I've long believed that one particular angle or lens from which the facilitation of environmental consciousness and awareness can be fostered is via creative use of technology. Socially conscious websites such as REALNEO help build voice and community around issues that really matter to communities and their vitality. I was particularly energized and enthused by a recent article in the latest issue of Inside Business which elegantly articulated the efforts of local social entrepreneur Craig Zamary, who sold a successful market research firm to focus on a driving passion for environmental awareness.
Zamary launched Green Energy TV [1] nearly a year ago, creating a novel online television channel dedicated to environmental issues and awareness. In a remarkably short span of time the channel attracted users from over 100 different countries to upload original content to the site, creating a comprehensively global content base and audience. The site has certainly benefitted from an escalating and accelerating recognition of renewable energy and the critical role it will necessarily play toward mitigation of an impending global catastrophe. Its credibility has been augmented by uploads from a variety of sources of great repute ranging from the United Nations and Department of Energy to include several Fortune 50 corporations.
This innovative technlogy invention has also demonstrated how media channels that follow open source models, allowing for ease of accessibility and free uploads and distribution opportunities, have quickly attracted and built a loyal community of educated users. Though content must traverse an approval protocol before officially posting, these restrictions merely ensure appropriate, credible, and suitable content is aired. I was impressed with the progress this green technology phenomenon has made in just under a year.
A dedicated media channel like this is a great concept and should help bridge content to more traditional media channels. It will only be a matter of time before we see such a channel emerge on mainstream cable televison - I certainly feel the world is ready for it. Already the Green message has begun to permeate mainstream media's traditional programming - specifically themed programming should not be far behind.
Kudos to Zamary for an innovative approach to engaging, empowering, and enlightening the masses.
Links:
[1] http://www.greenenergytv.com/