Jean Frankly's Blog – May 2010 Archive (9)

The concept behind the Evoke game is fascinating. It's proven to be an effective way to share information and ideas about critical problems facing the world.



Tapping into the gamer mentality for social change is a compelling experiment. But then I read comments like "Delta Team is the Heart of Evoke." (what??) and "It's just a game."



I think the "drama" on this site is heightened by the preoccupation with earning points. Sure, points are an effective (extrinsic) motivator. But… Continue

Saul Griffith dreams of giant kite turbines creating huge amounts of

clean, renewable energy.







Wind is the second largest renewable resource after solar. But the majority of wind power is in high altitudes, well above 300 feet - beyond the reach of today's wind turbines. We don't have a technology (yet) capable of tapping into this rich source of wind energy.



This idea was described by Miles L. Loyd in his paper "Crosswind Kite Power". He… Continue

Here is my (growing) list of favorite Evoke blogs. It's difficult to chose because there are so many wonderful contributions on this site.



The list simply reflects my personal interests and is far from complete. I should have started it earlier, and must now rely on my limited memory.



Some ideas that I don't want to forget:

• Recycling "grey…

Continue

A tag cloud on the My Profile page - where your most popular tags appear in a large font - would be a good feature for Evoke 2.

A visual tag cloud is a great reflective tool that reveals your interests, what's on your brain. It can also encourage you to broaden your interests if you find yourself stuck on one or two themes.

Key challenges for Evoke in Season 2:



1) Turn ideas and research into reality.



2) Get Evoke agents to work together to increase their effectiveness.



Agents could sign up for small teams which focus on a specific problem of their choosing. Some missions would be short, lasting a week.



Other team-based missions would be longer, lasting a number of weeks. The goal is to turn ideas and research into real outcomes. Progress reports and activities along the way… Continue

My everyday wish list includes a shower head that not only saves water (this is common) - but has a "pause" button.



You could stop the water flow at any time (e.g., while shampooing your hair) and then restart the water flow -- at the same temperature.



Some people suggest you turn a shower on and off while you're using it, to save water. If you're fortunate to live where water supply is not an issue, that sudden blast of cold water (while the temperature readjusts) prevents… Continue

Scenario: A pandemic flu reaches my part of the world in the 2011.



I would organize "opinion leaders" from many diverse groups to spread the message online. Individuals would be chosen based on their demonstrated commitment to serving the social good, not celebrity status.



The goal is to reach as many people as possible, and spread reliable information about the pandemic flu - including the URL of a "dark site".



This group of opinion leaders would be diverse and… Continue

On World Water Day 2020, I would organize a Water Relay (similar to the Olympic Torch Relay) across Canada.



On the East Coast of Canada, a hand-held bottle would be filled with water from the Atlantic Ocean. The bottle would filter unclean water (LifeSaver bottle).



Then a human chain of Canadians would run, walk, or cycle, passing this bottle of pure water from… Continue

It's curious how we can influence and inspire others - without even trying.



When you act true to your deepest values or pursue an undertaking with total commitment, people tend to stop and notice. Chances are you don't realize what's happening because you're so immersed in what you're doing.



You're doing something special. Your actions may impart a lesson that is remembered - long after you are forgotten. And that's okay.



Sometimes you try to influence or help a… Continue