Green-themed Web site launches in Sonoma

Until recent years, “green” meant “go,” which came with putting one’s carbon footprint to the metal. Times (and climes) have changed and a raft of resources has arisen on the rising tides of ecological consciousness.  Current trends suggest more people now want to “go green,” and helping them do just that is Sonoma-based GoGreenOnline.com.
The brainchild of entrepreneur Christine Mason McCaull, GoGreenOnline bills itself as “The shortest distance from GO to Green” and brims with editorial and video content that illustrate how to protect one’s planet, health and pocketbook while fostering community and support for those making their first forays into this territory.
“We started GoGreenOnline since we knew that there were a lot of people who had the instinct that it was the right thing to do – to make changes that were good for the environment – but did not really know where to start,” explained McCaull, who added that some Californians might be susceptible to a kind of green-blindness – the assumption that everyone in the nation is pursuing a green-positive lifestyle. “California is so far ahead of the rest of the country, maybe you don’t get that sense living here, but nationwide, there are so many people who haven’t even begun to recycle.”
That’s where GoGreenOnline enters the picture, or more specifically, the Web browser.
“We decided to put together a comprehensive site that was not just news-oriented and aimed for the people who were already there, but for people who were just getting started,” said McCaull.
The site offers specific steps users can employ to change their behaviors regarding home energy options, transportation, the food chain and waste. Moreover, McCaull herself appears in a series of videos that clarify the issues facing the environment and what individuals can do to live greener.
“We wanted to make it a place where you can get all the information you need, room by room, step by step. That was the goal. We have a little bit of product sales that are going up there, but that was really not the main objective. We are just putting that there so if someone really can find that stuff in his or her nearby store, they have a good path to find what they need,” said McCaull, a veteran of several Internet-based start-ups and a three-time CEO of software service companies.
McCaull relishes the opportunity to explore the personal and professional interests afforded by her new venture.
“This intersection of building an online business and creating and writing online content that I care about was not really feasible until the last few years as online video really took root, costs came down and it became more and more cost effective to reach audiences online,” said McCaull. “Suddenly, the time is right where you can marry Internet capability, video production and highly targeted outreach. It really is a passion.”
Moreover, McCaull could launch the company in Sonoma.
“I love Sonoma, this is my home,” said McCaull, who moved to Sonoma with her family a year and a half ago. “I really wanted to build a life that was integrated, so I did not have to commute to the city or the South Bay. I started looking around and found a lot of small one-to-two-person startups, and a few things related to the wine business that were a little bit larger. There was a real undercurrent of emerging technology community here that was really talented. So, I said, ‘Why don’t I just start my company here and let those people come here and work close to home?’”
Now, McCaull’s commute is greener too.