WOSU 1/12/2009

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wosu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1456648&sectionID=4

It’s a new year. For many that means change. Some change you choose, such as making resolutions; some change is thrust upon you. My change came in the form of my work moving from a downtown office tower to a converted warehouse in the suburbs. This was done as a consolidation and cost saving measure. Now my coworkers and I wonder where the savings really are.

The square foot cost is lower, but what other savings are there? What about environmental, energy and time savings? What about retaining and attracting the best and the brightest workers? Surely those were taken into account.

When urban sprawl took hold in the 1950s environmental concerns were nil, energy was expected to become virtually free and work schedules were closer to the 40 hour week than the 80. Environmental, energy and time savings just weren’t considered. Our new office is almost as inefficient as anything built with that mindset. Sprawl led to collapsing urban areas, increased pollution and now has helped lead to our collapsing economy and energy resources.

My generation is left dealing with the wreckage of this movement. In response we want urbanism; thriving cities that provide those environmental, energy and time savings. Our best and brightest want access to each other and the opportunities that come from urban density.

Prior to the move I rode my bike to work almost daily. Other days I used public transit. Like most workers these days my work and personal life is blurred. Easy access to services and people is important to keeping my whole life on track. Being free from the burden of a car made my life better. Working downtown provided all of this.

Now my organization, like many others, has isolated itself in a decaying industrial area. My only option to get to work is to drive. If I need to leave the building for anything I have to drive. If I want to meet with anyone I have to drive. To accomplish anything I must spend time and money that could otherwise go toward more productive uses; instead I’m isolating myself and negatively impacting the environment.

Sitting in my inefficient new office I am comforted that I still have a job. Unfortunately I’m just as likely to consider how many other people might have jobs if we stopped spending money on unsustainable infrastructure instead of socially progressive designs. This responsibility falls as much on our government as it does business and individuals.

Facing a crippled economy and an energy crisis the Obama administration is looking to reinvigorate the nation through public works; particularly infrastructure. This is their New Year’s resolution; investing in positive change.

With that in mind I hope that we resolve to look to the past, pre-urban sprawl, and re-learn what it means to develop socially responsible communities of people; people who live and work together instead of apart. Because sometimes positive change for the future means returning to our past.

WOSU 12/8/2008

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wosu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1434776

Lately I hear a lot of ads offering things “for free”. I’ve even stumbled across a cultural movement all about “free”. The founder, Lawrence Lessig, dubs it “Free Culture”. In this economy something for free always grabs my attention. So what the heck is free culture?

According to Mr. Lessig, Free Culture is a social movement that promotes the freedom to distribute and modify creative works using media like the Internet. That’s fine and good but what do I get?

The internet has provided many interesting opportunities and more than a few issues. The most famous of these is the illegal download of music. So is this notion of Free Culture suggesting that I shouldn’t have to pay for downloaded music; ‘cause that would be great! My gift list just got a lot less expensive.

Actually that isn’t at all what Free Culture is suggesting. Instead, they suggest that people should be allowed to be innovative and should come together around what has been created to expand on it. We should encourage our culture to flourish through creative endeavors and build community through collaboration.

Using a type of copyright called Creative Commons those of us who create can maintain ownership while also letting others build off of our creativity. Hip-hop music is a great example of this. The artist puts together bits of other songs; mixing them into a beautiful mosaic.

Another component of free culture is the idea of open systems. Open systems are freely shared sources of information as well as the ideas and building blocks behind those information systems.

Wikipedia is an example of an open system. Wikipedia is an opportunity for every digitally connected person to share their knowledge with the world. Through democratic process this information is refined into very useful bits of knowledge which can help individuals and communities grow.

During the terrifying attack on Mumbai we saw hundreds of thousands of people sharing their information freely. In an attempt to help those who were still trapped, as well as their friends and families who were trying to understand what was happening, this information was remixed and reposted. Interactive Google maps were mashed up with text and live digital pictures. A Wikipedia page was created to direct emergency services and support. Globally we came together to create a new community. In the darkness of tragedy we saw the greatest component of humanity come to light. People of all cultures coming together to aid each other through information, shared experience and understanding. This is the power of Free Culture.

Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia asks that we “Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge.” By freeing our culture; interacting with each other for the sake of understanding and creativity instead of hording knowledge and experience I imagine a significantly more free and peaceful world. That’s the kind of free I can really be sold on.

WOSU 11/03/2008

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wosu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1405856&sectionID=4

After two long years of Presidential campaigning it’s finally November 4th. While we look towards tomorrow to see who our next President will be perhaps we should start considering how our elections may change in the future.

A new form of digital media has arisen during the past couple years of campaigning. You may have even been exposed to it and not realized it. Called voter generated content it is the next step toward direct democracy. Internet users from around the globe are creating their own campaigns behind the candidates and issues they support. What this means is that we now know exactly how people across our nation feel about the candidates; we are also getting extensive feedback from the global community, including specific messages targeted at the US electorate.

Thanks to globalization people from around the world have an even greater stake in what happens here in the US. For that matter we should be equally concerned about what is happening elsewhere. This new reality is drastically altering our idea of national elections. Sure, you may only vote in our elections if you are a US citizen; but if you can convince others to vote the way you want them to then you have effectively cast your ballot. So what does this mean for our elections?

You see, the lack of defined national boundaries in the digital world means that we are witnessing the birth of the global electorate. Prior to the popularity of the internet the closest we came to understanding what foreigners thought of our elections came from the large media outlets. That is no longer the case. With our economic, environmental and foreign policy having such a remarkable effect on people around the world why shouldn’t we welcome, or at least expect their input? The very same policies of other countries have a similar connection to us – wouldn’t we like to have a say in their direction as well, without going to war?

We now have the technology to break down our borders and connect, individual to individual. People around the world are getting to know each other in a way they were never able to before. Understanding the similarities we all share is becoming common knowledge.

After an administration that has done more to divide our country than any other in recent history will we come back together through technology? This isn’t just the challenge for our next President but for all of us; and will we be able to do it without focusing on globally divisive nationalism.

One thing I’ve learned from the campaigns of this election is that the internet provides the structure to remove many levels of hierarchy that have separated us in the past. To quote Thomas Friedman, “The world truly is flat.” I look forward to the day that this network of common people stand together and remove the lines that currently define nations. Instead let’s be defined by our humanity and our common ground.

WOSU 9/23/2008

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wosu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1372177

The storm last week helped to put a few things into perspective for me. First thing – I now understand why reporters willingly go into storms; witnessing the power of nature first hand is pretty amazing when you are well equipped for it. Second thing – individually we are insignificant but as a community we are a force to be reckoned with.

Thanks to the ongoing political campaigns we’ve heard a lot about the importance, or lack there of, both of “small town values” and “community organizing”. The candidates have busily created definitions for the sake of denigrating the competition. However last week Mother Nature provided us with a defining example.

Spiritual leaders often talk about this force greater than our selves; some of you may call that god. Being a non-theist I tend to think of it as community, fellowship or nature, depending on the situation. Regardless of your perspective there is something special that happens when groups of people come together and recognize the needs of others as being a goal worthy of achieving.

“Small town values” refers to just that: meeting the basic needs of others, giving unconditionally and doing the right thing – even when it is difficult or uncomfortable. I would hardly call the many communities within Central Ohio small towns; in fact Columbus is the largest city in the state. What I witnessed last week though was “small town values” at their best. My neighbors and I, pitching in to remove debris, cook food, scavenge ice and watch each others’ children in the process.

With that in mind shouldn’t we replace the words “small town” with “community values”? Isn’t it about time we stop dividing our country in two; no more small towns versus cities, educated versus uneducated, religion versus science, and have’s versus have not’s.

And what about those community organizers? When I set out to clear my yard of the mounting debris piles that kept falling out of the sky an older gentleman came by looking for help with his yard. My neighbor Jim joined me with his tools; making fast work of the effort. Before we knew it 6 of us came together and cleared as many yards, and by mid-afternoon we had done what no individual could’ve done in a day. Similar efforts took place all around Central Ohio. One friend setup a free coffee stand in her front yard for the neighborhood while a large grocer provided free ice.

Because someone chose to stand up and organize these efforts peoples’ basic needs were being met. Without community organizers who are willing to lead – maintaining values that both our small towns and large cities claim – we cease to be a great nation. Only when we work together can we accomplish great things.

Mother Nature changed our lives last week and taught us a valuable lesson. Community organizers are the embodiment of “small town values”. I hope that’s a lesson we won’t soon forget.

WOSU 8/18/2008

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wosu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1343835

Recently I paid an organization $40 to let me work my tail off for 54 hours straight. I know, I know – what kind of nut job did WOSU put on the air?

The event was called Startup Weekend and brought together a couple hundred highly motivated folks who were interested in seeing what it takes to startup a technology company in the matter of one weekend. From voting on an idea Friday night to a prototype product Sunday afternoon; 11 breakout groups managed to make some amazing things happen.

What made this experience worthwhile wasn’t just walking away with a business or what I learned from people outside of my discipline. Those were benefits. But what made this experience worthwhile was much bigger than that. Learning how much is possible when a group of people come together with a mindset that roadblocks don’t exist, or are at best something to overcome, is powerful. Negativity was off the table. Possibility was our roadmap.

So how about applying this same sort of attitude to our daily lives? I have been fixated on this ever since walking out of TechColumbus at the end of that Sunday. I mean; “Hey! Positive impact on your community may be a mere 54 hours away!”

Most people you talk with will gladly share their opinion about one (or many) community issues they hope would change. I suggest we take that potential for change and turn it into action. Instead of Startup Weekend for tech company startups what about giving highly motivate people the opportunity to Startup Community?

The initial lure of the event was the ability to learn how to startup a company and network with other like minded people. Would the same sort of lure work to attract talented people to tackle community issues? Sure it would.

Already highly motivated young people are coming together in online communities, finding ways to harness their talents to make their local communities better; to shape them in a way that fits with their lives. Look at these recent facts: Columbus ranked 6th in the nation for volunteerism and 8th for connecting to each other online. The next logical step would be to get the business and civic leaders in the same room with these young and young at heart change makers to give them the power to make an even larger positive impact.

The impact wouldn’t just be the tangible community improvements. The impact would include a morale boost to everyone involved, the opportunity to learn about your fellow residents and peers, and most importantly a new positive outlook on your locale. Throw in some business advertisement and tax breaks and what more could you ask for? All for a mere $40 and 54 hours.

Call me crazy, but knowing what I know now about the impact this event had on my perspective – especially the potential impact that could come to my community – I feel like I got one heck of a deal paying $40 to work my weekend away.