3rdWhale is a bridge between talk and action, with an iPhone app that allows you to search for green businesses in proximity to you, plus submit your own finds that aren’t already on there, all listings filtered by 3rd Whale and then rated by users, ala Yelp. An Android version is on its way.

But here’s where it gets interesting: As seen first in Mother Nature Network 3rd Whale are joining forces with Creative Citizen, a hub for crowdsourced, specifically measurable sustainable choices. Each is broken down to how much energy, waste, water, emissions you’ve saved, and in what I think will help it bridge to a broader segment of the population, money. When you have this kind of clearly tangible benefit laid out for you, and it’s on something that you carry with you, action is much for likely.

Read more of this story »

With the focus being shifted to creating a vehicle that meets people’s needs in conjunction with other modes of transport, the experience of driving it enhanced by currently useful information, and the profit centered on the services rather than the product itself, this is a radical shift from tightly reigned intellectual property, proprietary after market parts, and a rather slow development curve when it comes to becoming a truly green car.

The thinking about and creation of the c,mm,n car is being done both online and in person, with the three c,mm,n garages happening so far. 800+ people are on their wiki, with 80 actively participating in conception and design at the moment.

What’s the actual car like?

Read more of this story »

As I’ve noted in previous posts, Red, Green and Blue has teamed up with social media start-up ReframeIt to bring a higher level of transparency on energy and environmental issues to the presidential election. With the recent economic turmoil, though, we quickly realized we needed to connect these ideas with the economic concerns so many Americans now have.  So, we’ve done that… and also added some financial incentives! Now, if you participate in the RG&B/ReframeIt scavenger hunt, you won’t just get a warm feeling from contributing to the stock of knowledge on both presidential candidates and their policy proposals — you’ll also have a shot at a $1000 grand prize, and a guest posting spot at RG&B.

For the latest details, check out yesterday’s post at Red, Green and Blue… and join us as we hunt for the information the next president will need to spur the transition towards a green economy.

Image credit: spaceodissey at Flickr under a Creative Commons license

Then the economy went to hell.

Well, OK, actually that’s been brewing for a while, but with the plunge in the stock market and the freezing up of the credit markets in the last couple of weeks, nearly all of us have our eyes on the economy now. With that in mind, we’ve decided to tweak this event to put it more in line with your biggest concerns leading up to the election.

First, we’re going to refocus on the candidates’ plans to build a green economy.

And secondly, we’re going to give away $1200 in prizes. The participant who builds the most impressive body of web finds and comments will receive a $1000 grand prize, the runner-up will receive $100, and we’ll also give away two $50 honorable mentions. Consider it our own little economic stimulus package. In addition, the winner (or, Election Transparency Guru, as we’ll name him/her) will receive a guest posting opportunity on Red, Green and Blue.

Read more of this story »

Al Gore has been all over the airwaves recently proposing a challenge for America to eradicate the use of fossil fuels by 2018.  I’m picking up what he’s putting down. It’s like dealing with that friend who’s always late by telling them to meet you 15 minutes earlier than when you plan to arrive.

Alternative energy is the top priority of the environmental agenda, and rightly so. It slightly dwarfs the significance of making snow globes out of baby food jars. However, after we all start driving electric cars and installing affordable solar panels on our roofs, more intense focus will turn to how stuff is made, and I think green crafting is worthy of a slide or two on Mr. Gore’s next Power Point presentation. That is, if we can get his attention.

Read more of this story »

Spot.us is the brainchild of David Cohn, aka DigiDave. The concept: “Spot Us’ is a nonprofit that allows an individual or group to take control of news in their community by sharing the cost (crowdfunding) to commission freelance journalists.” The project has been funded by a Knight Foundation “News Challenge” grant.

So, where do we come in?  We’re going to be among the first publication venues to test the system out.  We’ve agreed to ask for your support for an article by Wired.com staff writer Alexis Madrigal. The pitch:

California’s biofuels usage is expected to jump nearly 600 million gallons over the next couple of years, but the ethanol supply is already stretched to its limits. Almost all of California’s ethanol runs through a single terminal. If there were a disruption at that terminal — via accident or intent — the state’s gasoline infrastructure could grind to a halt. And even with that terminal, there are serious questions about whether the terminal could meet demand. (More details available at the Spot.us wiki)

Read more of this story »