Sustainability+and+Social+Media

Here's an article from The Ontarion talking about my symposium:

**A new way of thinking about the environment**

**GeoTagging!**

Please put the name of the place, as well as a small description/reason why it should be included. For example:

//Organic Botanic - Indoor and outdoor gardening supplies / wheatgrass / juicing / sprouting / natural lawn care//... (a more in-depth reasoning should be applied, but this a good idea of a description).


 * [INSERT: first location here]

I really do want to set up a blog, but I do not know if we have a consensus over a focus. I really, really, really want to set up a DIY blog for the student--something that offers pertinent, economical, environmental, and 'natural' projects for our fellow scholars.

As for meeting up, I do not know if it is possible over reading week... but maybe we can come to an agreement on what our blog will be, at least?

In relation to GeoTagging, I will start a list here so that we can begin to compile places (but we can still do some investigating together in Guelph!).

Connor

Bonjour mes amis ,

OK, so I think the geotagging bonanza should commence post-reading week. So, we can discuss that our first class back, well, really, it can be discussed whenever on here. Anyhow, I was thinking we do a blog on Wordpress and set that up over reading week. It would be really efficient if we could all meet up and do the initial lay out of the blog so we're all on the same wavelength. But, alas, I have a feeling organizing a reading week pow-wow would not be successful due to our places of residence outside of Guelph (unless, we're all Toronto/Markham/GTA residents?!). I guess we'll just have to continuously reference the wiki in terms of "blog" set up. But, I do think this should be kicked off over reading week. Also, I still think a Twitter account would be beneficial!

Thoughts?

- Alanna

Wordpress link, check 'er out:

http://wordpress.org/

The more the merrier!

We are currently brainstorming places that we would like to GeoTag (in a larger scheme to create a map of Guelph that highlights locations with sustainable initiatives or practices--e.g., The Cornerstone for its emphasis on fair trade and Eco-friendliness in not offering disposable cups; local farms; etc.). Also, I really want to set up a blog or webpage, but we are still brainstorming the basic idea of that.

Connor

Hey!

So I took a look at this whole conversation and I think you have some really great ideas brewing; I would definitely be interested in getting involved in this...if that's cool. I am an RA in East Residence and we have Living Learning Community called Eco-House, which is a floor of first year students who are passionate about sustainability and being Eco-friendly. I think these students would be a fantastic target for this kind of event. I don't mind chatting with them and asking if there was anything they'd like more info about (on and off campus) as well as if they'd be interested in attending the conference that you're planning. I think students would be really interested in the GeoTagging, it something new that a lot of people don't really know about but I definitely think they'd get excited about something like that. Can't wait to brainstorm more about this project!

Michelle

I definitely want to discuss this stuff in person on Tuesday - I'm pretty sure regardless of the snacks and potential music, we'll still be doing work and discussing. I have not heard about the TeaTree referendum but I will look into it this weekend.

Erin

Hey gang!

I am doing a presentation to a first year class ("Building Deep Community to Explore Environmental Healing") on Monday about the conference, so maybe them kids will have some neat ideas.

But, in any case, I think that GeoTagging (farms, businesses practicing sustainable initiatives, etc.) a blog/website, and perhaps a Twitter account would be perfect. I'm not sure what the plan is for our next class--is it just going to be a dance party?--but it might be worthwhile to do some brainstorming of locations to GeoTag, and ideas for a blog. Or we could just have a dance party. I'm game for either.

Connor

P.s. Erin, as for Slow Food or local food, have you heard about the TeaTree referendum?

P.s.s. The P.s. was probably a little much.

Hey guys!

I definitely want to learn how to geo-tag. I'm intrigued by the slow food movement... It was suggested that we could maybe geo-tag local farms. What do you think? Slow Food Guelph

Erin

Hello all (well, Connor & Erin),

So I think GeoTagging would be really interesting route to go, and I know we could get a lot of community support/partners from the locations we tag. There are a ton of locations near my house that I think would be perfect to have them on board. So, we can discuss that more in depth if you'd like.

Also, I just joined this social-networking-event-type website called, 49st (I put the link on Delicious). But, as a member you can create an event and it will alert all users in the area/in close proximity, about the event. I know this is doesn't sound like it will do a lot of promotion, but the catch (I think at least) is that this website has a tagging system in place, but with a limited amount of tags. So, you're only alerted about the events relative to your selected tags which I think could really be beneficial in terms of just getting more publicity around the event. Thoughts?

I think a Tumblr or other blog would be a great idea, as well as a Twitter account. That way a following could be built up, and you could be frequently updating your followers with recent developments regarding the event. Also, I think that would just keep people engaged and aware of the event/cause in general.

Just brainstorming! I know I expressed interest and the beginning and then went MIA when this page was created (sorry), but I'm back with some ideas!

Alanna

Hey!

I did end up meeting with my co-collaborators, and we talked about potential speakers, some options for promotion, and some other, more general stuff, like the focus of this year's event. We're hoping to put a bit more of a DIY spin on the event this year.

Right now we're just starting to contact prospective speakers and sources of funding (we're envisioning 6 speakers at 20 minutes each).

This will be gradually narrowed down, but right now we're looking at/beginning to contact:

CYCLing Oriented Puppet Squad (CYCLOPS); Peter Beckett (Bioremediation/Arts & Science Research Lab); An undecided permaculturalist - possibly Shantree of London's Living Centre; Chris Earley, educational coordinator at the Arboretum; Jennifer Osborn, of All Sorts Acre; Caleb Musgrave, bushcrafter; Students from "Building Deep Community to Explore Environmental Healing," a first-year seminar; DIYode, the community workshop; Musicians/videographers who participated in the National Parks Project; James Gordon, Guelph musician/playwright/activist/etc.; Anybody else you guys know?

Some other things I was thinking of doing this year would be:

A live video stream of the evening (Ustream); A video recording of the event (YouTube); A blog or website; And maybe some sort of GeoTagging project promoting or reviewing certain locations for 'sustainability' (concept is still in the works).

Any ideas, interest, or suggestions are welcome!

Connor

That's very true. When I actively participate in something, I dwell on the subject matter a lot longer than if I just read a flyer. Sadly, a flyer is a lot more likely to get lost/engulfed by everything else I have in my backpack, whereas I would always have time to answer a question... and because I think about it longer, I am more likely to do independent research if it's something that matters to me.

Erin

Thanks! My whole idea behind the video was that if, for example, you simply hand someone a pamphlet and it says (or you say) "water bottles are bad," the person will generally be like: "Yeah, cool. Whatever." But, if you have people reflect on themselves 'outdoors' (however you want to phrase it), and how much even one singular experience has meant to them, then people really begin to realize how much they stand to lose by not working towards a 'greener' future. Or something along those lines.

Connor

I like your video. Promote away. I'm going to Tweet it right now, in fact (if that's okay with you). The question you asked is an important question that many of us (I think!) take for granted. The fact that it took several people a couple minutes to think about it kind of proves that.

Erin

I swear this is not a shameless promotion of my film (because I don't think it is that good), but here is the film I made last year working on a sustainability event in Guelph:

Twenty People One Question: Guelph

I apologize for some of the audio quality, but we were not able to secure a mic for filming--thus, all the background noise.

BUT, maybe this will help get some ideas flowing... if anyone is even interested.

Connor

Hey!

I believe there was some interest gathering in one of the discussions about doing something that connects sustainability and social media, so I figured I would get the ball rolling by creating a page to brainstorm some ideas, see who's interested, and have some fun.

Here is the initial thought-process from the discussion page:

"Last year some fellow students and myself put together an environmental awareness conference of sorts. The focus was an attempt to engage the Guelph community and raise as much awareness as possible about 'green' initiatives presently going on. I made a short film and the rest of the team were able to bring in some great guest speakers--Shirley Hunt of Focus On Nature; Madhur Anand, ecological poet and environmental sciences professor at U of G; Susan Hubner and some of her students from the UGDSB's Da Vinci Arts & Science Environmental Leadership Program; Jamie Miller, environmental engineering PhD student and member of the Biomimicry Speaker's Bureau. Overall, there was a great turnout and it went quite well.

Now, this year, a few of the original team and myself were thinking of putting it on again with a possible switch in focus to a more personal level and DIY stuff. I thought it might be a great idea to set up a DIY blog or something for the Guelph community that would allow people to submit ideas and establish some sort of communal discourse. We had a lack of web presence last year and thus the conference itself was very ephemeral, but if there was to be something created this year: perhaps the workings of the event could extend beyond the time confines of one beautiful night."

Connor