Social Networking

From EITLC Wiki

Contents 1 Rating of this issue is closed 2 Issue Overview 3 Opportunity Space/Problem Statement 4 Issue Components/Considerations 5 Examples of Past Use Rating of this issue is closed Thank you for providing your ratings on this issue as a potential focus for an EITLC Priority Action Team. Results of voting and top issues will be announced shortly. Issue Overview Social networking sites are online communities that connect people, in which each user can create a profile. Accessible tools in these sites include photo sharing, messaging, chat boards, groups, social networking, recommendations, questions, interests, wiki products, webinars, video sharing, audio sharing such as podcasts, and most relevant, information sharing. Examples include MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Wiki products, and Flickr.

Opportunity Space/Problem Statement

What opportunities exist for information technology and information management departments to utilize social networking sites to distribute and exchange environmental information?

Issue Components/Considerations

Social networking systems could provide outlets for training, information sharing, and support telecommuting.

Training/Education (Online Environmental Training Room)

• Podcasts of trainings and presentations (iTunes):
  • Ex: Tips on securing environmental information and systems.
  • Sends automatic updates related to a particular area of interest.
• Video tutorials or Webinars (YouTube)
  • How to live a more sustainable lifestyle tips and tutorials – greening your home, recycling efforts, chemical-free home gardening pest control.

Save them to a webinar library on the EPA site

• Webcams for video monitoring of heavily impacted environmental areas.

Environmental Updates or Resources

• Environmental info to your phone:
  • Check the environmentalism of a product, you type something in your phone and it responds.
  • Or environmental news feed to your phone – 1 text a day with environmental news.
• Trophy Room:
  • Post and share good news environmental stories.

Networking/Collaboration

• Environmental Chat Rooms:
  • Chat with peers and colleagues about environmental issues

Other/All of the above

• Create a virtual space (Second Life):
  • Area set up for each segment of the agency.
  • 3-D exhibits of related principles and policies or environmental issues.
  • Put webinars and other educational seminars in this space.
  • People could visit an EPA build to research and keep up with the design requirements that govern their work.

Examples of Past Use

Text Message Based Reporting Method for Marine Recreational Anglers - A pilot project funded by a North Carolina Sea Grant minigrant, was conducted by the American Fisheries Society to determine if recreational fishermen could effectively report and track their catch and fishing efforts by text messaging - on a prepaid mobile phone - their fishing reports to an online text messaging service called "Twitter" (www.twitter.com). In an initial evaluation of the pilot project the American Fisheries Society reported that participants indicated the approach was easy to use, cost efficient, and allowed for real-time reporting of information directly to an online database. More information can be found at AFS Journals.