GOOD Series: The Community Board

Power Your Music Player With Your Pants

Amrit — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:47:06 +0000

Designed by Inesa Malafej and Arunas Sukarevicius from Lithuania, the Dancepants converts kinetic energy from running or dancing into electricity for your MP3 player.

More info here.

Business of Green – The Rooftop Garden Climbs Down a Wall – NYTimes.com

Ben Goldhirsh — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:24:46 +0000

A new technology along the lines of green roofs, called edible walls, grows vegetables, fruits and herbs on the outside walls of urban buildings.

Original article: Business of Green – The Rooftop Garden Climbs Down a Wall – NYTimes.com

GOOD on StumbleUpon

GOOD — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:08:48 +0000

A quick update: GOOD now has a profile on StumbleUpon, the internet exploration site. We've found it to be pretty useful (and fun). Our profile, in case you want to have a look at it, is here.

Goldman Sachs Launches 10,000 Small Businesses Initiative

cshapiro — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:57:40 +0000

Warren Buffett; the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City; Community College Associations; and Others Join to Support Small Business Job Creation and commit $500 million to fund the new program.

Original article: Goldman Sachs | Press – Goldman Sachs Launches 10,000 Small Businesses Initiative

Social Impact Business Plan Competition

Amrit — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:07:12 +0000

The Social Impact Business Plan Competition 'identifies social sector scaling initiatives with demonstrated impact and readiness to grow and supports them with up to $100,000 of financial and consulting awards.' Open to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with a focus in education, youth development, health, poverty alleviation or community economic development. Go here for more information.

Finding Healthy Food in an Unhealthy Economy

pdzine — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:03:43 +0000

A morning news story today showing people boycotting Whole Foods for its CEO’s stance on health care reform gave me an equal dose of disappointment and encouragement. Disappointing of course, because any time I see a corporation that seems to share the values of a consumer who just wants to find healthy, reliable products for his/her family, it’s only a matter of time WHEN that company will be exposed for lying, cheating, stealing and generally contributing to the slow, yet constant poisoning of our food supply.

Read the full article:

http://pooledesign.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-do-we-find-healthy-food-in.html

Sustainable Community Awards

BCLC — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:27:46 +0000

Hi Everyone! We have launched the 3rd annual Siemens Sustainable Community Awards nomination period. The award will recognize three communities in the small, midsize, and large categories. Local governments, community-based coalitions, chambers of commerce, community developers and other local agencies are encouraged to submit their work. To be eligible for the Siemens Sustainable Community Awards, communities must meet a variety of sustainable community criteria. These requirements include partnership and stakeholder involvement, as well as demonstrable improvements to the local environment, business community and quality of life. Nominate your community!

self-esteem name game!

Tali Catz — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:20:53 +0000

Do you remember those self-esteem projects from grade school in which a teacher would ask you to spell your name out vertically and write adjectives that describe you starting with each letter in your name?

Poor Alex..

We need to bring this assignment back – post yours below!!

Pile of Empty Beer Cartons Evolves into Open Air Library

Amrit — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:26:38 +0000

I would love to see a community library like this in Los Angeles!

“What began as an assemblage of 1,000 empty beer cartons pulled together by residents in East Germany has now evolved into an incredible open air public library. Designed by Karo Architekten in collaboration with local residents, the grassroots project revitalizes a post-industrial district in Magdeburg, Germany by creating a cultural center and pop-up library where books are free to take and leave 24 hours a day. Opened this past June, the project introduces plenty of green space and reuses the facade of an old warehouse to beautiful effect.

Libraries and book lending are a great green practices insofar as they encourage the use of shared resources and cut down on crates of pressed tree pulp circulating the globe. They’re even better when they foster a communal spirit of sharing, as does Magdeburg’s new Open Air Library.

The library was built from the ground up with the support and interaction of the surrounding community – first as a 1:1 model made from beer cartons and later as a finished project with the help of Karo Architekten, who incorporated parts of the facade from the city of Hamm’s demolished Horten warehouse. During its entire planning and construction period the library accepted book donations, which are now available to borrow any time of day without a membership – simply walk up to a cubby and pull out a tome.

In addition to its book lending facilities the Open Air Library also introduces a burst of green public space to a post-industrial district. The grassy plaza features a reading cafe and a stage that hosts elementary school theater plays, public readings, concerts, and other cultural events.”

Photo by Anja Schlamann

Original article: Shareable: Pile of Empty Beer Cartons Evolves into Open Air Library

Boing Boing: To the Anonymous Gay Teen

Eric Small — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:12:53 +0000

A very heartfelt reply to a kid that is trapped by an non-understanding family.

Original article: Boing Boing

Ok, my parents found out i was gay by myspace (which i regret for putting my sexual orientation) and my parents will never accept cause my parents are really realigous for our christianity. … HELP!!! =O