If you’re like me, you want to make the world a better place. You recycle your plastic bottles, reuse both sides of a piece of paper, compost food in your backyard, drive a Toyota Prius, buy local, eat and wear organic, and exercise because you know it’s the right thing to do.
I don’t do everything but I do a lot. How about you?
The fact you are reading this sentence is indicative (to me) that you are computer literate. But did you know there are social networks and snazzy websites that promote sustainability and help you enact social change? Do you want to learn more about them?
Like the different vegetables in this bowl, I’ll illustrate with a few examples.
But first I want to call your attention to Social Media for Social Change, a Boston-based social networking grassroots movement that “will bring individuals, startups, companies, corporations and the causes we value together to change the lives of those who need it most.”
Their first fundraiser occurs in six weeks at the Harvard Club. I signed up today, after reading about it on Adam Cohen’s blog (via Marc Meyer via Social Media Today).
As this post goes to publication, there are 34 tickets left. I urge you to sign up… or at the least, support SM4SC’s cause.
Meet Max
Here are links to two specific posts written by environmental group blogger Max Gladwell that you will want to read if you want to use the web to bring people together and invoke change:
- With 10 Ways to Change the World Through Social Media, you can read about how easy it is to be green and how simple it is to be socially responsible online. You can find green jobs on JustMeans.com, rate web pages on Hugg.com, and socially shop with a green conscience on Alonovo.com.
- Tracking 10 Ways that Social Media and Sustainability Align, you’ll learn about clean energy policies of the presidential candidates, how to find technology and other mainstream magazines that feature stories on energy efficiency, and discover the best ways to interact with concerned citizens about greenwashing and other topics on social networks.
Meet everyone else
OK, not everyone but here are an assortment of global netizens and organizations who facilitate social change and describe their thoughts and efforts on the following blogs:
- Tim Davies: Freelance consultant challenging British youth and nonprofit organizations to change their world through technology
- Epic Change: Florida-based philanthropic organization that provides money to people in developing countries, such as Tanzania, by challenging those in need to share their stories
- Do Good Well: Authored by Nathaniel Whittemore, founder of the Center for Global Engagement at Northwestern University, who writes best practices for citizen-led social change initiatives
- Biodynamic Treechange: Promoting sustainability and biodynamic organic market farming by treechangers (or homesteaders) on Australia’s eastern mid-north coast
Should the White House grow a vegetable garden?
If Roger Doiron of Scarborough, Maine-based Kitchen Gardeners International is successful, the next resident of the White House will build a veggie patch on the front lawn.
Wouldn’t that be swell?
The last First Lady who did it was Eleanor Roosevelt, whose “victory garden” in 1943 inspired 40% of American households to grow their own food by 1945. I think it’s about time for history to repeat itself.
Roger’s campaign, Eat the View, promotes the construction of edible gardens in trafficked public areas. On the site, you’ll see that viral marketing is happening on Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, and other social networking communities.
Here’s one of the videos circulating around the web:
By following the examples of Max and Roger and everyone else cited on this page, you now can look around and try to make the world a better place by instilling values of social responsibility in the things you do online.
Thank you for returning to my blog! If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, email delivery, or Kindle subscription. You may also reach me on Twitter @ariherzog.
Related posts:
- If Seth Godin Could Change Your Life
- Who Referees Social Media?
- How Climate Change Will Link Global Bloggers
Comments:
Ari Herzog is an online media strategist and Newburyport City Councilor-Elect.
978-558-0008
ConvoTrack
{ 4 comments }
Ari, I’ve blogged and thought about this exact topic and would think that “social” nets have a tremendous opportunity and advantage to create momentum to enact social change. Problems arise though because the messaage sometimes does not reach the people that need to be hearing it.
You know what we do, Marc? We keep saying that message, over and over and over and over again.
Revolutions don’t happen overnight but begin with a vision, whether singular or shared.
At first, people whisper. Then they talk softly, and louder, and louder, and they yell their message over and over until everyone gets it and does it.
Then, the message takes a life of its own and tells the visionaries what to think of next.
Thanks again Ari! For anyone involved in social media for social change, this new book from Tom Watson is mandatory reading: http://www.maxgladwell.com/2008/10/causewired-plugging-in-getting-involved-changing-the-world/. It’s The Long Tail or Groundswell for the do-gooder set.
P.S. Let’s get you switched over to WordPress! You deserve it.
Comments on this entry are closed.