Earth911.com is a great resource to promote recycling. The site has a free recycling directory with listings to recycle over 240 products which searches 127,000 locations. They even have an iPhone application called iRecycle. They also post articles, information and tips for recycling. Earth911.com’s goal is to make recycling easy and fun.

I was trying to figure out what to write this week. I was reading some social media blogs and nothing jumped out at me. Then I decided to take another route. I wanted to find an environmental nonprofit organization that was doing something unique with Twitter and highlight their project. I started by typing “environment and twitter” into Google.

I was listening to this Ted talk (clipped below) on design and this quote jumped out at me.

"Advertising is a price people pay for being unoriginal."

It raised questions for me about what would users tell their coworkers, friends and others they campaign about Green Media Toolshed. What do we want them to say? How are we original?

I had the opportunity to attend the Planning and Conservation League's annual Symposium this past weekend. There were many sessions to choose from but one in particular caught my attention. The topic was using maps to persuade and mobilize. The presenters were Larry Orman and Tim Sinnott from GreenInfo Network and Rebecca Moore from Google Earth Outreach.

Larry Orman started off with a great point: we're overloaded with geographic information. We've got access to road maps, mash ups, interactive maps, climate change maps, election maps, and geotagged photos. But Larry pointed out that mapping is about having a point, not just about showing data.

Why are maps a popular choice for displaying cross-sections of information? One reason is that data is not an obstacle. It's available and much of it is free. Also, computers and mapping software are less expensive. And new generations of folks are map-savvy.

GIS (geographic information system) is one mapping tool that marries data and places. GIS can be used to analyze information, such as land use, commercial development, pollution impact, and to define alternative outcomes.

Maps, in general, can be used to tell a story or convey a message. Mapping tools let you unfold data in layers to reveal parts of the story. It is important, Larry emphasized, that you think about mapping as communications. Technology is whizzy and great, but it is still critical that you have a good story. You need to know who your audience is, what your message is, how much time people will have to view your map as well as at what distance and in what context.

Rebecca Moore reinforced that maps can be very effective for telling a story or delivering a message, particularly when you don't have much time to deliver it. She noted that maps can change an abstract concept into something personal for people. When done right, maps can show what is at stake instead of just telling what is at stake. They can inspire action, influence decision-makers, reach the media, and impact public policy.

If you are interested in using maps as part of your outreach strategy, there are a number of tools to try:
-- Google SketchUp
-- Google Earth
-- ArcExplorer
-- Interactive mashups
-- GeoPDFs

While there are many examples, two in particular you may want to view are:
-- Ocean Conservancy's "A Preventable Tragedy"
-- Appalachian Voices' "I love Mountains" campaign

And finally, if you want to read more, try these resources:
-- Google Earth Blog
-- ESRI Conservation Program

Happy Mapping!
Bobbi Russell

Get into the spirit of the holidays by shopping green. If you are one of the many people who will be rushing out this season to buy gifts for family and friends, why not use these suggestions from Grist Magazine for where and what to shop?

While you're at it, take a look at their great green gift guide from last year.

If you are simply looking for gifts that have meaning behind them, then check out OneWorld U.S.' holiday Gift Guide. Scroll through the list of organizations to find gifts that help support free trade, development, and other progressive causes. If you have a meaningful gift you'd like to share with others, suggest it on the blog.

-Yvonne Archer

Are you coming to Power Shift? Were you maybe coming, but not sure how you could help? They need all the help they can get!!! They're expecting over 5,000 young people will attend and need hundreds of day-of volunteers to help pull off the conference.

Can you volunteer 4-10 hours during the weekend and be part of this amazing event? In exchange, you'll get to meet inspiring youth leaders from across the country, see keynote addresses from people like Majora Carter, Van Jones, and Bill McKibben, as well as all of the panels and workshops offered free of charge.

If you can help, please check the time slots and volunteer roles below and email Billy Parish or Ragini Kapadia to let them know what hours you'd be able to commit to. Please pass this opportunity along to others you know who may like to attend and volunteer.

VOLUNTEERING AT POWER SHIFT 2007
Thursday November 1st
TIME # of Vol Role
4:00 15 Collate Registration Packets

Friday November 2nd
TIME # of Vol Role
8-4:00 30 Registration
10:00 REGISTRATION TRAINING FOR EVERYONE PARTICIPATING
3-9:00 5 Speaker Registration
3-10:00 75 Registration
6-7:00 3 Space Set up
10-11:00 10 Wrap up, Pack Up

Saturday November 3rd
TIME # of Vol Role
7-9:00 33 Job Fair Set up
7-9:00 4 Job Fair Registration
7-8:00 5 Registration Set up
7-9:00 6 Space Set up
12-1:30
7-2:30 5 Speaker Registration
7:30-12:00 15 Registration
8-10:15 25 Provide assistance to panelists
10-12:15
1:30-2:45
8-9:30 30 Traffic Control
10-11:15
12-1:45
4:30-7:00
1:30-2:45 70 Training for Lobby Day Trainers
2-3:30 33 Take Down Job Fair
2:30 -4:30 25 State Breakout Assistance
5-7:30 9 Space Pick Up

Sunday November 4th
TIME # of Vol Role

7-11:30 5 Registration
7-1:00 8 Speaker Registration
8-9:30 30 Traffic Control
9:45-11:30
12:30-1:30
2-3:30
4:30-6:00
8-10:15 37 Workshop Assistance
10:30-12:15
1:15-2:30
9:30-11:15 33 Job Fair Set up/Take Down
3:30-5:00
3-4:00 70 Legislative Briefing for Lobby Day Trainers
5:30-8:00 70 Lobby Day Trainings

Power Shift 07 is the first ever youth climate conference and is happening November 2-5, at the University of Maryland, College Park.

The Student Conservation Association is celebrating its 50th year with its Conservation In Action Multimedia Contest.

They are challenging people ages 15-25 to show their action-oriented, practical solutions that involve young people in addressing an environmental challenge.
- Submissions may be a research project or thesis as well as video, PowerPoint, or even a website.
- Prizes include a 2008 Mazda 3I , $37,000, and eight expense-paid trips to SCA's April 2008 Earth Vision Summit in Washington D.C.
The SCA/Mazda Conservation in Action Multimedia Contest is part of a year long series of events to help celebrate SCA's 50th anniversary and honor founder Elizabeth Titus Putnam, whose senior thesis launched SCA in 1957.

The deadline for submissions is December 1st, 2007 so visit thesca.org/contest and get started on your entry today!

You can send them to:
Admissions@theSCA.org
The Student Conservation Association 603-543-1700
689 River Road PO BOX 550 Charlestown, New Hampshire 03603