weekly e-newsletter. This involved choosing a topic, locating archived or new articles to include in the newsletter, writing engaging summaries of each of those articles, locating photos and uploading the newsletter using html code.
To view this e-newsletter as a pdf click here.
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News briefs
For my internship with Natural Home I often wrote Web briefs to inform readers about the latest in green news. Below are three clips of this work.
Recession Helps Environment: Less Junk Mail in Your Mailbox
August 2009
This Web brief describes how the volume of junk mail was down in 2009 because businesses hit by the recession were trying to save money. I found this topic, then researched how junk mail affects the environment: It destroys more than 100 million trees annually and emits more than 51 million metric tons of greenhouse gases each year. I tried to choose topics for news briefs that I thought all types of readers would find interesting, not just those readers who already have a base knowledge of green topics.
To view this Web brief on Natural Home‘s website click here.
To view this Web brief as a pdf click here.
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New Transportation Regulations Hinder Battery Recycling
July 2009
This Web brief explains how more batteries may end up in landfills with the Department of Transportation’s new regulations on the shipment of batteries. This brief also includes information on how to properly recycle batteries. I also thought this Web brief would have wide appeal.
To view this Web brief on Natural Home‘s website click here.
To view this Web brief as a pdf click here.
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Earth Friendly Products Helps Consumers Save Money
August 2009
I adapted this Web brief from a press release. This brief is about how the green cleaning supplies manufacturer Earth Friendly Products was announcing a 15 percent price reduction on its line of products. The press release was slightly misleading because it was written as if the price reduction were going straight to the consumers. When I contacted the public relations representative, however, I found out that the price reduction was just being offered to the company’s distributors, who were then encouraged to lower the price for consumers. Writing this Web brief taught me to not always trust what’s written in press releases.
To view this Web brief on Natural Home‘s website click here.
To view this Web brief as a pdf click here.
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Product Reviews
About once every week I would write a product review of an environmentally friendly product for Natural Home’s website. Below is one example.
Product of the Week: GourMom’s Organic Salsa
November 2009
Although I often wrote product reviews on products that I received press releases about or products that my editors found, I researched and found GourMom’s Organic Salsa myself.
I couldn’t have found a more deserving person to give free press. Sarah Galluzzo, the creator of this product, started the product in her own kitchen. Her salsa is a lesser-known product mainly sold in Connecticut, but her business is quickly growing. Her delicious salsa has USDA organic-certification. Tasty and organically certified are two characteristics that don’t always go together in even supposedly “green” products. She was thrilled with the review. I can only hope for more moments in my future journalism career like the one I experienced when I received her e-mail of thanks.
To see this product review on Natural Home‘s website click here.
To view this product review as a pdf click here.
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Kirsten Hudson 