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GreenMap.org is scheduled to release a new social mapping site in September. Here’s a preview.
GreenMap is a global map-making community that organizes the green landscape. According to the organization, the “Green Map System supports local Green Mapmakers as they create perspective-changing community ‘portraits’ which act as comprehensive inventories for decision-making and as practical guides for residents and tourists. Mapmaking teams pair our adaptable tools and universal iconography with local knowledge and leadership to chart green living, ecological, social and cultural resources.”
The organization has been around since 1995 but relaunched in 2007 in its current form. At that point, there were 400 registered Green Map projects from 51 countries. Green Maps’ maps can be downloaded in PDF format to take them offline and into the real world. Recently, we learned about Green Maps’ plan to launch a more interactive, Web 2.0 version of the site–a social mapping site–and today we get a preview of Open Green Map.
“This social mapping website will soon guide users to nature, culture and green living innovations. Open Green Map will also share the public’s insights, images and impacts about each of these significant places.
Open Green Map will connect the booming ‘go local,’ green development and ecotourism movements with social networking and interactive mapping, empowering widespread participation in critical local environment, climate and equity issues worldwide.”
It’s like Wikipedia meets Yelp meets Google Maps. One can only speculate about the different mashups with location-based social networking sites like BrightKite and mobile access on the iPhone 3G with GPS.
Update: This is the email notification that prompted this post.
“The enthusiasm is building as the Open Green Map project goes into full-scale production. Already a finalist in the NetSquared Challenge and presented at Beyond Broadcasting and Where 2.0 conferences, this inclusive, participatory social mapping website will put thousands of hopeful green sites from around the world on the map! Open Green Map will also share the public’s insights, images and impacts about each of these significant places.
Mixing social networking, familiar Google Map technology and Green Map’s award-winning iconography, Open Green Map will create a common platform for Green Mapmakers, Green Map users, and a global public that is becoming more and more adept at living green. Users of OGM will be able to select the themes they are most interested in, and explore the world from a fresh vantage point. They will also have quick access to the unique ‘traditional’ Green Maps published locally in each city, town or region.
We believe that every community has resources to help individuals build healthier, greener communities together. But up until now, too many people lack the awareness and access they need to find and connect with those resources. Open Green Map will energize the booming green innovation, ‘go local’, regeneration and ecotourism movements with social networking and interactive mapping, empowering widespread participation in critical local environment, climate and equity issues worldwide.”
1 response so far ↓
1 Joe Solomon // Jun 27, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I think the Green Map folks are doing amazing work! They really are fostering a kind of social change map — and by pooling all the different green maps @ http://www.opengreenmap - they’re creating an awesome resource.
Imagine if this data could be automatically fed into Google Maps via their “User-Created Maps” — or if OpenGreenMap had the functionality of Find Green Business & Find Directions — making it the “‘Green’ Google Maps!”
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