Taking the day off to climb some red rock and soak up some Colorado sunshine at 5Point Film Festival.

I’m thankful everyday for the wonderful group of people I get to work with. It seems that even on the busiest day, someone will pop out of nowhere with a quick email, message or phone call that reminds me to stop, breathe and be incredibly grateful for the work that I’m doing. Over the last month, I’ve teamed up with a few more friends and I’m excited about what we’ve tackled so far and what is yet to come. So big thanks to…

5Point Film Festival. I’d never been to 5Point Film Festival before last year. The road to and from the festival was paved with craziness, but while we were in Carbondale, I remember feeling a sense of community that I’d never felt at a festival before. We weren’t running around, having rushed conversations and trying to eek our way into the films we wanted to see. We had the days off to hang out with good folks, climb up some red rock and soak up some sweet Colorado sun, and then we all gathered into the same room and watched the same films, together. Afterward, we all shared cold brews and talked about what we had seen and experienced. It was awesome. And I was hooked.

Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t all kumbaya and holding hands. There was plenty of debauchery, hot tubs and fireworks to balance it all out. As I’m working with the 5Point team to get ready for this year’s festival, I’m already excited for what’s in store. Justin Clifton, you’re going to kill it. Jake Marty, you better show me those dance moves. Jenny Nichols and Andy Maser, you’re going to Wild Love all over that place. Sarah Kuck, you’re never going to know what hit you.

The White Salmon River erupting through Condit Dam, free for the first time in a century. Photo © Andy Maser

American Rivers. Have I told you how much I love free-flowing rivers? How about explosive dam removal? Oh, and what about bulldozers knocking chunks of concrete out of the river’s way? I started my career with a river nonprofit up in Bellingham, Washington and have spent most of the last decade advocating for free-flowing rivers and wild salmon in one way or another. But I’m not going to lie, I burned out. I burned out big time. I was exhausted from working on a tough campaign and feeling like I was constantly banging my head against the damn concrete dams we were trying to remove on the lower Snake River.

But then something happened. I was in a room with a bunch of rad folks at the Patagonia Tools Conference with a friend from American Whitewater on the weekend that crews cut the first notches into Elwha and Glines Canyon dams on the Elwha River. I felt something. I felt like I was going to scream and shout and start crying. And then a month later while I was packed under a tent with hundreds of people and watched crews blast a hole in the base of Condit Dam. As soon as the White Salmon River erupted through that dam, I lost it. I screamed, I shouted and cried. I hugged everyone in sight. I was no longer burned out. I was fired up. 

Thanks American Rivers. I’m excited to be a part of this incredible fight. Want to fight? Do it here.

Jake Norton, renowned climber, guide and founder of Challenge21: Water For People, One Peak at a Time

Challenge21. I first met Jake Norton and Wende Valentine at Mountainfilm last year. But I first got to know them last August when they opened their home to Andy Maser, Jenny Nichols and me for our very first Wild Love interview. I was amazed by their generosity, their mindfulness and I was completely in awe at their ability to juggle two more than full-time careers, two adorable and very energetic children and still be completely in love with each other.

What’s even more amazing? They had recently kicked off a campaign called Challenge21. Jake, a renowned climber and guide, is aiming to be the first climber to complete the Triple Seven Summits – the three highest peaks on each continent – to help combat the world’s most pressing development needs: water and sanitation. His goal is to raise $2.1 million for the Denver-based non-profit Water For People and engage and impassion 2.1 million people in the global water and sanitation crisis. Wende works with Water For People and she and Jake dreamed this campaign up together. Climbing the Triple Seven Summits sounds impossible and kind of crazy, but the really crazy part is this statistic: unsafe water and sheer lack of sanitation in the developing world kills one child under the age of five every 30 seconds. A fact that drives Jake and Wende to tackle this problem each and every day.

Do your part to help here.

Thank you, and happy Friday!

This February Live Worldly has teamed up with partners Challenge21 and Water For People to launch Climbing the Mountain to Clean Water Campaign. Over the course of the month Live Worldly will be giving away unique items from Tibet and India to build awareness around the world’s most pressing development needs: water and sanitation and to raise funds to help solve the problem.

“We recognize that the water and sanitation crisis is one of the most alarming issues that is affecting people worldwide and believe in doing something on a larger scale. Live Worldly is proud to support Jake and Challenge21 because the campaign is about taking action to raise awareness and money for this global issue,” said Kael Robinson, Live Worldly founder and Challenge21 partner. “Jake has uniquely combined his passion for climbing with his deep-rooted desire to address this worldwide cause and has set his goals very high. We’re proud to team up with Challenge21 and lend a hand in the fight for clean water. We encourage others to do the same by educating themselves about the global water crisis, sharing that knowledge and offering financial support.”

Donate here.

Challenge21 co-founder and renowned climber, Jake Norton, is aiming to be the first climber to complete the Triple Seven Summits – the three highest peaks on each continent – to help combat the world’s most pressing development needs: water and sanitation. His goal is to raise $2.1 million for the Denver-based non-profit Water for People and engage and impassion 2.1 million people in the global water and sanitation crisis. Having already climbed six of the Challenge21 peaks — Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Everest, Cerro Aconcagua, Mount McKinley, Mount Stanley and Vinson Massif — Jake is preparing for his next endeavor this February: El Pico de Orizaba in Mexico, the third highest peak in North America.

“Climbing the world’s great mountains has a huge amount of embedded drama and visibility… but, at the end of the day, usually the only people really benefitting from a given climb are the climbers themselves. As both a professional climber and a husband and father, I knew I wanted to keep climbing, but also ensure it meant something, and had an impact far beyond myself. In short, I wanted to make sure I have a really good reason for spending months of my life away from my family, in faraway places, putting myself at risk… Challenge21 is the direct result of this desire,” said Jake Norton, mountaineer and Challenge21 co-founder. “Each climb includes a fundraising target, and an opportunity for people to donate funds directly to Water For People via Challenge21. Partners like Live Worldly are enabling people to get involved through their purchases. The protection cords and other products from Live Worldly are not only a powerful symbol of the climbs of Challenge21, but also directly support our work and our goals with Water For People.”

Challenge21 Team: Wende Valentine, Kael Robinson and Jake Norton wearing the Live Worldly protection cords.

Jake and his team will acclimate first on La Malinche, climbing some 4,100 feet to the summit, before heading off to Orizaba to climb another 4,400 feet, for a total of roughly 8,500 feet of climbing over four days. By raising money and awareness, every step along the way brings us one step closer to addressing the world’s problem of clean water and adequate sanitation. Over the month of February Live Worldly will be giving away featured products – Love in India Bracelet,  Live Tibetan Protection Cord, Live Tibetan Prayer Bead Necklace, Live Tibetan Silk Khata, and the grand prize is an assortment of Live Tibetan products in a brand new Live Venezuelan leather bag (a $300 value).

Live Worldly is urging people to donate money to help the team reach their campaign goal of $8,500. Each dollar donated is good for one entry throughout the giveaways ($10 = 10 entries) and represents one foot of the climb to clean water. In addition, Live Worldly is selling featured products — Love in India Bracelet,  Live Tibetan Protection Cord, Live Tibetan Prayer Bead Necklace and Live Tibetan Silk Khata — and donating a portion of the proceeds to Water for People via Challenge21.

“Unsafe water and sheer lack of sanitation in the developing world kills one child under the age of five every 30 seconds. As a mother of two children under the age of five, I imagine myself as one the mothers of the children who make up this staggering statistic and I feel more compelled than ever to break this extreme cycle of poverty that vastly differs from what we experience in the western world,” said Wende Valentine, major gifts officer of Water For People and Challenge21 co-founder. “Due to lack of infrastructure and poor programming over decades, basic human needs are simply not being met. Everyone can be a part of this massive global effort by becoming aware of these geographic disparities and by contributing towards lasting solutions through Water For People. Together we have a chance to make a measurable difference that can ultimately transform entire communities around the world and allow us to truly “live worldly”!

Donate here.

• Anna Brones. You get big high fives for quite a few reasons this week, but especially for becoming my go-to music maven, especially for mashups like this, and this… and this.
• Jenny Nichols. Umm… Wild Love is hitting full steam because of you, hot stuff. So excited to be working with this incredible + creative lady.
• American Rivers. I talk about free-flowing rivers a lot. That’s because I love them, and I get to work with inspiring world changers like the folks at AR.
• Save Our Wild Salmon. Keep on fighting.
• Andy Maser. Thank you.
• ‎”How much of your own heart would you protect?” — Dr. Sylvia Earle when talking about the ocean. Keep up the fabulous work, iLCP.
• Rachel Meyer, Amber Valenti, Molly Downey + Meagan Nuchols. There are no words. You rock.
• Big ups to Gareth, Sam, Courtney, Jeff and the entire Osprey Packs family.
• Justin Clifton. 5Point is going to be amazing. And thank you for posting this video today… gives us all something to aspire to.

Happy Friday!

Love from under solen

I saw a post from a friend on Facebook as the news spread of Steve Jobs’ death and all that it said was “iSad”.  This simple and clever post made me laugh while the rest of the world was/is mourning the passing of an exceptional thinker. From this laughter came deep gratitude for all of the people that are in our lives and who fill it consistently with smiles, hope and grace.

I will borrow Steve Jobs words and Rihanna’s song (to be played extremely loud — don’t be ashamed) as we raise our glasses to YOU as we venture into another beautiful weekend:

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… you can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”  — Steve Jobs

Thank you to the brands who carefully select and build products that truly stand for something and better our world in some small or large way. Cheers to the musicians and filmmakers who bare their soul each and every time a microphone or camera covers their face. Thank you to the non-profits who exist out of pure passion for something that needs to be believed in. Cheers to the silent leaders that fill our world, I trust that your voices will be heard in those times of need.

We honor and send high fives out to you ALL!  HAPPY FRIDAY and we hope that you ROCK OUT HARD THIS WEEKEND!

“This is just breathtaking for me. This is not only an historic moment, but it’s going to lead to historic moments elsewhere across the country.” —Michael Connor, commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on removing two dams on the Elwha River.

I took the leap into my first nonprofit gig with a salmon group in Bellingham, Washington. After getting dirty at a few work parties, teaching kids about rivers and seeing the first first run of salmon coming home… it didn’t take long — I was hooked. With conservation it’s all about winning — because winning means we’re making this world a better place. Oftentimes, we get so caught up in the seemingly impossible state of affairs — climate change and species extinction to name a few — that we can’t even see the little and big wins happening every day.

Last week, I was fortunate enough to be a part of an incredible posse of movers and shakers at the Patagonia Tools Conference for Grassroots Activists. After meeting dozens of inspiring people fighting to protect a piece of this world, it was hard not to be motivated and energized about the work we all do. We spent a lot of time talking about celebrating the little wins, especially when you have a tough road to your final big win. The conference could not have happened at a better time because that same weekend crews began work on the largest river restoration project in history — removing two dams on the Elwha River. BOOM! That is no small feat. That is a huge win.

Thanks to Amy Kober of American Rivers for dropping off two chunks of Elwha dam. I've never been so happy to hold a piece of concrete in my hand.

What we as eco warriors need to remember that every win, large or small is part of a larger movement. Whether you live in the Northwest or not, whether you have been part of this fight or not — this victory is your to celebrate. With every win, we get stronger, smarter and more energized. So, this Friday it’s time to celebrate this huge win… we’ve got more on the way.

Happy Friday!

It’s no secret at Under Solen that we believe in the value of travel. Not only because of the personal change that it often brings, but the positive impacts that it can have on communities around the world. That’s why we’re very excited to take part again in Passports With Purpose.

In its third year, PWP is built on the idea that “travel can change the world.” (We couldn’t agree more!) For the last two years, its founders and a whole lot of travel bloggers have put together their efforts to raise money for a good cause. Last year the initiative raised over $30,000 and built a school in rural Cambodia. This year they’re raising money for LAFTI, an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of the Dalit (untouchable) population in India. Raising $50,000 will allow LAFTI to build a whole village of homes.

So seriously, as you start to think about things to buy this holiday season, consider putting your money to a good cause. Society and the planet will thank you.

How to take part:
For each $10 donation that you make to LAFTI (which means it’s tax deductible!), you will will be entered in the giveaway(s) of your choice. All proceeds go directly to LAFTI. Check out all of the prizes up for grabs here.

What you can win:

There are lots of raffle prizes available, and we’re happy to host a rocking Osprey Packs Vector 22. We’ll tell you from personal experience that this rolling bag is a must have; it fits a ton AND it’s TSA carry on size. Plus who doesn’t love the good people at Osprey?

So hop on over to the Passports With Purpose site and get to donating!

We recently learned about 3 Peaks 3 Weeks, an annual all-female climbing event that raises money and awareness for key issues facing Africa, and we were immediately intrigued. Bringing women from around the world together to summit Mt. Kenya, Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro, 3 Peaks 3 Weeks is certainly a combination of adventure, inspiration and positive change. We caught up with one of the participants, Chris Kassar (who’s also part of our favorite Rios Libres) to learn more about this woman-powered initiative and how it’s bringing real change to Africa.

Tell us a little bit about 3 Peaks 3 Weeks

In January 2011 (which is fast approaching!), I will join a team of 11 ordinary women from around the world as we attempt to summit 3 of Africa’s highest peaks (Mt. Kenya, Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro) in just 3 weeks! Our aim is to raise money and awareness to address 3 peak issues currently threatening Africa: environment, education and health. In between each climb we’ll spend time with the African organizations that 3 Peaks 3 Weeks supports so we can see where each dollar we have raised is already helping to make a difference.

How have you been training for the event?

I haven’t had to change much in my life to train since I’ve always spent a majority of my free time running around outside. However, I’m aware that this is going to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done so I’m definitely ramping up my usual efforts.

Ironically, I was in the middle of trekking in the Himalaya when I found out that I was chosen to be part of the 3 Peaks 3 Weeks team for 201. I had just been to Everest Base Camp that very day. So…I guess my training was already well under way since I spent the majority of 2 months in Nepal hiking with a heavy pack over rough terrain at pretty high altitude.

At home here in Flagstaff, I get out into the mountains as much as I can and however I can – skis, snowshoes, running shoes, mountain bike, hiking boots. I am also currently spending a lot of time on a road bike and in the water since I am training for my first triathlon. I’m really new to swimming and biking so this is a good challenge. My success on these climbs is going to be just as dependent on my mental fitness as my physical fitness so yoga, meditation and visualization are an important part of preparing for Africa, as well. Breathing at altitude can be so hard, but yoga and meditation have made this a lot easier for me.

To get some real life climbing practice and altitude exposure, my friend Julie and I are going to do a “3 Peaks 3 Days Challenge.” So, next week we are heading to Colorado for 5 or 6 days of backpacking during which we will summit three 14ers (peaks above 14,000 feet) in 3 days.

Why do you think going on an all-women expedition is so powerful?

With each passing year, I have come to value the brilliant, passionate, tough, sweet, bold women in my life more and more. Sisterhood (both genetic and chosen) is one of the most powerful bonds that I have ever encountered. It’s hard to explain in words, but something happens when “sisters” tackle a challenge together – things get done, fun is had, passion oozes and confidence grows. Our power on this expedition will come from the fact that we are united around a common goal. Our ability to support each other, work as a team and rise to the challenge is critical if we are to accomplish what we have set out to achieve.

Aside from its impact on those of us participating, I think part of the power of an all-women expedition comes when others witness it. Even though it is 2010, I still think it is imperative for the rest of the world to see women demonstrating their strength, courage, bravery and determination.

The goal of the expedition is to raise awareness of three peak issues facing Africa: Environment, education and health. How do the three go hand in hand and how does supporting one support the others?

These are the largest issues affecting East Africa today and I believe that addressing all 3 of them is critical for the future of the people and lands of Africa because doing so is key to reducing the impacts of poverty. Simply put, providing someone with basic healthcare and education can provide them with an entire future. And because East African communities are typically incredibly dependent on their surrounding environment, it is also imperative to conserve wildlands while benefiting the surrounding communities.

Halting environmental degradation, providing education for more children and improving health care are going to become more and more important as populations continue to rise and development progresses. These are tangible and hopeful issues to focus on because individuals and groups can have a concrete impact on them; with some dedication and effort a person can create positive change in these arenas by taking action and accountability, whereas other issues – i.e., corruption – would be more difficult to target directly.

There are a lot of groups that have launched in the past few years that focus solely on women’s issues. In a place like Africa, what do you think are the benefits of this?

Actually, all 3 organizations we support do not only focus on women or women’s issues. In some cases there are certain projects that do, but overall these organizations serve a broad range of people who need help. Nonetheless, those groups that focus solely on women’s issues are extremely important. Because of the central role that women hold within communities, they are often the key to helping families and villages out of poverty.

All of the money that you raise goes straight to Africa, while you’re responsible for your expedition costs (~$10,000). That’s a lot of money. Why do you feel strongly about putting that amount of your personal money into this kind of travel?

In the past year I spent a good deal of time in Nepal, Southeast Asia and South America. As is always the case while traveling, I was reminded of how lucky I have been throughout my life and how much I have to offer to this world as a result of where I was born and the opportunities I’ve been given.

Traveling reinforced my gratitude for simple things like freedom, health, family, peace, access to education, clean drinking water, financial security and physical safety. These are things I often take for granted, yet each day of my journey I was reminded that there are millions of people throughout the world who do not have the same luxury. And so, the financial challenges are outweighed by my desire to use my talents and tenacity to help this amazing planet and those who don’t have as much as I do.

Besides supporting this expedition, what’s one thing that people can do to have a positive impact on these issues facing Africa?

Great question because it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by big problems in a continent that can feel so far away….It’s a tough one because there is no “quick fix.” Direct handouts may have their place in emergency situations, but supporting those kinds of programs in East Africa is like putting a Band-Aid on a wound that really needs surgery. So, I’d suggest that people learn as much as they can about the situation and support initiatives, programs, groups and individuals that empower people to take control of their own future; those that follow along with this idea: “give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.”

That’s the amazing thing about 3 Peaks 3 Weeks – all of the money I raise goes to sustainable projects that enable individuals and communities to be accountable for their own success over the long-term.

This trip and cause is pretty inspirational. What inspires you on a daily basis?

Nature – She inspires me because she is simultaneously strong, graceful, beautiful, powerful, loving and humbling.

My family – My mom and dad, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins are each an inspiration in their own way, but they share a common thread which also inspires me: they all sure know how to give love! And even though they may worry about me because of the crazy way I’ve chosen to live my life, they support me and believe in me no matter what.

My 5 year old friend Finley who just had open heart surgery and his parents – They have inspired me to be fearless and to act fearlessly.

People who work to make their dreams a reality regardless of the associated challenges.

The rare beings who are truly honest with themselves and with others.

Chris will be heading to Africa in January. To help support the cause of 3 Peaks 3 Weeks, you can donate by clicking here.

We love parties, especially parties that benefit awesome causes. At Epic Wheel Works’ Live the Revolution party last week, $950 was raised for Portland’s Bicycle Transportation Alliance. There were a lot of people that came together to make that happen, and they all get big thank yous here.

Want to see just how fun raising money can be? Check out these fun photos and video from the evening.

As part of our ongoing profiles section, we’re taking a look at people making a difference in the world of new media and are harnessing the power of web 2.0 to make positive change.

Today we’re talking to Danielle Brigida, Social Media Outreach Coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation. In the new media sphere, NWF has had a significant presence, pushing the envelope in how the organization approaches members and generates awareness of its campaigns. Everywhere you turn on the web, NWF seems to be there, whether it’s with a new video, a photo contest or simply just updates on what we all can do to enjoy nature, and Brigida is certainly one of the organization’s new media driving forces. She’s well respected in the world of green new media and last year was named one of the top 75 Environmentalists to Follow by Mashable. She has also spoken at a variety of new media events including South by Southwest.

We caught up with her to learn more about the ins and outs of her job and how she thinks new media is changing the layout of nonprofits.

How long have you been working as the Social Media Outreach Coordinator for NWF? How did you land the gig?

I started out as a grassroots assistant, doing data entry and trying to think of ways to engage activists. One of my tasks was maintaining the National Wildlife Federation’s MySpace page, and I was given the freedom to experiment with engaging people on that site and any others I could find. Since I was the Ecology Club President at my college, I knew that Facebook was another great way to connect with people, so I started testing out profiles, groups and pages for NWF. I’ve never looked back.

I’m always looking for new ways to engage people with any social site I can find. The more I was able to prove the value of having NWF’s brand represented online in these diverse ways, the more I was able to incorporate my after-hours experimentation into my current job description. I created this role for myself, and it wasn’t easy. I also can’t say that I’m done molding it to be what I know it has the potential to be. I’m lucky because the National Wildlife Federation does a great job of helping its employees explore their interests. Mine just happened to be social media from the start, and for the past 3 1/2 years I’ve been learning all that I can.

NWF certainly has a big social media presence, what are some main components of your social media outreach program?

I live by the “social media is for everyone” motto. That’s not to say we’ll all use the same tools in the same ways, but I think learning from life experiences (and that includes online) is incredibly important. When one of my colleagues comes to me interested in trying out social media, I help them focus in on what they want to do with their program, what audience they want to engage, and what their capacity is—knowing these answers helps me determine what sites they should be on.

I may be the only person with “social media” in my job title, but I’ve been able to persuade a good number of my coworkers to open their browsers and find out how their subject area is talked about on social networks. It almost instantly sells them on the value of participating, because they see a new world at their fingertips: instant focus groups, new people to connect with, people who might help share our message, people interested in helping out in any way they can, etc.

By empowering our subject-matter experts to communicate to the niche audiences interested in their subject, NWF as a whole benefits, because we are able to connect with more gardeners, Ranger Rick readers, political wonks, educators, parents, college students, etc. than anything I could offer up from a single NWF account.

Some of our staff may just lurk, some people may comment here and there, and my star pupils see the benefit of providing as much value in return to their audiences as they can. I’m seeing that no matter how much you engage, there is always something to gain from being present online.

What have been some of your most successful new media campaigns?
I’m not sure I would consider my success in the typical sense. We’ve definitely had some successful experiments, but the biggest overall success is that we’ve changed the way many of us work. For example, with our campaign to get kids outside, we’ve met many passionate parents online. This has helped us create better content, make more meaningful relationships and reach people we normally would not have reached.

We have more than 30 mommy bloggers who are our friends and help us assess our campaigns. We have used crowd sourcing to gather knowledge and interest around gardening stories and we’ve really just been using social media to lower the ladder of engagement so we can include more people and get more people engaged.

One campaign that did take us by surprise was our Endangered Species Day campaign. I wrote a blog post about how everyone knows of animals outside of the U.S. like the panda or the tiger, but very few could list endangered species in their own backyard. So we asked each person to pick a species and tweet all day about that species! It was more engaging then we EVER could have dreamed. We’re hoping to recreate the same experience and get people thinking locally when it comes to wildlife.

I truly believe as long as your learn something you haven’t failed.

What has social media allowed NWF to do that it couldn’t do before?

Social media allows us to truly connect with members. We are a big organization and we’re lucky to have so many supporters. I think our large size hasn’t always made it possible to connect with our base in the past. Thankfully, social media lets us talk to long time supporters from all over the world and engage with them daily–it’s very inspiring.

Not everyone has jumped on the new media bandwagon, how do you reach out to people that maybe aren’t used to getting news and information via new media channels like blogging?

Social media can be intimidating, and in some cases the only cure is actually trying it out. I found that once people play with it, they either love it or struggle with it and it may take a few more attempts to really get them to use it. Either way, I usually stress that some of the best users don’t have an “Aha moment” right away (you know, the moment you realize the value and want to explore it more). I love it when people come to me, to learn the tools because they generally listen more, and are more open to testing things out. I am passionate about connecting with people and I find that anyone who is interested in that will be interested in social media, for some though-it’s a series of baby steps. And that’s ok!

Why do you think new media is an effective tool for non-profits?

I think nonprofits represent passionate groups of people trying to make change. Social media allows for great organizing, information sharing and a perfect place to feed your passion (whatever it may be). With nonprofits, they may not always have the money for fancy tools, but with passion and content, social media can really be an asset to even the most understaffed nonprofit. I’m constantly impressed with the way nonprofits use social media. It’s invigorating!

How do you think new media is helping to create positive change?

There are so many benefits that we can garner from crowd sourcing and expanding our networks as well as learning and information sharing. I look at social media as a new way to do old business, and because of that I see positive change happening throughout the different communities. The neat thing about the tools is that they are simple enough to serve a number of different change initiatives at once. Look at Twitter, Twitter has successfully saved lives through its immediate response but it also serves as a collective knowledge pool. The way social media affects change is both instantly and over time. We’re learning, we’re growing and best of all, we’re communicating and I think that’s where social media can really create positive change.

Where do you get your news from?

Tons of RSS feeds and twitter of course. I read my RSS feeds like the paper every morning and track twitter throughout the day. Staying a top of our mentions and current events helps me be relevant to our members and social media friends.

What are 3 blogs that we should all be reading?

If you’re talking social media blogs, I think there are many!

My favorites are:
Beth.typepad.com
Kdpaine’s measurement blog
Kivi’s marketing blog and many more

You can check out the blogroll on
www.thenetnaturalist.wordpress.com for a few of my green pals too!

What are your main tips for people/organizations that want to be more effective in using social and new media?

Be brave and take the leap! Do social media for a few minutes a day or whatever you can spare. Interact with people, join conversations and add meaning, be yourself, ask questions, and push yourself to learn more every time you’re on the site. I have to say that “failing” isn’t going to happen unless you miss out on an opportunity to learn.

Thanks!

Have a soft spot for James Bond movies? Never had the chance to channel your inner spy? Now is the time!

To raise money for their upcoming expedition, the Kamchatka Project is throwing one fancy fundraiser party. It’s an evening of gambling, salmon and espionage, with great door prizes and sweet gear on raffle. All the action happens March 13, 2010 and you’ll want to get your tickets now; they’re $35 in advance and get you complimentary drinks, hors d’oeuvres and an opening stack of chips for the casino. Buy them here. And the best part? Ticket proceeds go to funding the Kamchatka Project, which happens to be a 501(c)3 — your tickets are 100% tax deductible!

Where: Keen Headquarters

926 NW 13th Ave, PDX

When: Saturday March 13, 2010

Attire: Formal, or dress as your favorite 007 character. Best two costumes win door prizes!

See the full invite here.

All proceeds support the efforts of The Kamchatka Project to raise awareness about salmon conservation though exploration.

[Photo: Brocco Lee]