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Pia Jensen

Jun 23, 2013
11:57

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I like this idea, but, keep in mind that in developing countries not many people have computers, or access to computers - many of these people are critical stakeholders because they are actively creating negative climate impacts by cutting down forests for not only cooking fuel, but cigar boxes and other products - without replanting. How would you propose to take the internet activity to local levels where there is little to no internet use? (You might check out the micro-radio proposal). Green Farmers Rural Radio Proposal - Climate CoLab climatecolab.org/plans/-/plans/contestId/13/planId/1202032‎

Karlie Cole

Jun 28, 2013
08:54

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While participation by everyone would be ideal - since it is the countries that are wealthy enough to have internet access that are contributing most to climate change - it is those countries whose behavior most needs to be impacted to protect those who don't have access from the worst effects of climate change. Of course, collaboration with alternative access possibilities would be welcome as well.

2013shiftingculturesjudges 2013shiftingculturesjudges

Jul 2, 2013
01:02

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Clever idea with real potential. Make sustainability more an everyday concern. Who are stakeholders that have to be convinced before this could work? How do you get the information to provide the ratings? Also, what kind of support from Facebook would be needed, if the company is hosting the app?

Karlie Cole

Jul 5, 2013
06:07

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There are 3 possible ways to apply this idea: 1) To have the most traffic impact, integrate it with Facebook or Google from the inside. Most traffic impact because they have the most people already using their platforms. Though also likely most challenged approach as getting fB or Google buy-in to the idea could be very difficult and constraining. Facebook has been doing some development of rating and recommendations: http://buildmybiz.com/facebook-enhances-nearby-mobile-app-with-local-ratings/ Integration support would be needed if it were to be done inside Facebook and/or Google rather than as an add-on app. A "green" FB like button or a "green" Google +1 would be the simplest version but doesn't provide much detail. A second step pop-up could provide additional ability to rate in more detail. 2) As an add-on Facebook app - the scope would be limited to those FB pages that opt to have the app but would - for those adopting it - show their commitment to sustainability and their willingness to interact with their "fans" around sustainability. Stakeholders to convince would be these FB pages. 3) A Yelp style approach where businesses, etc are added to an open directory and can be claimed by their owners. The rating system would be integral to the directory. The 1st option requires FB or Google as stakeholders. The 2nd option requires page owners to opt-in. The 3rd option requires the least permissions to get it built. Marketing to increase public awareness and use of the rating tools would be needed for any of the approaches. --------------- The information to provide the ratings would come from words in the about and other tabs as posted by the FB page and any linked website in the about page and/or from any website urls for a directory style approach. We have already prototyped the coding to "scrape" the words from URLs. Those words collected would then be put through a sustainability "filter" to pull-out only those words/phrases with a sustainability focus. That filtered word list would be displayed back to the page/website visitors similar to the LinkedIn skills lists and they would be invited to endorse any of the words. They could also add their own. One additional detail of this idea would be to have the words/phrases color shift from lighter to darker green depending on how many times it had been endorsed. Alternatively, the word/phrase list can be more easily determined by what tag/keywords are added to each listing in the directory version #3 though this requires action on the part of those listed in the directory. Also, the rating system would provide for 1 to 5 green thumbs up to rate more simply. A hybrid version of #2 and #3 would be to have the Facebook app, which then would connect people to join in a directory site providing another layer of networking around sustainability. That site could also provide additional features like providing info about actions toward sustainability, connecting with others locally to act on sustainability issues and more. I've done an initial working build on the directory/networking approach at SustainingCommunity.org. My daughter calls the build at SustainingCommunity.org "Facebook with a conscience." It is built as a social network that is also integrated with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. This build adds features for local events calendar, community visioning boards, sharing economy tools, group discussion boards, etc. The build is made to be highly flexible so features can be added or removed very quickly depending on what's useful. It is in beta. This build already has simple tag clouds for listings and a rating system but would need additional coding development to provide for the green thumb up rating system described herein.

Karlie Cole

Jul 5, 2013
06:08

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Early work on this idea at HackforMN in early June, won the "most likely to be commercially viable" award. Finding the best way to apply it is worth doing since it does have GREAT potential to bring sustainability and "greenness" much more into mainstream consciousness. It also includes great potential because it provides easy ways to have all manner of actions toward sustainability acknowledged and rewarded while at the same time putting some peer pressure on less sustainable (or even outright "evil" doers) to clean up their acts. This is a macro solution to propel a great variety of sustainability actions across many sectors. I welcome all feedback and find constructive criticism compelling and invigorating. I hope to receive additional comments. Thanks!

Karlie Cole

Jul 7, 2013
09:06

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Seems word maps of reviews will be getting more familiar to internet users - here Yelp is applying it to help people find hotspots of consumer activity: http://wsm.co/1bcy9SP This idea is sound, fairly easy to code, very user friendly and will create a shift in conversation around sustainability. Really what is yet to be determined is the window it goes in through and how it's start-up gets funded.

2013shiftingculturesjudges 2013shiftingculturesjudges

Jul 18, 2013
08:40

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The project is very multi-faceted and complex, especially for a single web designer. Also, it may be worthwhile to see the team could learn from or collaborate with Good Guide, a similar project.

Karlie Cole

Jul 18, 2013
09:16

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It would be a team effort. GoodGuide is a 180 degree different approach in that it is a panel of experts evaluating products and companies to inform consumer. GreenThumbsUp is regular people sharing their opinions and experience allowing for consumer involvement and peer pressure. Its a ground-up approach - not a top down approach. It will work with any and all without requiring expert input. One of the big problems we are facing in climate change is how people have turned over their lives and their power to "experts" - like politicians, corporations, etc. This turns that on its head and re-empowers regular people to demand better behavior from the businesses they interact with directly.

Terry Gips

Aug 12, 2013
06:19

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I love this idea and think it could really make a difference, both in changing company behaviors and getting people engaged. One concern I would have is whether there is a potential for green washing by a company getting its customers to say how wonderful the company is. My guess is that such an action could be exposed and backfire. Another concern is whether most people would really know enough to properly rate a company so the ratings might be questioned. It's one thing when people give a thumbs up or down on a comment someone makes but it's another when their reputation might be impacted. Despite that challenge, I do think a people's rating system could be important.

Karlie Cole

Aug 13, 2013
07:04

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I see it more as a way to engage dialogue around the issues as we work to transition to sustainability rather than an attempt at creating a super accurate rating system with criteria like LEED (though if a company has LEED - can show that off). For companies it can also be a way to see if there efforts are visible to their community/consumers. Green washing would likely still be an issue but companies would get away with less of it as consumers could reflect there actual experience. The 5 thumbs gives more info than just an up/down and the endorse panel gives even more info at a decent level of detail. There would also be opportunity to post a review. The rating (5 stars, etc) and review system has been in place for some time in various sectors and helps us all choose restaurants and movies and other products/services. Sure some inaccuracies and people attempting to game it in one way or another can creep in but many people already know how to spot that, attacks on certain pages can be dealt with and overall the advantages outweigh the imperfections.

Mike Martin

Sep 29, 2014
11:28

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Hi Karlie, Can I make a suggestion? I believe your Sustainability app idea is positively brilliant, but I couldn't easily find the link to the web page that gives all of the details about it because it wasn't highlighted significantly enough in your LinkedIn profile. Please edit and place this idea on the TOP of your profile and make it easier to see (maybe also adding a simple but unique icon) and that will make it more intuitive -so that visitors who click on it will know and expect to be going directly to your site for more info.(You do have the long hyperlink address, but it is NOT an active hyperlink; I had to cut and paste it) Truthfully and humbly, I want to tell you that there are several parties who I know are very interested and following your activities and mine as it relates to our connections on LinkedIn through the new Sustainable Tech Center. Please give this one Better Bright Idea its due and I have no doubt that many other partners will come forward to code it, as well as to capitalize, launch, and execute it properly. This idea is also brilliant AND compelling because it was never intended to make even a single dollar -it was always intended to be freely shared in order to make a meaningful difference! And I am absolutely convinced that it will do that all around the world! I realize that this app was a finalist last year in MIT's Climate Co-Lab "Shifting Cultures for a Changing Climate" Contest -but times and cultures and climate circumstances have changed so much since last year -and not all for the better. So, Let's get creative right now about making a significantly and quantifiably better present and future with this great new idea! Godspeed, Karlie! Mike Martin http://abetterbrightidea.com