How social media can save the world...

Social Media & Renewable Energy

Like it or not, we are living in the age of social media. A time when information can be shared between millions of people at the click of button, and when a single idea can go from someone's head to the rest of the world in just a few minutes.

So to do we live in a time when saving the planet from ourselves is the hot topic. It's now pretty much impossible to escape the issue of climate change. And whereas it once sat solely on the shoulders of the global powers that be - with their Kyoto protocols and energy reform bills - it is becoming increasingly evident that the responsibility of saving the planet lies with us as much as the Obamas and Jintaos of this world.

But, social media is there to help.

Since the dawn of sites such as Myspace, Facebook and YouTube, social media has been rising steadily to the point we are at today. The sheer volume of people driven to these information hubs every single day presents an excellent opportunity for the green sector.

Raising awareness of the perils of global warming

Social media outlets are a massive (and free) tool that reach a global crowd across multiple spectrums. And when the importance of raising awareness of the perils of global warming is greater than ever, these outlets can help the climate change cause immensely.

Social media can help all groups and organizations, large or small.

Take Operation Renewable Energy (ORE) for example. ORE are a modest organization with the goal of educating people about renewable energy and encouraging them to take part in something bigger than themselves, while creating renewable energy for each other.

ORE has used sites such as Twitter and Facebook to gain access to previously untapped groups, and through these sites social media has now become the driving force behind its success.

But on a larger scale companies like Toyota have been using video sharing website YouTube for a few years. In October 2007, Toyota launched the "Green Design YouTube Channel" where visitors can watch a series of short clips on environmental innovation from a wide range of different sectors. The clips are open for comment and enable bloggers to share the videos with the online public.

"Sharing exciting ideas on environmental innovation"

"We want to share some very exciting new ideas on environmental innovation with the connected world", says Maria Isabel Rodriguez Leon, Corporate Affairs, Toyota Motor Europe.

"Real innovation happens across a variety of industries and we want to inspire people to think of new ideas," she added.

This is the key.

Inspiring debate among the common man allows people to develop their own green innovations organically. As such, generating awareness, not just of what climate change is but how everyone can help combat it, will be the most effective way in which to "save the world".

Competitions intent on encouraging technological development

X-Prize Foundation are a non-profit prize organization that design and manages public competitions intent on encouraging technological development that can benefit mankind.

In the US it has developed prizes specifically designed to stem our addiction to oil and end our production of harmful gases. Last year the foundation launched a $25,000 video contest on YouTube called: "What's Your Crazy Green Idea?", awarding the video proposing the best "new, world-changing X Prize in the field of Energy and the Environment."

You can check out the winning entry in the video below.

Social media could genuinely help in the world's fight to reverse the effects of global warming, helping people share their ideas and opinions on things like renewable energy innovations. As the burden of responsibility spreads across the entire globe, it is essential people do not just understand what climate change means, but exactly how each and every person can actively contribute to fighting it. Social media is the perfect tool to make this happen.

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