Today’s interview guest has been active participant in the Craigslist ecology and environment board since 2002, weighing in under the nom de plume “the_real_yaki.” Craigslist is best known as the dominant provider of online classified ads, but the service also offers a robust collection of bulletin boards on a variety of topics that enhance the loyalty of site users.

Although he asked that I not reveal his real name, he made time to explain why he makes so much time or this activity and what he enjoys about it. Our conversation is an enlightening listen for nature protection and pollution control experts that are seeking to familiarize themselves with what makes online communities tick.

“The thing about the Craigslist forum is that there can be anything… people post about all kinds of topics there,” the_real_yaki says.

Although it’s the different perspectives that hold his interest, the_real_yaki also describes the ecology and environment board as a kind of conversational wild west, where information seekers, provocateurs, experts, and the uninformed cross paths via typed missives, while a large number of silent observers take it all in.

“I’ve always seen my ‘angle’ on the Craigslist eco-forum as someone who can provide information and not trying to convince anyone of anything,” he says.

Download or listen to the full interview: click here

To ask the_real_yaki a question, leave a comment below