From the Januray 2008 Edition of Atlanta In Town:

Greeniac Nation

By Susan Soper
Atlanta In Town Executive Editor

With the increasing greening of America, it has come to this: a new nation of Greeniacs. The brainchild of a successful California real estate lawyer - and brainiac Eric Berson, Greeniacs.com is attracting new members from around the world to promote the eco-friendly cause.

With a focus on eco-education, here's what being a Greeniac means: belonging to a social network of like-minded folks who are curious and concerned about the environment and our planet Earth and want to be constructive in their lifestyles. The free membership provides personal blogs, access to Greeniacs Instant Messenger and an open dialogue for sharing ideas, tips and green experiences.

The Greeniac nation is building a base here in Atlanta, too, thanks to native Atlan­tan Inman Allen - known as Greeniac5 - who met Berson here over a meeting about planning workspaces several years ago. Atlanta publicist Lisa Frank - Greeniac826 got plugged in through Allen and wrote the first news release for Berson when the site officially launched with 226 members on July 4 - a symbol of Greeniacs' independence from political pressures.

The vision is "to become the most com­prehensive, non-political, non-judgmental" Web site for going green...and to "provide members with a social atmosphere that encourages discussion of green issues and the exchange of green ideas." Helping get the message across is the Greeniac mascot hold­ing the planet in his hand. "The Greeniac logo/mascot will be one of the more recog­nizable mascots of the 21st century," Berson hopefully predicted.

"Atlanta, in a sense, was the first city to discover the Greeniacs." Berson said. "No where else on the planet before Inman figured it out and joined on...Atlanta could become the first municipal Greeniac!"

Allen and Berson have become friendly over the years and bonded in their green­ness. "Part of the whole premise," Allen said, "is that everybody can do what they want to at their own pace....If enough people get together and do a small part, the net result will be enor­mous."

Allen, whose ra­dar is keen for eco­transgressors, offered this example: When he ordered a new stylus from Hewlett-Packard for his personal digital assistant (PDA), the "not much bigger than a matchstick" implement arrived, he said, in a four-by­four-by-eight-inch box filled with big sheets of wrapping paper. The stylus was encased in plastic.

"I looked at that and thought this is the biggest waste," Allen said. "This was a great example of how big corporations that are carrying this green banner around are not really thinking. I've saved the packaging to send the president of Hewlett-Packard."

Berson who visits Chops, The Varsity, the original Waffle House and the OK Café on his trips to town, said, "It would please me no end to increase the interconnections between me and Atlanta,"

Berson, aka Greeniac1, who describes himself as a "recovering lawyer," was sitting through a half-a-billion-dollar real estate lease presentation two years ago when he re­alized he was doing nothing for the environ­ment. "I realized I was a loser," he said, "and had nothing in my life along these lines.... So, I created the Web site and I learned along the way that it's a lot easier said than done....We don't want to tell people what to do..., but if you have better knowledge, you might make better decisions."

Berson, who trademarked "greeniac" as well as "The Big Dance," which he licensed to the NCAA for its annual March Madness, said he's been offered venture capital twice to grow the Greeniacs. "I am not selling the data," he said. "I've never had this much fun losing money in my life." Berson has installed solar panels, a tankless hot water system and a universal waste system in his California home.

Berson said Greeniacs "are not purvey­ors of doom and gloom. We are purveyors of fun and hope." He thinks 2008 will be Greeniac Year. "For me, this is adventurous because you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow."

To learn more and join the Greeniacs Na­tion, www.Greeniacs.com.

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