Mother Nature Network Attracts Coca-Cola, Aflac, AT&T to Its Sponsored Channels

A couple years ago Joel Babbit, the veteran Atlanta ad executive, traded in his Porsche 911 for a Honda Civic Hybrid, and it is not just his car that moves a little slower these days.

“I can tell you I get treated much worse at the valet stand,” said Mr. Babbit, who sold his agency, 360, to Grey Global Group in 2002, and stayed on with Grey. “I stand in line with my ticket a lot longer.”

While his new car may not turn heads, his new venture that prompted the purchase is. Mr. Babbit left Grey to launch Mother Nature Network, an environmental website targeted at mainstream consumers that went live in the first week of 2009. The co-founder of the site is Chuck Leavell, the keyboardist for the Rolling Stones and an avid environmentalist, while James Berrien, former publisher of the Forbes Magazine Group, serves as chief operating officer and Emily Murphy, who has worked as an editor and producer at USA Today, National Geographic and CNN, serves as managing editor.