FabianPattberg.com

Today’s post has a very simple message: I have now set up a Facebook Page for this blog. The purpose of this page is to show who ‘likes’ my blog (obviously).

It is also a source of information on whom to add to your Facebook network with similar interests. Most bigger websites nowadays have this Facebook page element on their site and I usually use it as a tool to find new interesting Facebook connections.

So if you like this blog please join me on Facebook as well:

I love podcasts and the way they enable you to have a great conversation, record it and share this with your network afterwards all at the same time.

That is why I immediately agreed to be interviewed by Paul Smith aka GreenSmith when he asked me several weeks ago if I was interested to be his guest in one of his sessions. Paul and I have known each for years now and I was really honored to be the second person he interviewed in his new series called GreenSmith Sessions.

During our around 20 minute long conversation we are talking about CSR / Sustainability and the BP oil spill disaster, what the US and EU can learn from each other with regards to CSR / Sustainability best practice, CSR / Sustainability reporting and other related topics.

This is the link to the post on Paul’s blog post: GreenSmith Session #2 You can also download it via this link ‘Download Postcast’ or listen to it by visiting Paul’s post here: Listen to GreenSmith Session #2

Please let me know whether you enjoyed the podcast conversation, have anything to add or any other feedback on the topics we discussed.

There are thousands of sustainability related websites out there but as far as I am aware of there are only a few blog / websites networks that specifically run a number of Sustainability-related websites and have them connected into a single network (What is a blog/website network?  – Wikipedia) or run them as part of their website portfolio.

The purpose of today’s post is to introduce you to these blog / website networks that I am aware of. I am also dividing them up into medium and larger networks for better comparison.

Medium sized blog/website networks:

Simple Earth Media
About: Simple Earth Media is an industry-leading environmental new media and social media company whose brand mission is to create a compelling, organic, educational network of environmental online venues that engage an ever-growing audience concerned with sustainable lifestyle habits and business practices.
My opinion: Some really great looking sites with interesting content. One of my favorites together with Live Oak Media.

Important Media
About: Important Media is a decentralized, niche blog network, dedicated to covering those issues which are important to our collective and individual well-being, from humanity’s survival to human happiness.
My opinion: Important Media is a continuation of some sites of the former GreenOptions network. The site itself needs some improvement but the networked sites are really good and useful.

Live Oak Media
About: We are a new media company publishing websites that focus on energy, the environment and sustainable living. By leading the conversation about green issues, LiveOAK aims to advance the principals of sustainability by making them meaningful and accessible to a mainstream audience.
My opinion: This is personally my favorite blog/website network at the moment. Really useful.

Large scale blog/website networks:

Mother Nature Network
About: The mission of Mother Nature Network (MNN) can be found at the top of every page on our site:  “Improve Your World.”  But while many sites limit “your world” to only ”your planet,” MNN defines it in much broader terms. Just as your world encompasses many different aspects—your family, your health, your lifestyle, your business, your community……and your planet—so too does MNN.
My opinion: A really wide variety of topics that are usually always helpful.

Discovery Channel
About: Discovery Communications is the world’s number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 180 countries.  Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Planet Green and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com.
My opinion: By far the largest network for a reason. A lot of money is being spend to build this. The content is generally good but often very mainstream as well.

These are the blog / website networks I know of that either focus on Sustainability topics or have them as part of their portfolio. If I have missed any others please let me know.

Every now and then I also writing about the latest social media sites and applications I like. Today’s post is another social media post in this category. A post about one of the newest trends in the smart phone world: Location-based social networking services.

If you have an iPhone or a smart phone that runs the Android software you are able to use the applications that enable you to check in and share information about these places you are visiting with your friends and wider social network.

This sharing of interesting places and events with my social network via these location-based social networking services is quickly becoming one of my favorite applications on my iPhone.

These are the applications I am using at the moment:

Foursquare
Foursquare is a location-based social networking website, software for mobile devices, and also a game. Users “check-in” at venues using a mobile website, text messaging or a device-specific application. They are then awarded points and sometimes “badges.” More about Foursquare: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foursquare_(service)

Gowalla
Gowalla is another location-based social networking website. Users ‘check-in’ at Spots in their local vicinity, either through a dedicated mobile application or through the mobile website. As a reward users will sometimes receive items from check-ins. Items have developed to become a promotional tool for the game’s partners e.g. Incase. As of March 2010 there were approximately 150,000 active users. More about Gowalla: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gowalla

At the moment I am using both services because I really like the diversity of the two services. They are both currently really different from each other. It always seems to me that Foursquare has been programmed by mathematicians and Gowalla by graphic designers. But that is just my impression.

If you are interested in using either of these services my advice would be to sign up for both. Nwo you are asking: Two services? Why not stick to one and do twice the work? My answer would be: Why not? The future of these two services is not certain as this market is only just starting to emerge and I also found that my friends and my social network is split between these two services. They are free so why only go with one?

It is your choice of course but here is a the solution for you to not do check-ins twice when you want to share the same location with your friends on Foursquare and Gowalla.

Check.In

Use the new service called check.in. This is how Techcrunch, one of the largest tech blogs describe it:
‘Check.in is an application that lets you check-in with multiple services at the same time. Or, as they put it, it’s “on check-in to rule them all.’ I have used check.in for several weeks now and can not recommend it highly enough.

This service makes location-based social networking so easy and convenient. So if you into these location-based social networking applications, then you need to get check.in. It will make your life a lot easier.

It is Friday and I am really looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend with my family. The past few weeks/months have been pretty hectic, disruptive and different to say the least. The overall mood with people also does not seem to be the best at the moment. The global economy still seems to stall and mostly everyone you speak to is moaning about how hard the current times are.

I know that life can be hard sometimes but life is also too short. So why waste a single minute of it by moaning?

Todays post therefore features three videos which are meant to be motivational, inspiring and encouraging. These are three of my all time favorites. I hope they will mean as much to you as they do for me once you watched them!

Video 1: Where the Hell is Matt? – A gentle reminder what it means to be human, how great our world is and how important it is to have FUN!

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Video 2: The Robin Hood Tax campaign – A campaign to that forces us to think different. To make changes that are minimal in some areas but seem to be so hard to comprehend.

The Robin Hood Tax – A Good Idea (HD) from Robin Hood on Vimeo.

Video 3: Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull – May 1st and 2nd, 2010 – Just amazing pictures of the power of nature

Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull – May 1st and 2nd, 2010 from Sean Stiegemeier on Vimeo.

Have a good weekend everyone and remember to stay positive. Always, no matter what life throws at you!

I am very passionate about what I do. I guess you will know that by now. That is why I have decided to do a long term experiment to see how much support/money I can raise using social media.

There are some interesting websites to do this through but I decided to start using SocialVibe now to raise money. SocialVibe is a social media utility connecting people with brands, empowering them to engage with sponsors and share branded content with their social graph to benefit a cause of their choice.

I was a little doubtful at the beginning but really warmed to the idea of using and reviewing the branded content to actually get something positive out of it.

For me this is another way I can try to give back to causes I am fully supporting. Sustainability and CSR in a personal way really.

My Cause
The cause I will be supporting is to raise as money ‘Invisible Children’ (IC) for the education of children in Uganda. IC’s goal is to end a 20 year war that has been raging in Northern Uganda, and the kidnapping of children who are then used as child soldiers. In light of the current situation nearing peace, Invisible Children is addressing the need for access to education and economic development.

Everyone can participate to raise money which will pay for hours of education of these Ugandan children.

Please join me on SocialVibe to team up and make a difference for these children. The more join in the better. No costs or commitments involved. Just good will and some of your minutes every now and then for a good cause.

My cause URL:
http://www.socialvibe.com/fabian

I have recently started to do a lot more Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) related information-sharing via Facebook. When I began my Facebook crusade, I blogged about it here as well. I listed the positives and negatives I found using Facebook as a information platform.

Since then Facebook introduced several interesting changes that all help us as Sustainability / CSR professionals and enthusiasts to increasingly use Facebook as a hub for sharing information and connecting with likeminded people. One of those recent changes has been the introduction of Facebook community pages. This is the link to the Facebook blog about purpose of community pages

This quote really captures the essence of it:
‘ Community Pages are a new type of Facebook Page dedicated to a topic or experience that is owned collectively by the community connected to it. Just like official Pages for businesses, organizations and public figures, Community Pages let you connect with others who share similar interests and experiences.’ Instead of becoming a fan you click whether you ‘like’ the topic, interest or experience.

I really like the idea of these page types and went to work straight away by creating a community page for the topic I am so passionate about: Corporate Social Responsibility
This is the link to the community page: Corporate Social Responsibility on Facebook.

So far over 100 people have ‘liked’ it and I hope you will find this page useful to spread the word about CSR.

So what do you think about these new community pages? Do you think they will be popular and useful? Will you indicate what you like and share this with your friends on Facebook? I think this is a positive move by Facebook and these pages can be used as all sort of tools to promote CSR across the globe.

I am spending a lot of time browsing the web. For work and private pleasure. Aspects like speed and the ability to customize my browser in order to save time while doing my usual tasks in a browser are very important to me.