2005

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ifPeople launches CPSR Web site: The first public release of the new Web site for Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR), which provides a new design, functionality, and coding standard to the site and was created by ifPeople, was made public in conjunction with the organizations annual meeting in October. The site is built with the Open Source content management system Plone, and is the result of an extended period of dialog with the organization and its stakeholders. The site includes custom functionality and products developed by ifPeople that will be available as Free Software.
Get access to SustainAbility reports on new site: SustainAbility, the UK-based consultancy and think tank, has relaunched its Web site and created online access to its research reports. These reports, previously available for a fee, can now be downloaded once you sign up on the site.
Is the environmental movement dead?: A controversial essay entitled "The Death of Environmentalism" circulating since December has stirred up passionate debate about the current role and future of the environmental movement. Is the movement still relevant, or has it be replaced by more broad-based movements?
Social software projects provides innovative approach to online identity and community: The Planetwork Identity Commons project is a promising development that addresses the challenges of a persistent online identity in an open source technology that protects privacy. It could also provide powerful tools for generating network maps that enable communities to understand and visualize their membership and advance the field of
$550 Million Initiative to Build Environmentally Friendly, Affordable Housing: The Green Communities Initiative is a five-year, $550 million initiative to build more than 8,500 homes that provide significant health, economic and environmental benefits to low-income families and communities across the country.
World Environment Day Explores Ways of Achieving Greener Cities: San Francisco hosted this year´s World Environment Day making this city the first US city to host this major global event. This years edition promoting the idea of green cities gathered mayors, United Nation officials, politicians and activists from the US and other countries such as Turkey, Brazil, Panama and India among others. The 5-day event was devoted to the exploration of ways of making cities more environmentally friendly and resource-efficient.
Towards Sustainable Development Book available online: Dr. Khalid Saeed won the prestigious Jay Wright Forrester Award given to outstanding contributions to the field of systems dynamics in 1995 for his book Towards Sustainable Development: Essays on System Analysis of National Policy, first published in 1991. The book consists of a series of essays from the work of Dr. Saeed and his colleagues on sustainable development, with a particular focus on a developing country perspective. The second edition of this book, which includes additional and updated works, is now available online in digital format.
Best practices guide for healthy and sustainable buildings in the healthcare industry: Healthcare facilities comprise 30% of the new building market, but only a fraction seek certification for best environmental and energy standards through LEED or other programs. Given the difficulty in improving the sustainability and health of these buildings and their importance in the construction market, many new initiatives are aimed at improving practices in the healthcare sector. One new resource, a best practices guide for healthy and sustainable building design, construction, and operiltions for the healthcare industry, is now available online.
The need and challenge of reporting on CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a phenomenon a largepart of journalists and society in general are cynical about. Peopleoften distrust the intentions that lead companies to take part in socialactions. One of the main factors contributing to this distrust is thelack of existing information and specific knowledge about CSR.
ifPeople Presents FairSource Model at Conference on Entrepreneurship and Human Rights: Business is increasingly recognized in development and academic research as a potential engine for ensuring democracy, peace, and quality of life, yet the policies and actions to promote this development path are often lacking. The Conference on Entrepreneurship and Human Rights (August 1-3) seeks to further the dialog on business and development. ifPeople will present the FairSource model it has developed and the its experience fostering responsible micro-enterprises in Latin America.
Green Festivals is Back! Celebrate sustainable economy with ifPeople in DC: The annual Green Festival in Washington, DC is back - mark your calendars for September 24-25 for the biggest celebration of sustainable economy during the year. ifPeople will again be exhibiting this year, so come celebrate with us! The event includes an inspiring lineup of speakers, exemplary business leaders, and lots of fun.
Millions of people rally for more fair trade: Challenging the myth of free trade and privatizations as the only answer to global poverty, millions of people from more than 80 different countries took part in the Global Week of Action for Trade Justice, from 10-16 April this year.
ifPeople announces the relaunch of Red Puentes international network's Web site: Red Puentes, the international network of civil society organizations promoting Corporate Social Responsibility in Latin America, launches its new Web site, which includes an engaging and dynamic design, new content, and easier navigation.
ifPeople sponsors the BALLE annual conference (June 2005): ifPeople is proud to sponsor the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) annual international conference. BALLE is an international network of business organizations. With 20 networks currently in the US and Canada, BALLE is promoting an innovative approach to economic development that emphasizes local buying, responsible business, and sustainable building and food systems. This year's conference features an exciting lineup of speakers and takes place in a beautiful setting.
ifPeople Presents Sustainability and CSR at Systems Dynamics Conference in Chile: System Dynamics Society Latin American chapter annual conference. November 18-20, 2004. Universidad de Talca, Chile. ifPeople's Chris Johnson will present a recent paper on managing processes in values-driven networks and give a workshop on sustainability.
Problems voting? Election Incident Reporting Project System Operational: A coalition of public-interest groups offers websites and a U.S. toll-free telephone hotline to report, track, and respond to U.S. election voting questions and problems. The "Election Incident Reporting System" (EIRS) helps citizens to vote and have their votes counted as intended. EIRS and related helpful resources are available now and beyond November 2nd.
Kyoto Protocol: Overview, Implications, and ifPeople's Position: ifPeople explores the significance of the enforcement of the Kyoto Protocol and its repercussions for business, as well as discussing ifPeople's position on climate change.
ifPeople launches web sites for Natural Awakenings: ifPeople is happy to announce the release of the a new web system for Natural Awakenings. Natural Awakenings is a free, monthly publication created to respond to the growing appetite for information about healthy living. The site provides new forms of reaching audiences in the 30 cities where NA is published, plus provides tools for content management and additional revenue streams for the franchise company.
This Earth Day, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - and Respect: Most people already know to "reduce, reuse, recycle" notjust on Earth Day but everyday. More and more consumers are adding anotheraction to this list: buying products and services from businesses that help consumers care for the Earth and each other. See how you can contribute to sustainability by supporting "green" businesses, such as ifPeople.
ifPeople Works on Marketing Plone for Plone Symposium North America: ifPeople led workshops and helped build collaboration with leaders of the Plone community from Europe and the US during the recent Plone Symposium. The marketing campaign, a recent effort of the international open source technology's community, will enhance the technology's marketing position and materials. For more on Plone, the symposium, and marketing open source technology, read on...
ifPeople featured partner in P2AD Partnership Program: P2AD, a Georgia Department of Natural Resources division, promotes sustainability in business through its Partnership Program. ifPeople is a charter member of this partnership program and was featured in P2AD's recent newsletter.
Sustainable Business and Economy Activities in San Francisco: This week features a number of events to strengthen the sustainable businesses and economies that are developing around the country and world. If you are interested in solutions for business or starting your own sustainable business, please join ifPeople's Tirza Hollenhorst at the Coop America Green Business Conference and the Coop America/Global Exchange Green Festival in San Francisco.
Apple is urged to take environmental responsibility: Apple is being targeted for not having implemented any recycling program or developed a sound strategy to manage its e-waste. The Computer Takeback Campaign is a national coalition of organizations that has recently launched a campaign aimed at getting Apple to think differently.
Tirza Hollenhorst presents at "Natural Leaders: Achieving Sustainability in the 21st Century": ifPeople President, Tirza Hollenhorst, will be speaking at the conference "Natural Leaders: Achieving Sustainability in the 21st Century" in Atlanta, organized by the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division of the GA Department of Natural Resources.
October: Fair Trade Month: During the entire month of October 2005, different events and activities will take place in 7 US cities. Fair Trade, a responsible equitable approach to trade relationships is generally portrayed as an alternative to the economic and social gap produced and reproduced by current business and commercial models. At present, a great number of retail products carry the Fair Trade Certified label. Drawing inspiration from this movement, ifPeople proposes to apply these values and principles to trade in services and puts forward its FairSource model as an effective tool to achieve this aim.
Hyde Farm means open space and culture for our community: Hyde Farm is a 120 acre plot on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. It is one of the last contiguous parcels of undeveloped land continually farmed since the early 19th Century. The farm has cultural and environmental value for the community, and ifPeople supports the preservation of the farm both for its value to the community as well as part of our efforts to support smart action regarding climate change. We hope you will consider supporting the effort to preserve this open space also!
The search for 2005 Social Entrepreneur has started: For its fifth consecutive year, the Schwab Foundation launches its Social Entrepreneur of the Year award. Winners will become members of the global Schwab Foundation network, which currently includes 84 people from all over the world, and will gain access to the benefits provided by the Foundation.
Plone conference set to explore state-of-the-art of the Open Source CMS: Plone is a leading Open Source technology for Web content management, which ifPeople uses for clients such as Natural Awakeings and BALLE. This year, the North American Plone Symposium will be held July 20-22 in New Orleans. The conference is designed to be a small group of people (less than 200) and is focused on transfer of knowledge about the entire development and deployment experiences for Plone. The event will include participation of experts in the Plone development and deployment.
Visionary Dinner: ifPeople joins Host Committee for Premier Sustainability Event: Southface Energy Institute, a leader in sustainability in the southeast, hosts its annual Visionary Dinner, which will bring together thought leaders and practicioners from around the region. ifPeople, part of the Host Committee, invites you to join this forward-thinking group for an evening of celebration.
Brazil leads the biodiesel movement in the region: With the inauguration of its first refinery for biodiesel last March, Brazil is heading the move towards replacing standard diesel with this new plant-based fuel.
Successful Business Conference for Local, Living Economies: BALLE, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, is a cutting edge alliance of business networks. The organization held its 3rd annual international conference in Vancouver, Canada with the converges of business leaders and notable speakers.
Open Source Geospatial Conference Combines Civil Society, GIS, and Free Software: Open Source Geospatial '05 Conference to be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota is a combined meeting of the Open Source MapServer users, the Geospatial conference, and EOGEO (ICT for civil society). The conference offers exciting content and features technologies supported by ifPeople for building community.
Series features social entrepreneurs around the world: What makes a social entrepreneur differ from a business entrepreneur? According to the Skoll Foundation, social entrepreneurs are motivated by profits while social entrepreneurs are motivated to improve society. The New Heroes, a four-hour PBS series hosted by Robert Redford and sponsored by the Skoll Foundation among others, launched its premier devoted to the work of men and women who have applied their business skills to effect social change. The series intended aim is to "travel the globe to explore the ideas and impact of social entrepreneurs who are making the world a better place".
Plone Foundation Releases Plone 2.1: Houston The Plone Foundation recently released the 2.1 version of Plone, the leading Content Management System for the award-winning Zope application server. Supported by thousands of developers from around the world, it is one of the most sophisticated, popular, and easy-to-use content management systems available today.
ifPeople presents GIS work at leading Open Source mapping conference: The Open Source mapping and geospatial technology community will converge on Minneapolis next month for one of the largest conferences of its kind. The conference brings together experts using GIS and mapping in civil society organizations, academia, business, and government in a learning and collaborative environment. It also serves as the user conference of the most successful Open Source GIS software, used by ifPeople in its projects. This year, ifPeople will present how it has leveraged Open Source Internet mapping to reposition a non-profit organization and improve service deliverly.
Worldwide ecosystem assessment shows 60% of world ecosystems are degraded: The results of a recent report released by the UN Millenium Ecosystem Assessment organization reinforce the need to take effective and collective action to counteract the ongoing environmental degradation process.
Green Building convergence in Atlanta gives new impetus to sustainable building: The USGBC's GreenBuild 2005 Expo and Conference was held in Atlanta, November 9-11. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC), a coalition of more than 5,500 private companies, NGOs and government agencies promoting energy efficient and environmentally responsible building. The 2005 conference brought together 600 exhibitors and almost 12,000 people, ranging from architects and contractors to experts and specialized consultants involved in green building initiatives. ifPeople cofounders served on the Host Committee for the event, which catalyzed collaboration in and around Atlanta. Read our coverage of the event here.
Holiday Internet traffic is up - is your site ready?: Online shopping continues to grow, and this year's holiday shopping season has shown double-digit growth over last year's. With more people seeking online goods and services, will your site be prepared to capture this traffic? There are a number of things to do to prepare your site, so this may be a great time for an Internet marketing checkup. Find out easy things you can do to get more business online.
US states agree on a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: Challenging the decision made by the federal government, 9 northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Main, Delaware y Massachusetts) are currently very close to signing a plan that aims at cutting down on gases emissions from 600 power plants.
Bioneers Southeast Forum Update: ifPeople was proud to sponsor the Bionees Southeast Forum in Atlanta, which happened October 28-30. Three days of inspiring talks, engaging sessions, and social activities to strengthen the community and local collaboration around solutions to challenges facing the region. The event concluded by lives on through the activities of the Bioneers community and Inspiring Futures, the co-host of the event.
Bioneers Southeast Forum in Atlanta: The Bioneers S.E. FORUM is a region-wide town hall meeting and progressive summit of innovative and socially responsible programs, art, media and ideas along with a showcase of sustainable products, services and planned developments. Using World Café and appreciative inquiry formats, this progressive summit brings together progressive voices from across a wide spectrum of industries, disciplines, interests and backgrounds.
ifPeople Sponors Bioneers Southeast Forum: ifPeople is a sponsor for the Bioneers Southeast Forum being held on October 28-30, 2005 in Atlanta, Georgia. ifPeople has worked with Bioneers's Atlanta organizing group on numerous occasions to support the movement for solutions contributing to a better future and bringing the event to the southeast.
ifPeople Works with Cooperative Coffees on Strategic Planning: Cooperative Coffees (CC) is a green bean buying collective comprised of fair trade roaster/members. CC buys beans directly from cooperatives around the world. They build lasting relationships with the grower cooperatives in order to create more equitable trade mechanisms and contribute to sustainability. As part of its growth process, CC has undertaken strategic planning with its leadership and members. ifPeople has been engaged to facilitate the process of articulating and designing the strategic plan.
Georgia's Common Ground conference features sustainable enterprise leaders: This conference, scheduled for September 9, 2005 in Atlanta, GA will bring some great leaders to town (Paul Hawken and Amory Lovins) as well as our local heroes in sustainable enterprise (including Ray Anderson). The Governor will be opening the conference, which has tracks covering air, water, land, quality growth, and sustainable business.
Georgia's Common Ground Conference: Anyone with an interest in learning more about issues that affect Georgia's natural resources and how partnerships can protect these resources, including those from the fields of government, business, conservation, and community action, should attend this conference.
Green Festivals draws big crowds for sustainable economy in DC: The annual Green Festival in Washington, DC took place September 24-25 for the biggest celebration of sustainable economy during the year. ifPeople exhibited again this year, and brings you some news and photos from the event.
International Plone Conference Concludes in Vienna: This week, novice and veteran Plone developers, founders and contributors came together in Vienna to attend the Third Annual Plone Conference. Plone is a highly regarded Free Software content management system with a dedicated international community. As was the case with New Orleans 2003 and Vienna 2004, this years edition of the Annual Plone Conference is a major worldwide event that promotes open source technologies and contributes to spreading the use of Plone as a powerful professional solution.
ifPeople sponsors Plone and Zope training in Argentina as part of FairSource program: December 2-3, eighteen people engaged in an advanced training in Zope and Plone sponsored by ifPeople in Argentina. Zope and Plone, enterprise-quality web software applications, have emerging communities in the Southern Cone. This was ifPeople's second training this year as part of the FairSource program to strengthen responsible microenterprises in Latin America that provide quality, valuable information technology services.

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