Consider Impact and Make Meaningful Projects

Right on Chris! As with any problem solving effort, the first step is admitting you have a problem. From Micro to Macro, there are problems to be solved.

Explorers have alway excepted that they will spend a ton of time to do what the next generation will take for granted.

As we move to a more information and credit based society/world, buying becomes almost like bartering – I send you a payPal, you transfer it to a cel phone, or buy something on EBay or Second Life with it.

How about taking what we’ve learned about electronic fulfillment using the internet to dis-intermediate crisis and charitable aid interventions so Third World (or, 1st world for that matter) land barons/politico’s don’t plunder the riches of int’l aid efforts?

That’s it. Another caffeine induced free idea; guaranteed or your money back

Never neglect the little things, either. Matthew Ebel wants you to save a few gallons of water in your shower every day:

http://matthewebel.com/main/2007/11/16/easing-up-on-the-faucet/

and I’d like to save you $150 a year:

http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/2007/11/10/this-blog-post-is-worth-150/

Even if you do nothing other than reduce your environmental footprint, that’s something.

That is the challenge of today’s society living in the high tech world. How do we as humankind achieve a balance without exploiting more than we already have while keeping up with the new technology? I believe the answer lies within an individual. Like Marshall McLuhan once said, “If it works, it’s obsolete. And it’s only when a thing has become obsolete that everybody is sufficiently familiar with it to make it work.”

I think (hope) you know this already and I think you should tell yourself this everyday… YOU ROCK!

Okay so maybe that sounds cheesey… if you heard me say it… you know I’m genuine.

Every little bit counts and enough little bits add up to a whole.

Thank you for yet another awesome post!

Ok Chris – you’re into the Al Gore thing, its another angle that marketers will try to exploit. The globally act locally. I’m old enough to remember when that bumper sticker first came out and the classic TV ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_gokTG46oQ

Consider two other issues that are tied into

1) Intention economy http://www.stoweboyd.com/message/2006/03/the_intention_e.html the idea that creating demand is pushing a lot of wasteful spending, resources, etc.

2) Social media is a movement, a people place not a marketplace. The intense push to monetize the blogsphere has cut into what I think is a keystone of its initial attraction. While businesses are rushing to figure out how to get people to buy stuff in a social network they are missing the initial point of why those people are aggregating in the first place.

Hey Chris, Just joined your conversation and this is my first post. Honestly….honesty is what reverberated through your post. I really think that it is required of all of us to understand the marketing because there is really no other way to effect the collective concious. The fact is that we in the cyber world ofen get tunnel vision. Figure out a way to make these Ideas of inspiration part of the collective concious and things become much easier. I know I’d rather see a report about a guy who is trying to make a difference in the world on my local news than what car crashed and killed someone last night. Cris, Ideas are everything, and an once an idea has incubated properly and is ready to hatch no one can stop it. I am not at all technically saavy but I do understand people, and people are ready for good change….not bullshit politically inspired ad campaigns that are self centered. Keep up the good work.
Keith Burtis

That’s what I’M saying! Sheesh…

The picture had the most impact on me :)

Great post, Chris. My touchstone has ALWAYS been – Is what I’m doing help spread awareness about congenital heart defects, or raise funds to sponsor a child’s operation?

If yes, I keep doing it. If not, I stop.

EVERYTHING I do passes through this filter.

Even this! :)

All success
Dr.Mani

How I am trying to make an impact and have meaning- I smile and say thank you and please always.

http://www.grassshackroad.com/pages_new/green.html

http://www.kivapodcast.com
(also currently interviewing businesses for Kivas media libary- media stations to get a glimpse of the people who are impacted by the loans. Last week 4 interviews from Kenya, 4 from Mozambique heard how Kiva loans have changed lives. Not for the podcast yet)

great post Chris.

m

It’s true, sometimes we forget about the world outside the box. While you’re pushing for the virtualization of data centers, perhaps look at CosmoCom‘s technology for the virtualization of call/contact centers as well. Things like the ability to have agents for a center anywhere in the world where you’re connected, the true death of distance, that can have a REAL impact on the company and the individuals as well.

Great goals!

I’ve been doing a series of Webinars for the Case Foundation recently – on personal fundraising – trying to inspire and encourage individuals to raise money for a cause they care about in their communities.

Some resources here:
http://personalfundraising.wikispaces.com

Look forward to read more about of your thoughts on all this …. and seeing where it goes.

I am making efforts through my web sites to post articles by people who are trying to make a difference , “in my opinion !” Knocking peoples efforts, is a waste of time being positive is what we all need ! I am not a fan of brands ! I am a fan of very generic
efforts directed at helping our society ! Pick one area stick with it
put the grain of sand in the Oyster and it will become a Pearl! We can take a lesson from Dr.Mani one cause from start to finish ! Global Warming ? How about Al Gore promotes teaching all the kids in the world to read ! This is Possible ! To Stop Nature from her pruning process I have my doubts! If any one has a cause just send me the information I will put it on my sites and punch it out to social networks ! This is my contribution !

i loved this post
i wonder about some of the computer lives
i even have to remind you sometimes to come up for air
and you have to remind me to keep up with what’s going on in the tech world

both of us seeing outside our box
in opposite directions :)

as a note
i do not live green
in fact
i make no effort what so ever to live green-ER
in that case i look outside of my box
and i just don’t get it.
which is what happens too.
just because you look at it doesn’t mean you see it.

Kat there is a quote from the Talmud ” We don’t see things as they are we see things as we are !” Why not ! See,[ Branding] it raises it’s ugly head the New Brands in 2007 , Green,Global Warming ! How about we brand, teaching kids to read as the KInd,Kind, Kind Brand! We have taught them text messaging and now they can’t
tell a verb from a dangling participle ! They have three word dictionaries words – cool,for sure, wow !
macroscian (muh-KROSH-i-uhn) noun

1. One casting a long shadow.

2. One who inhabits polar regions.

[From Greek macros (long) + skia (shadow).]

There is this big, shining, entertaining, addictive, exclusive, monopolizing, universal thing which is called Internet.
All the rest is just life.

Hey Chris, Meaning is our ONLY guideline in ‘using the power of media for positive change’…Without it, we’re stuck with vapid values and the Hiltonization of pop culture on a global scale as we export our drek elsewhere.

MY plans? To put you in my RSS reader pronto, as we keep cross-pollinating on themes. First it was when I discovered your blog via Beth Kanter’s Twitter/Cambodia project and wrote about it here: http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=729 Then it was the OLPC post here: http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=776.

NOW it’s making me laugh out loud, because just yesterday I wrote about the need for GREEN to be more about meaning over money, since the sustainability movement could make a bigger impact by aligning with each other rather than splintering into factions of specialization. Plus, green conferences hither & yon are adding to the carbon footprint, and could really benefit from your techno-expertise and media savvy!

This is my post on Shaping Youth, called, “Green Scene Needs Digital Convergence…”
http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=790

I’m convinced that folks like you and Beth can ‘show us all how to do it’

—That’s “my plan,” anyway. ;-)

Using project ideas starting flowing through my mind as I finished reading this post.