Sociable Sustainability

Some of you already know this but I recently enrolled at UCLA in their Certification Program in Sustainability for Business Leadership and Renewable Energy. I know; it sounds a bit "Snoooooozzzzeeee" but its not and I'm really excited about learning the technical side of this biz as well as the multiple of application to community and our world. I just completed my first class titled Sustainability in Social Media. It was an interesting class. Not a lot of new material for me on the social side but interesting applications for the green world. The class included some guest speakers including GreenLAGirl (local Green Blogger Celeb) and the founder of LivingHomes who created a line of homes that feature sustainable materials and energy systems. He was a Lego fan as a child just like I was (mutual geeks). The biggest message I took away from the class (and why I'm sharing this); and one that is not exclusive to green business; is that a topic like sustainability is highly passionate and a catalyst to unite people. Its a sweet spot for social media because people want to learn about it and talk about it. Its viral in its nature. The trick is it to make it interesting and not "Snoooooozzzzeeee". Also, the message needs to be honest, genuine and help people understand this space. Agents of BS; step off. Again.... not much different than any social media campaign but with the green biz there is a lot of true, knowledgeable, fierce advocates. So any greenwashing; which will be found out, talked out and trashed out before you know it; need not apply. The flip side is that this is the same group that will catapult good ideas to the top. All in all; not so bad.

So for those of you thinking; "who the hell cares about this"; social media is just a mirror of social groups, circles and organizations. That means neighbors, friends, family, chums at the local pub, schoolmates, folks you wave to for whatever reason; etc..; its digital word of mouth. And those of us/you that are really concerned about our planet (Momma Earth); our limited recourses, our country's economic state, the legacy to our children, our country's position in global issues and, most importantly, our sustainability as a species on this planet; its time to wake up. So what better way to wake up than to inform the ones we love. So please use what bit of knowledge I've learned thus far (much more coming as I complete more classes; I hope) to promote your individual "green" ideas. We're all in this together with the same goal. But at last you know the truth; I'm a geek. My kids refer to me as the "ultimate geek". But who asked them anyway! :-)

sustainable |səˈstānəbəl|adjectiveable to be maintained at a certain rate or level : sustainable fusion reactions.• Ecology (esp. of development, exploitation, or agriculture) conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources.• able to be upheld or defended : sustainable definitions of good educational practice.DERIVATIVESsustainability |səˌstānəˈbilitē| nounsustainably |-blē| adverb