If you’re a big user of any kind of social networks or new media you’ll appreciate this… especially when all the tech related websites start popping up and you realize that you’re subscribed to all of their RSS feeds.

Thanks to @onitmarketing for the tip!

Women empowerment is the name of the game here at Under Solen (although we did just add a male dog to the family…), so we think it’s important to devote time to celebrating International Women’s Day. In fact, today marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. In short, the day is a “global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future,” and in some places it’s even a national holiday. This year’s theme is “Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all.”

Not until I lived in France did I realize how important this day is on a global level. I remember the streets filled with women holding signs in support of women-led movements the world round and stories of females covering the front pages of the day’s newspapers. The day was honored in a way I had never seen in the US, with women from all kinds of backgrounds coming together to celebrate.

But International Women’s Day isn’t just about glorious celebrations, it’s also for raising awareness about all the advances that still need to be made for women the world round. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, has a great article today entitled “Three Proven Steps to Advance the World’s Women, on International Women’s Day” proposing three ideas that he believes would be the most effective interventions in raising the status of women around the world: supporting girls’ education, promoting health programs that focus on deworming and micronutrients, and finally, more support for women starting businesses.

As women living in the Western world, today is an excellent reminder to be appreciative of all the opportunities that we have and to be aware of how much more can be done, both at home and abroad.

Here are a few female-focused organizations, committed to bettering the lives of women, and society, worldwide, that we think are certainly worth checking out and supporting.

The Girl Effect

In collaboration with the United Nations Foundation and other key partners, The Nike Foundation created The Girl Effect, with the ultimate goal of ending poverty by focusing on girls. That means education, health initiatives and work opportunities. Learn more here.

Camfed

Camfed’s goal is straight and to the point: to improve the lives of two million children by 2013. But it’s a lofty one, and they could certainly use support in getting there. The organization fights poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa by educating girls and empowering women to become leaders of change, and there are several ways that you can take part from donating money to hosting an event in support of the organization. Learn how by going here.

Women’s Rights

Women’s Rights is a great place to take action on a variety of women’s issues around the world, from reproductive rights to women in politics. Currently the organization is asking visitors to take action by signing a petition that asks members of Congress to sponsor the Global Resources and Opportunities for Women to Thrive Act, an act that is intended to lift millions of women globally out of poverty.

World Pulse

If you’re a believer in the power of women as well as independent media, you need to check out World Pulse. A media enterprise that covers global issues through the eyes of women, World Pulse published World Pulse Magazine as well as Pulse Wire, an interactive community newswire where women can speak for themselves to the world and connect to solve global problems. As founder Jensine Larsen puts it, “As a global media source we tackle difficult issues; as World Pulse, we never leave our readers without a solution that is working somewhere in the world, and we tell these stories from the perspective of powerful, leading women.”

Bookmark the site, subscribe to the magazine and get informed from a fresh perspective.

[Photo via: University of Oregon]

Meet Mr. Woodrow Huckleberry aka Woody (above).

We adopted this little guy last weekend. He’s been through a pretty epic journey. He came to Portland, Ore. from a shelter in California where he was nearing the end of the line. He’d been transferred to the Oregon Humane Society from California through the OHS Second Chance program. For only being 4-months-old — that’s a lot of moving around!

Woody’s one of the lucky ones. Millions of dogs are in need of home across the U.S. Read more about the problem and how you can help over on Elephant Journal.

Well, Woody is psyched to have a forever home and to be in the company of the many ladies of Under Solen, and we’re excited to have a new team member to keep us busy and give us an excuse to take a mid-day walk!

We could all use a little more love! My friend posted this on Facebook yesterday. I’m not sure what’s better — the lyrics or the dance moves, but either way this music video from vocal chanting superstar Wilbur Sargunaraj is awesome. Watch, dance and dig it!

Salmon are tough as nails. You give them a river and they will run. Well, on the Columbia-Snake River here in the Northwest, it’s been an epic battle to give these iconic fish a river to return to. After more than 15 years of litigation, salmon advocates, the State of Oregon and the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho are still fighting in court to save our wild salmon.

From The Flyfish Journal:

So, what’s up? With all of these folks pushing for a solid plan, why is NOAA failing miserably?

Politics are trumping science again. Where the political pressure to flout the science is coming from remains unclear, leaving us to speculate. Many fingers are pointing at Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Secretary of the Commerce Department, which oversees NOAA. A former Governor from Washington State, Locke no doubt maintains ties to Washington Senators Murray and Cantwell. To date, Senators Murray and Cantwell remain unwilling to even discuss alternatives to the status quo in the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Seems like more than a coincidence.

A recent Daily Astorian editorial said of the BiOp under Locke’s leadership at NOAA: “in no way are they the kind of bold actions that will convincingly alter the sad end game of the Pacific Northwest’s “totem” creature.”

I couldn’t agree more. The science is clear, the law is clear, and Judge Redden has given NOAA one more chance to get this right. I hope they listen. It’s high time we take strong actions to save these fish, our rivers and ourselves.

Read more…

Major props to the passionate and determined folks who continue to hold the federal government’s feet to the fire. Keep up the great work. We’re in your corner!

Happy Friday!

Here at Under Solen, we’re all about empowering women, so we found this video and the cause behind it incredibly inspiring and motivating this morning. And we’re psyched to deck ourselves out in some gorgeous jewelry.

From Hands Up Not Handouts:

The power of theses embroidered bracelets is in what they represent… global connection, friendship and hope for a better life and peaceful tomorrow where everyone thrives.

Check it out! Thanks to the folks at PrAna for tipping us off.

From the PrAna Blog:

Women are the backbone of families and societies around the world. They perform 66% of all labor, produce 50% of the world’s food and bear 100% of children.

There are multiple layers of beauty behind the organization Hands Up Not Handouts (HUNHO) whose mission is to help empower the world’s impoverished women. How you ask? By helping them hone in on their knack for handcrafting goods from native materials which in turn, generates income that they, their families and communities can sustain themselves off of. This micro-enterprise model isn’t by any means new, HUNHO is yet just another successful example that’s making a dent for the better. What won’t make a huge dent in your wallet are the oh-so-cool and hip handcrafted accessories being made from HUNHO’s Palestine and Rwanda-based women run cooperatives.

HUNHO is the brainchild of the American philanthropic Sager family who in 2000 set out to travel to the world’s developing countries. Wishing to help the people they met along the way, without just handing out money as charity–they believe this can create dependency with no lasting positive effect–they instead became venture capitalists of sorts. After investing in a project, they help implement it–mentoring the artisans along the way with product development, strategy, marketing and distribution. And the final product is nothing short of positive and gorgeous for women in Rwanda and Palestine who are working through HUNHO cooperatives.

Is it any surprise that fashion icons and rock stars like Kate Hudson, Gwen Stefani and Rihanna would adorn themselves in these urban-chic, circular earrings that come in electrifying colors like hot pink, apple red and lemonade yellow? Or that they’d embellish their wrists in candy-colored strappy cuffs and wraps like these simple yet statement making tie-bracelets? I for one, likely along with these three fashion divas, eagerly await the continued artisan made crafts that arise from future HUNHO partnerships. It’s a simple, affordable and one-of-a-kind-way to support girl power–not to mention sustainable developing communities as all of the proceeds trickle back to the ladies in charge.

Via Treehugger

www.thesnaz.com

This is Liz here, chiming in from Under Solen HQ in Portland, OR. Obviously, my fave from this week is that I got to spend the past five days drinking coffee and dodging rain drops with two of my favorite ladies. Not only was it awesome to be here and do some great work, but we managed to have a little fun too. In between intense new media strategy sessions, we managed to stumble upon some amazing videos that really made us laugh… more than once. For this weeks Friday Faves, I bring you some ridiculousness… and please, let us know how they inspired you.

“A classic example of pure Scandinavian hawtness” – Anna Brones

“Gun control means always hitting your target” and this video does just that.

A little bit how Anna and Liz sound when singing in the car….if they knew how to play the Ukelele.

Photo Credit: Re Wikstrom

For this week’s profile, we want to bring attention to an amazing organization that is inspiring women to take a “jump” into the outdoors, not just here in the States, but all over the world. SheJumps is a non-profit that was conceived by pro-skier Lynsey Dyer, with the help of her friends Vanessa Pierce and Claire Smallwood. In just a few months, they’ve jumped on the new media bandwagon by utilizing a free online social network called NING. In a little over 3 months, the community has over 270 active members from all over the world including Bulgaria, France, Japan, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom… and it’s growing every day.

We got a chance to catch up with SheJumps Executive Director, Claire Smallwood while she was driving back from yet another ski adventure. Here’s what she had to say:

What inspired you to create an organization that inspires women to get outdoors?

When I was growing up in Santa Fe, I was always the token girl on any adventure in the mountains. It got to the point when I started to take my skiing more seriously at 16 that I found myself searching through every ski magazine to see a picture of a girl to feel inspired. I got reassurance from seeing women pushing themselves and I said to myself “If she can do it, then so can I.” After meeting Lynsey Dyer at my first freeskiing comp we became friends quickly and I met Vanessa Pierce shortly after. They already had ideas for SheJumps in the works, but it didn’t exactly resemble what SheJumps is today. It has been a long road (and we continue to develop) to understand exactly what role SheJumps will end up with for women. Ultimately though, we all realized that getting more women outside would mean an easier road for all of us to accomplish our passions. It is easier to garner support from companies and snag attention from media if we can prove that it’s more than just one out of 100 ladies out there on the trails.

How has SheJumps used new media to capture the attention of women who want to get involved?

Our website has long since been the backbone of our organization. Given that importance, the addition of new social media has expanded our ability to maintain great SheJumps content but with the guarantee that our content can reach new people without sitting around with our fingers crossed that people will check up on our blog. I think that UnderSolen coming forward to work with us on avenues like Facebook and Twitter has been a huge blessing to streamline the essence of our programs. It’s been great to let people get a quick glimpse about SheJumps (the tip of the iceburg) and then let them take the next step to get involved with our community through the creation of our NING site. It is that specific website alone that has helped us to gain more tangible support in the form of a network between women who are interested in the outdoors from all over the world.

Do you feel that the NING site is an effective strategy for connecting women to their passions?

NING is a great way to get all the communicative benefits that Facebook offers, but without any distractions. The desire for someone to join our NING site automatically helps them to understand what SheJumps by deciding what to share. We have already seen the organic beginnings of this network on the NING site through the creation of discussion topics, area-specific groups, and blog posts. It effectively connects women to their passions through the direct communication that it offers between members. Have a question for a pro skier? Want to know if anyone else is fed up with women’s specific gear? How about trail running? The possibilities are endless. We currently have a NING community member who is training for a triathlon and blogs her success to keep herself (and now, apparently, others as well) motivated and inspired.

SheJumps is a lot about telling stories to inspire others to take “A Jump”. What is your favorite story of someone taking a jump?

I think it changes all the time. If I had to choose one of my all-time favorites, I think it would have to be the video of Zoya Lynch’s mother. She quit her corporate job in eastern Canada to move to Whistler and ski everyday at the age of 54. There is something about the simple dialog, “Mom, what is your favorite thing to do?” and the footage brings tears to my eyes. Check it out here.

OK, I have to do a runner up–9 year old Sophie Howell. She wrote to us last year telling us she wanted to ski Tuckerman’s Ravine, but her dad said she could only do it if she could hike it. So this summer she hoofed it up there, passing grown men left and right, and is ready to ski it this spring. I had the pleasure of skiing with Sophie at Alta in January. It was really great to make the connection to a little girl who I could relate with in terms of tenacity and goals. She was such a great skier and looks up to SheJumps so much (stickers all over her helmet). It felt really good to feel like I was a part of her story.

What are some plans/programs for the organization that you’ve got going on in 2010? What are you excited about most?

Wow! Where to start? We are going to continue our (S)heJumps into the Canyon program where we take local teens from the Boys & Girls club skiing at Alta with professional skiers. It takes place over the course of 4 Sundays in March. This year we are also going to organize the Backcountry Tour for the Cure. It is a very fun event open to intermediate and advanced female backcountry skiers. Participants try to raise money for breast cancer research and then complete an overnight ski tour/winter camping trip in solidarity of women with breast cancer. We try to put ourselves in a challenging environment and still have fun the whole time!

This summer will bring a lot of action to local community groups. SheJumps is currently focusing on trying to provide as much infrastructure as possible to organize and document efforts in different areas to accomplish our mission. This means that anyone can write to us and organize a SheJumps event, such as a day hike, mountain bike ride, backpacking trip, etc. that will help solidify the outdoor community in that region. Additional options include creating goals for the event. Some examples of that would include setting a goal for vertical feet hiked, trying to accomplish as many peaks in your area, wildflower identification, hula-hooping at the end of each objective, picking up trash, or maybe just trying to make it a consistent activity! The possibilities are endless. For more information, check out shejumps.org/jumpin.

What else would you like our readers to know about SheJumps and/or SheJumps social media strategies?

There is so much information on the web today, it can be easy to feel inundated with too much information. While our mission is fairly complex, the gist of it–to inspire and increase participation of women in outdoor activities–remains pure. We welcome support from anyone and everyone who needs a little inspiration in their lives (or wants to share it!). We look forward to continue working with UnderSolen and the many different avenues of social media today in order to help more people become inspired to reach their potential.

Learn more about SheJumps at: www.shejumps.org

Join the growing online community at: http://shejumps.ning.com

Keep up on Claire’s adventures as a pro-skier and non-profit Executive Director at: www.clairesmallwood.com

Photo Credit: Re Wikstrom

Want to see some more? Check this awesome video that Claire stars in! Produced and filmed by our friend Brandon Gust:

1. Defenders of Wildlife: Web Communications and Social Media Manager

The Web Communications and Social Media Manager plays a key role in the upkeep and management of online content on www.defenders.org and all other Defenders of Wildlife and Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Websites as well as the management of Defenders social media channels. This hands-on position will require thorough knowledge of online writing, editing, content strategy and social media.

Responsibilities include but not limited to: content development, editing and writing for our Websites; posting content; develop content strategy aligned with Website goals; managing relationships with content owners; managing social media and assisting with development of social media strategy.

More info here.

2. National Parks Foundation: New Media Specialist

• Work collaboratively with external and internal constituencies and partners to manage online projects and deliver successful results in a timely manner
• Manage day-to-day operations of current NPF online properties and networks — spanning high-profile Web sites, communities, program micro-sites and social media
• Manage day-to-day social media outreach with sustained communications strategies
• Identify and implement online marketing opportunities, support online fundraising and outreach objectives, and work closely with the communications and marketing team on implementing the Foundation’s messaging, programs, and events
• Create and develop innovative new opportunities, tools and features to engage the Foundation’s online audience, as well as stay abreast of new media trends and strategies.
• Provide positive impact on internal and external relationships

More info here.

3. Organizing for American: Social Networks Manager

The Social Networks Manager is responsible for maintaining the Democratic Party and Organizing for America accounts on all social networks (such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace accounts, etc.) The Social Networks Manager works closely with the rest of the New Media department to execute grassroots campaigns to advance the President’s agenda for change.

More info here.

Have a new media job lead? Contact us through Twitter or shoot an email to info[at]undersolenmedia[dot]com

This New Yorker comic came across my desk and it made me laugh. In the new media age it seems like everyone is always out after more followers and more fans. In fact there are even third-party applications built to help you get more Twitter followers. But are bigger lists of friends, fans and followers better? Not necessarily.

Since social media is about being reciprocal, there’s no point in getting a big head because you have 20,000 Twitter followers or 2,000 Facebook friends. The important question is: are those people listening?

Take Twitter for example. With more than 50 million tweets per day, it’s easy to get lost in the social media mess. Which is why you need to have established, targeted networks. Sure, you may not know many of the people and organizations that you connect with in social networks beyond the internet, but you need to treat them just like you would your regular friends. That means being engaging and reciprocal, and not just talking about yourself.

Establishing a network of active users

Active is the name of the game, and harnessing the power of social media means establishing networks where you know people are listening and helping to spread the word. This ensures that when you send news, articles and ideas out into the social media sphere you’ll be reaching out to people that are listening, and your voice won’t be drowned out, or even lost.

So how do you establish a network of active users? Here are 5 easy tips.

1. Treat other social media users like your friends. Would you spend an hour coffee date talking solely about yourself? Probably not, unless you were looking to kick your group of friends to the curb. Social media is the same way. Take the time to be reciprocal, reposting and pushing out content that isn’t your own. If you’re a good friend, others will return the favor.
2. Seek out like minded people. Individuals, organizations and brands that believe in the same ideals you do are more likely to interact with you, which makes the task of establishing a network of active users much easier.
3. Create a conversation. Don’t be silent. Being a solid social media user is about reaching out to people personally; the opposite of mass emails and automatically generated messages. Say hello to people, introduce yourself and what you’re about and start sharing.
4. Be engaging. How long do you spend talking to someone that goes on and on about their boring lunch date? Not long. Make sure your social media posts are fun, fresh and engaging. Better yet, be controversial and provoke your networks into having a vibrant conversation.
5. Link, link, link. Social media is about sharing information, and links are the currency of the new media age; passing out good information will get you noticed and appreciated.

Welcome to another Friday/vendredi/fredag/viernes/whatever you want to call it… Here in Portland we’re experiencing some amazingly sunny and warm weather, so we’re going to attempt to spend as much time away from the computer this weekend as possible! But before we get to that, here’s a recap of all of our favorite things from this week.

We love working with cool people. Which is why this week was one of our favorites of 2010. Want to know why? Read this and this. Proof for us that hard work and determination do in fact pay off.

There’s also been a lot of good stuff going on in the non-profit/cause world this week, which gives us reason to celebrate. We highlighted three causes that we think deserve your attention, and that are easy to get involved in; it’s always inspiring to write about good people doing good things. And our friends over at the Conservation Alliance had some big wins this week, with one of their grantees, American Whitewater, celebrating the removal of the Dillsboro Dam on the Tuckasegee River in North Carolina.

The dam removal will allow paddlers and fish alike to pass through the area for the first time in over a century. Just another example of how nicely recreation and conservation go together. Wouldn’t that be nice for the Columbia-Snake? We think so!

And of course the Olympics are still going strong. A big “girl power” shout out to Lindsay Vonn, who gave females around the world just another cool role model to look up to. [If you're in need of more female related inspiration, just hop on over to the SheJumps site where there's a whole lot of it]. In fact, when I went to Google her, as soon as I started typing the first few letters of her name, the two recommended top searches were Lohan and Vonn. Nice work lady!

And, of course, how could we not love the Norwegian curling team’s pants?

Finally, just in case you are stuck at your computer over the weekend, take a few minutes and browse through your most inspiring photos. You could have the chance at some sweet gear and a VIP pass to a rocking film festival.

Happy Friday!

Photo by 88Bikes

Giving back to the community is an essential part of running a business these days, and there are a lot of brands out there that have caught on. But it’s not just about giving, it’s about choosing causes that align with a brands’ core, ones that resonate with employees and consumers alike. And of course, if you’re going to support a cause in this day and age, you better be using social media to spread the word.

We picked out three causes that do just that, and are currently being promoted by savvy brands that we love (and no, none of them are clients of ours). Added bonus: they are all super cool initiatives that you can help out with in one way or another.

88 bikes: Saving the world one bike at a time

Bikes really can save the world! At least that’s the thought behind 88Bikes, a non-profit that provides an enjoyable, sustainable form of transportation to young people in developing countries. The formula is simple: choose a destination in need, raise money to pay for bikes, then travel to the site and deliver bikes and in the process change lives. Straight and to the point. Why the number 88? $88 is about the cost of a bike in the developing world.

Portland-based Keen Footwear has been a big supporter of 88Bikes, including a partnership with the organization that matched donations and helped deliver bikes to children who have been rescued from human trafficking in several different countries. And because bikes don’t take care of themselves, Keen also donates money to provide tools and bike maintenance training for bicycle recipient

Want to take part yourself? 88 bikes is always looking for donations — and yes, they do accept values other than $88 — but you can also help simply by spreading the word. In fact, 88Bikes depends a lot on the power of its social networks, so if you want to help, check out what they’re up to on Facebook and Twitter.

Send a Kid to Camp: Creating tomorrow’s outdoor enthusiasts

I know a lot of people that discovered their passion for the outdoors while at camp, be it a weekend school trip to a camp that hosts an outdoor school or a more extended stay at a full-on summer camp. These are the places that put kids into programs that build confidence and create leaders. Of course having spent most of my summers at camp, both as a camper and a counselor, I am biased. But statistics prove that exposure to nature is essential to a child’s healthy physical and emotional development, and for some children, attending camp is the chance to get that exposure.

Mountain Hardwear is currently running a Send a Kid to Camp initiative, and it doesn’t take much more than believing that camp is a good thing in order to support it. To take part in the initiative, just go to Mountain Hardwear’s Gives Back site where for every click on the “send a kid to camp” button, the brand will donate $1 towards the program, up to a total of $40,000.

10 camps around the country are part of the 2010 program, and they do everything from getting urban teens into the outdoors to putting children on telemark skis. All you have to do to help them is go here; that’s really all it takes, one click, and you’ll be helping create tomorrow’s outdoor enthusiasts.

Search for Adventure: Empowering adults with developmental disabilities

11 years ago, Santa Barbara company Horny Toad partnered with Search Developmental Center, a non-profit life-skills training group that works with adults who have developmental disabilities. The partnership gave rise to Planet Access Company (PAC), which provides training and work opportunities to this overlooked population. Part of those training and work opportunities have been picking, packing and shipping Horny Toad goods in the company’s warehouse.

But since we’re talking about Horny Toad — the company whose motto is “Everyday is an Adventure” — they couldn’t just provide work opportunities, they had to make sure the PAC crew was having fun as well. This turned into Search for Adventure, an experiential travel program that uses proceeds from PAC and a grant from Horny Toad to send Search residents and members of the PAC work crew to have opportunities to see the world outside of the daily routine. As Marketing Director Tami Snow puts it, “experiences that you and I take for granted but empower people with developmental disabilities to achieve their full potential and lead rich and rewarding lives.”

Now Search for Adventure is up for a Pepsi Refresh Grant, and you can help them win. Simply go to the Search for Adventure page and give them your vote. If it gets enough votes, Search for Adventure will get the funding it needs to make a difference in the lives of developmentally disabled adults. So go vote now!

You can read more about the program here.