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Back in October, we wrote about Open Planet Ideas, an joint initiative between WWF and Sony crowdsourcing the best ideas that used technology to address an environmental issue. Several months later after over 400 concepts were entered, it was whittled down to eight finalists, then there were three and now the winner has been revealed.
Greenbook — the magazine is an online publication that aims to inspire people to action (sounds a bit like Green Thing).
Through location-based technology (GPS) and portable reading devices (PSP) users can read information of different issues and volunteer on various projects – both existing ones being run by NGO’s but also users can initiate their own. The Greenbook is a way of making casual volunteering something easy to do while making it fun and social.
The idea feels a bit like Facebook meets Groupon meets flash mobbing but for specifically for the environment. Users can do things like paint bike lanes, clean up a park or host a clothes swap party and they’ll be rewarded through a discount incentive scheme when purchasing sustainable products. Businesses will offer discounts for Greenbookers as which will drive up demand.
The people who have collaborated on this idea explain how it is based in social gaming (this TED video was part of their inspiration) but it’s also part of a campaign and a volunteering initiative.
There is very good discussion around this idea on the Open Planet Ideas website, such as “Why not make this a web app, accessible to more people than just those using a PSP? ” which is a very valid point. PSP is Sony technology, but perhaps there could be a web app in addition to refurbished games consoles to make it more accessible to all. Moreover, with social media dictating so much of the online space, how will a new stand alone magazine generate a user base?
As all of the Open Planet Ideas were developed online, by people around the world, you can see that even the winning concept is very much in an early stage, still evolving with expert and public input. Hopefully over the next few months we’ll be able to watch the Greenbook develop into something that everyone will want to use.
Katherine Hui is currently the Social site editor at Green Thing, a web-based public service in London that inspires people to lead greener lives through creative content.
Before this, she worked as the Development Manager at Social Innovation Camp, an organization that encourages people to use web and mobile-based technology to mobilise social change. She oversaw 300 ideas submission and helped build 20 prototypes – five of which have gone on to get further funding or investment.
Katherine’s came over to the UK form Canada in 2007 for an MSc program at the London School of Economics. Before arriving in London, she managed a small environmental start-up in Vancouver called the Canadian Climate Change Alliance.
Katherine is football mad. She is a loyal supporter of Arsenal FC, plays for Islington Borough Ladies FC and coaches for Gunners in Islington in her spare time. Her second favourite hobby is kite surfing and she can sometimes be found chasing the wind.
