With interest in ecology and environmental issues surging, educators and non-scientists are devoting more time to discussing environmental issues inside the classroom and out. But finding up-to-date, readily understandable, and accurate information about environmental issues can be challenging. While the internet has become a primary source of information for many people, it is often difficult to document the credibility of information found on web sites. The Encyclopedia of Earth and the Encyclopedia of Life are two new web-based tools that allow ecologists and others to address this issue. The Encyclopedia of Earth (EOE) is an electronic reference about the Earth, its natural environments, and their interaction with society. The EoE is a free, fully searchable collection of articles written by scholars, professionals, educators, and experts who collaborate and review each other's work. The site is aimed at educators, students, scholars, professionals, and the general public. The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) is designed to provide the most recent and scientifically valid information about all species of life on Earth. The EOL is constantly evolving as new information for known species becomes available and as new species are discovered. The EOL engages a wide audience of school children, educators, citizen scientists, academics, and others who are interested in the Earth's biodiversity. Workshop participants will learn how these encyclopedias can be used as a resource for classroom instruction and student research, and how they can become part of the expanding community serving as authors and topic editors for these important electronic resources.