With summers getting warmer and extreme weather events becoming more prevalent, many people are focused on climate change and the environment. If you run an environmental organization, you can capitalize on this moment and get people involved in your mission. Having a website where people can donate or get involved is a great first step, but that website should also be well-designed.
An environmental website should be clear about its work and why it is important, using pictures and videos to tell a story. Ideally, it should also be easy to navigate, optimized for mobile, and accessible. Below, we list 21 of the best environmental website designs out there - which you can use for inspiration for your website.
Inclind is comprised of a team of award-winning designers and developers who care deeply about their work - and their clients’ missions. We work with nonprofit and charity organizations throughout the United States, including those related to environmental causes. Whether you need an initial website design or are redesigning your site, we can help make it shine. If you’d like to learn more, reach out to schedule a consultation with a member of our team.
The Top 21 Environmental Website Designs
Environmental websites exist for a specific purpose: to spread the word about their mission and get people involved somehow. If you want your website to achieve these goals, then there are certain things that it should include. At a minimum, an environmental website should have:
- Calls to action (whether it’s to donate, join the mailing list, or sign a petition)
- Content that is search engine optimized (SEO) so that it shows up on Google search results
- A way to get in touch with the organization (typically a contact form)
- Optimization for mobile devices Information about the organization’s work
- Any disclosures that may be necessary, such as nonprofit status
- Accessibility options
Most environmental websites take advantage of the beauty of the natural world by using visually appealing photos and videos. This has the added bonus of showing visitors exactly what is at stake in the fight for environmental justice. While it isn’t required, it is often a great center for your website - and often a winning design choice.
Many of our favorite environmental sites use photos and videos to excellent effect. We have also highlighted some of our other favorite features of these websites to help inspire you as you build your own site.
Environmental Defense Fund
The Environmental Defense Fund is committed to fighting climate change and its impact on the environment. Its website has several great features that help to achieve that mission, including a donation box at the top with a recurring donation as the default feature. It also places current news—such as a recent TED Talk—front and center.
Ecological Society of America
The Ecological Society of America (ESA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting ecological science and diversity in the United States. Its website prioritizes accessibility, with a button to access tools like changing the contrast and shifting the colors. A membership portal on the site is a great way to provide exclusive content for ESA members.
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
As you might have guessed, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Golden Gate National Parks. Its homepage includes a background video of how the park is used, including upcoming events. Another great feature is the “today” button that pops out when clicked to show events happening in the parks that day. It’s a great way to keep people informed while reducing visual clutter.
Climate Reality Project
The Climate Reality Project is focused on sustainability and getting people to accept the realities of global warming. Its website smartly uses black space to pull your attention to its central picture and accompanying text. Because it also wants to get people to join the movement, there is a prominent sign-up button directly in the middle of the screen.
Inside Climate News
Inside Climate News is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media outlet that reports on the climate crisis. The website is styled like a newspaper, with headlines and photos arranged along the “top fold.” The website also uses bold red buttons to draw attention to its donation link and a link related to the 2024 election and how it will impact the climate.
Terrapass
Terrapass sells carbon credits, which is a way of offsetting your carbon footprint. Its website is visually stunning, featuring a background video of a river winding through a value. The bold white text overlaying it makes its mission clear. The two buttons underneath provide a clear path to doing exactly what Terrapass wants people to do - buy carbon credits - for individuals or for businesses.
World Wildlife Fund
The World Wildlife Fund is dedicated to protecting wildlife worldwide. Its website keeps it simple, with a few pull-down menus in the organization’s signature black-and-white colors along the top and a donate and adopt button in bolder colors to the side. A stunning picture of a location where the WWF is currently working—Fiji—completes this simple yet effective homepage.
Genecis
Genecis is a biotechnology company that sells more sustainable products. Its website is clean, with its mission statement right up front: plastic without pollution. The text is minimal to keep the focus on its mission, and a bold green button asks visitors to partner with the company.
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is a grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the environment. Its website does a good job of blending great imagery—like California redwoods—with a call to action. Given the importance of donations to its mission, it also makes sense that there are multiple donate buttons. The Sierra Club also has a shop where supporters can buy merchandise that boosts the cause.
Sunrise Movement
The Sunrise Movement is an organization advocating for real change when it comes to the climate crisis. While donations are important, its main focus is recruiting members - which is why a large contact box is front and center on the home page. In the background, a video of members protesting and rallying is a great inspiration for those who want to get involved.
Sustainability Matters
Sustainability Matters is a DC-area organization designed to encourage sustainability in fun ways, such as education and outreach. Its website reflects its mission, with fun fonts and a less serious tone than you often find on environmental websites. It also has an easy option for translating the site into different languages…right next to the all-important donate button!
Searious Business
Searious Business offers consulting solutions to reduce plastic waste in our oceans. Its website uses a wave pattern in subtle ways—on the logo and beneath the main picture and text—to call attention to its water-focused mission. It also uses shades of blue and a cool oceanic picture to reinforce the message.
Earthsight
Earthsight is a British nonprofit that investigates environmental issues. Its website has a “newsy” feel, with the latest news from its work scrolling across the home screen. It uses color well, both in the graphics that accompany its work and the pop of light blue that it uses for its call-to-action buttons.
Environment California
Environment California is a nonprofit that focuses on issues specific to California. Its website uses a color banner with its name across the top, which is especially important because it is part of a broader network of state organizations. It also features prominent buttons for donating and signing petitions.
David Suzuki Foundation
The David Suzuki Foundation is a Canadian nonprofit that focuses on sustainability issues. Its website is clean and simple, with an easy “ask” featured in the center of the page. Given that it is a Canadian organization, it makes sense that there is a link up top to toggle between English and French.
The Gecko Project
The Gecko Project is an investigative news organization that examines environmental issues, particularly those related to people and companies that hold power. Its website immediately grabs your attention with a graphic illustration highlighting its work on holding corporations accountable. It also has a button up top to quickly change between English and Indonesian, the language of the country where much of its work takes place.
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is dedicated to conserving the natural environment. Its work is supported by membership and donations, so it makes sense that its homepage features a popup related to its member drive. The home page also offers multiple options (using different words) for donating, joining, and renewing membership, which is a great way to achieve a goal without seeming pushy.
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an organization that promotes birding and advocates for protecting birds through environmental work. Its website is visually striking, with a large picture of a hummingbird in flight balancing out bold white text encouraging donations. Along the top, a menu offers options such as membership and learning more about birds.
It’s Our Planet Too
It’s Our Planet Too is an organization that works to get kids involved in saving the planet. Its website aligns with its kid-focused mission with more playful fonts and videos related to its work. At the top, visitors can order a tool kit, shop, or simply learn more about animals and the planet.
ClimeCo
ClimeCo is a company that offers a diverse array of services related to sustainability, such as environmentally focused investing. Its website does a good job of selling sustainability as a concept, with a gorgeous picture of a beach that may be threatened by climate change. As you move the mouse around the screen, there is a ripple effect over the picture. It also includes an “offset now” so people can learn about sustainability options easily.
EMA
EMA is an organization that tells stories promoting action on environmental issues. Its website uses a monochromatic scheme to set itself apart from the fairly standard picture of an element of nature. Over time, the logo and EMA’s mission statement are in bright white. A coral donate button is the only color that differs from this pattern - a smart way to draw users’ eyes to where you want them to go.
Contact Inclind to Get Started on a Stellar Environmental Website
For environmental advocacy organizations, having a website is no longer optional—it is considered necessary. While a basic website can be fine, a great website can help you achieve your goals for donors, members, and volunteers and move your organization closer to achieving environmental justice.
At Inclind, we offer a full suite of web development and design services for advocacy organizations like environmental nonprofits. We can guide you through website design and development, including custom integrations, website migration, conversion optimization, and more. We also offer support and maintenance services to keep your website up and running.
If you’d like to learn more about our web services for environmental groups, we’re available to talk. You can fill out our online contact form or call 800-604-8139 to talk to one of our experts about your website.