These days we are often connected anytime, anyplace, on a mobile device (or two, or three.)   It’s become second-nature to jump onto Wi-Fi for a few minutes on a laptop or tablet.  We hardly think anymore about how we’re doing what we’re doing while we’re doing it…  Who might be watching, or what they might be seeing.  We’re accustomed to granting access for this and that, barely giving privacy a thought.

A recent article in ReadWrite.com by Adam Popescu titled Data Privacy Day: Painful Growing Pains, highlights some important areas where tech can do a lot of good toward keeping things safe, secure, and private.  Whether we’re emailing, shopping, looking for information, banking, updating our social networks, or anything else, safety is a concern.  Specifically, there are some things you can do to increase your safety and security.

A few standout points:

• Read privacy policies, and learn more about them through places like PrivacyCamp and its #PrivChat privacy chat on Twitter 

• Prevent unwanted tracking with services like FixTracking.com

• Stay protected and anonymous on public Wi-Fi with VPN encryption services like AnchorFree’s Hotspot Shield

Image from ReadWrite.com

Simple things like being aware of security and privacy issues and taking quick, easy steps to prevent trouble can make a big difference in keeping things safe, secure, and private online.

You can read Adam’s article in its entirety HERE.

The term BOGO once referred to consumers getting an item for free after they made a similar purchase. This drove customers to stores and websites because it made them feel like they were getting a great deal. However, a new form of BOGO has developed in which consumers themselves aren’t receiving the benefit from the purchase, rather, it’s donated. Now BOGO commonly refers to buy-one-give-one and rewards consumers by donating a good to those in need. While this seems like a better, altruistic alternative to traditional BOGO, does it work? The answer depends upon whom you ask.

Is BOGO Feasible?

As any good businessperson would want to know, how do BOGO programs affect revenue? By initiating a BOGO program, business owners are essentially obliging themselves to a future debt when a good is purchased. Before any BOGO program is started, it’s advised to investigate how this will affect the company’s cash flow. This may be easier for some than others.

Using services such as American Express cash flow, which allows business owners more flexibility on when and how money is spent and paid back, make BOGO simpler to implement. Cash-flow services provide business owners with the opportunity to use BOGO programs without worrying about the financial commitment they’re making to customers and those receiving charitable gifts.

The most widely recognized success story with BOGO is that of Tom’s Shoes, which donates a pair of shoes for every pair of shoes bought. More than 2 million shoes have been given across the world, and Tom’s Shoes has become a chic choice for those wanting to help others. However, this business model has come under fire recently when it was learned that, while this program is profitable for Tom’s and well meaning, it might have negative effects. Charitable gifts abroad can have a distorting effect on developing markets by undermining local business and creating an unsustainable aid-based economy.

3 Questions to Consider When Developing a BOGO Program.

What’s the Local Market? – If the GO of BOGO improperly skews the market for a good, it may do harm. Undercutting local manufacturers and retailers who earn a living from those products has a net negative effect on the local community.

What’s the Production Chain of the BOGO Company? – Many times, a more-positive effect can come when the supply chain comes to the community. Sourcing materials and manufacturing not only puts money in the pockets of the local community but also provide much-needed skills.

Does the Product Solve a Root Cause of the Problem? – Temporary relief is appreciated and valuable but does not address the overarching problems present in a community. Charitable gifts should be centered on a sustainable, long-lasting way to support an impoverished part of the world.

BOGO programs are a net benefit for business, consumers and those they help only with proper forethought. By investigating what possible effects a BOGO program will have on recipients, business owners can confidently use these programs to create a win-win-win situation.

On Thursday, December 20, please join in the effort to help end childhood hunger by helping spread the #NoKidHungry word through tweets, Facebook posts, emails, and/or direct (gentle?) nudging of friends and family.

We will be having a Give-A-Thon all day 12/20, with some amazing surprises and prizes for those generous souls who spread the workd and MAKE A DONATION!

* A generous Share Our Strength donor decided to do something extraordinary this holiday season: personally match all gifts up to $500,000. This means the impact of our Give-A-Thon will be doubled at the end of the day, making twice the difference for kids struggling with hunger!

Author note: Join us! Help us spread the word this Thursday! Visit the Team fundraising page.

This Thursday, December 20, we are excited to work with our amazing online community to hold a Team No Kid Hungry Holiday Give-A-Thon. Why now? Why in the middle of the holiday season? There are a number of reasons.

Primarily, hunger doesn’t take a holiday. When EVERY child should be excited for winter breaks, many know exactly how many school meals they will miss over the holidays, and don’t know from where their next meal will come. It is important for us to remember these children and their families during this time.

Fortunately, you can help. A $25 donation can connect a child to up to 250 meals. Are you wondering what to get that family member who has everything? Or are you trying to find something special for a friend? Consider giving the gift of No Kid Hungry this holiday season – a meaningful, and truly life-changing gift.

Through our countless online advocates and our Team No Kid Hungry community, we are making a day of it, and hosting our Holiday Give-A-Thon, complete with incredible prizes throughout the day that will amaze you! If we hit $10,000* in donations, one lucky donor will receive an iPad mini. Drawings will take place all day, so please spend the day with us!

Are you on Facebook? Be sure to like our Facebook page and follow our posts this week. On Twitter? Follow us here, and join in the #nokidhungry conversation. Check back on Facebook as we post our list of giveaway items!

How can you help prior to the Give-A-Thon? Share our Facebook posts, retweet our Give-A-Thon tweets, and spread the word. Plan your holiday shopping list, and do some one-stop, tax-deductible shopping here on Thursday.

The day will be hosted by our No Kid Hungry Social Council. Find out more, and consider getting involved!  Click “Join the Blogger Council” and we will be in touch. Thank you for all you do, for sharing your strengths with us.

Special thanks to friends (and Good Plus Tech client) AnchorFree for donating many annual HotSpot Shield Elite annual subscriptions (valued at $29.95 each!) , to be given to donors around various goals during the day on 12/20!  Stay safe keeping in touch, shopping, and making donations on all those mobile devices!

Amy Neumann

Writer, Speaker; Social Good, PR and Marketing Consultant

“Our choices at all levels — individual, community, corporate and government — affect nature. And they affect us.” — David Suzuki

November 15 was America Recycles Day, and a great reminder about how important recycling is not only for the environment, but for jobs and the economy as well. Recycling is one of the fastest growing industries in the country, contributing more than $100 billion to the U.S. economy each year and employing nearly 138,000 people.

Recently I spoke with Robin Wiener, president of ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries) on some of the lesser-known ways to help recycle, and some key benefits. This type of recycling, which individuals can help with by properly recycling electronics, can reduce new mining and has other sustainability benefits.

Electronics recyclers provide comprehensive recycling operations. Some of the commodities that can be extracted from electronic equipment — in particular, steel, aluminum, gold, silver, titanium, copper, nickel, plastic, and glass — are used as valuable raw material in the manufacture of new products.

Recycling drives for things like batteries, electronics, and other items can be a great way for kids to get involved in recycling and the environment. Photo courtesy of AmericanRecyclingDay.org
Environmental Benefits

• Recycling 1 million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by 3,675 U.S. homes in one year.
• One metric ton of circuit boards can contain 40-800 times the amount of gold and 30-40 times the amount of copper mined from one metric ton of ore in the U.S.
• E-scrap can offer a materially higher metal loading/tonne compared to ores — in particular as ore grades for new mines continue to decline. For example, a primary mine for silver contains approximately 5 grams of pure metal/ton of ore. This compares to 200-250g/ton of silver in PC circuit boards, and 300-350g/ton of gold in cell phones. (Source: Barclays 23 Aug 2012, Equity Research).
• When recycling electronics, look for a certified recycler, with R2 or R2/RIOS certification.

Social Benefits

• Recycling cell phones provides access to modern communications technology to many people in developing economies who would not otherwise be able to afford it.
• Some collection programs donate cell phones to charities such as domestic violence, environmental causes, children’s safety, etc.

In the U.S., 40-50 percent of raw materials come from recycled scrap. And although businesses make up a large amount of scrap recycling in general, recycled precious metals come in large part from consumer electronics. Wiener notes that each year there are about 6 million tons of electronics in the US that reach “End of Life,” of which around 3.5 million tons get recycled, much of it residential.

“The recycling industry continues to grow because of commitments from consumers and businesses alike to protect our planet,” notes Wiener.

For additional information on recycling, get these fact sheets, and some great daily recycling tips.

A list of places to recycle electronics can be found here, along with certified electronics recyclers and more specifics on recycling or donating options.

Amy Neumann is a social entrepreneur, writer, speaker and consultant on social good marketing. Check out her Charity Ideas Blog and follow her on Twitter @CharityIdeas. Amy is also Director of Public Relations for POGCO, the People’s Oil and Gas Collaborative – Ohio, a grassroots organization focused on sustainability, regulatory, safety, and property rights issues in the oil and gas industry.

Follow Amy Neumann on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CharityIdeas

Amy Neumann

Writer, Speaker; Social Good, PR and Marketing Consultant

Boston University’s Urban Accelerator Program: Helping Businesses and Social Entrepreneurs

Posted: 10/30/2012 4:05 pm

The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own. ~Benjamin Disraeli

Starting back in high school, Nathan Bernard dove into a succession of fundraising driven social endeavors in places like Ecuador, Kenya, and Tanzania. Through projects like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for charity, he helped fund AIDS orphanages, housing programs and more.

When he attended Boston University, the passion continued to grow with work in Ghana with Community Water Solutions, Inner Mongolia, with micro-lender ACCION International, and India with his first start-up, AnaGenesis.

A keen interest in sustainable charity, or creating pathways for people to help themselves, led Bernard to pitch an idea for an Urban Business Accelerator program to Dean Kenneth Freeman, former-CEO of Quest Diagnostics, KKR Board member, and current Dean of the Boston University School of Management. The pitch worked, and the Boston University Urban Business Accelerator program (BUBA) was born.

Bernard is now the director of the program, which he runs in collaboration with Professor Erik Molander of the BU School of Management, and MBA student Tiffany Israel. Together they oversee the teams, training, and strategic direction of BUBA.

The BUBA program accomplishes two objectives. First, it helps local small businesses in underprivileged areas gain the tools and training on financials to help manage their small businesses. Second, it helps create student social entrepreneurs with leadership skills and a deeper understanding of the impact that their university education can have on the business owners.

The 10-week program forms teams of one graduate student and three undergraduates. These teams review financials, make baseline comparisons, identify areas for improvement, and teach the business owners how to use the accounting software QuickBooks to streamline and monitor their progress. The goal of the 180-hour, free program is to give business owners a strong level of financial literacy that can be applied to improve their bottom line.

Nathan Bernard pitched the idea of an Urban Accelerator program at Boston University that is now active and creating stronger local businesses as well as social entrepreneurs. Photo Courtesy of Boston University

So far, businesses have saved an average of $9,000 from the experience, as well as retain five jobs per business. BUBA has also created one full time job through the initial pilot launch.

“BUBA helps small businesses take it to the next level, and also creates socially-inclined leaders in the process,” notes Bernard.

Partners of the program, like Intuit’s QuickBooks, Google’s free Get Your Business Online program, the City of Boston, and ACCION USA, are providing tools, support, and training for both the BUBA student teams and the businesses.

Based on the pilot launch, a program curriculum, coined by Bernard, “BUBA in a Box,” has been created to speed the learning process for the BUBA teams. This 105 page how-to guide is what Bernard hopes to share and expand in partnership with other universities in the near future.

As Bernard says, “We’re creating a program with the goal of replicating it on a national scale. My vision is for the BUBA methodology to be applied in more urban businesses and universities across the country. It’s an impactful and successful learning experience for everyone involved.”

The startup team for the Boston University Urban Accelerator program this summer. Photo courtesy of Boston University

To learn more about the program, contact Boston University .

Amy Neumann is a social entrepreneur, writer, speaker and consultant on social good marketing. Check out her Charity Ideas Blog and follow her on Twitter @CharityIdeas.

Follow Amy Neumann on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CharityIdeas

Boston University , Boston University Urban Accelerator , Nathan Bernard , Buba , Social Entrepreneurship , Urban Development , Impact News

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

InvisiblePeople.tv has teamed up with BakeSpace.com and some of the most visible people in social media to create “The Social Cookbook” – a first-of-its-kind app-based fundraising cookbook to raise funds to fight homelessness.

Get the Social Cookbook App!

Created with BakeSpace’s Cookbook Café digital publishing platform, “The Social Cookbook” is available for download on the iPad via the free Cookbook Café app, as well as online as a web-based e-book. It includes personal recipes from 19 highly respected social media influencers – from Chris Brogan and Liz Strauss to Brian Solis and Beth Kanter.

Watch: How InvisiblePeople.tv, the organization helping homelessness via social media, has teamed with BakeSpace.com to create the first crowd-sourced cookbook from social media

The cookbook costs $2.99 to download, and all proceeds (after Apple’s App Store fee) go to support InvisiblePeople.tv and its efforts to fight homelessness using the power of social media. The organization is a nationally-recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2008 by Mark Horvath (@hardlynormal on Twitter). Its mission is to empower the homeless to tell their stories, build community and connect with support services by helping them get online and have a voice.

To build “The Social Cookbook,” a list of all-star social media influencers contributed their favorite personal recipes including:

• David Armano’s “Popo Mikey’s Famous Stuffing & Mom’s Turkey Gravy” (@armano)
• Chris Brogan’s “Poor Man’s Shepherd’s Pie” (@chrisbrogan)
• C.C. Chapman’s “Soggy Saturday Wings” (@cc_chapman)
• Claire Diaz-Ortiz’s “Sugar Cookies” (@Claire)
• Sarah Evans’ “Blueberry Whole Wheat Pancakes with Bananas” (@PRsarahevans)
• Jason Falls’ “Potato and Egg Salad” (@jasonfalls)
• Sean Gardner’s “Lasagna” (@2morrowknight)
• Beth Kanter’s “Kachumber Salad” (@kanter)
• Jason Keath’s “Dirty Greek Eggs” (@jasonkeath)
• Shira Lazar’s “Shira’s Social Sangria” (@shiralazar)
• Stefanie Michaels’ “Eggs ala Salsa” (@adventuregirl)
• Amy Neumann’s “Simple Homemade Pickles” (@CharityIdeas)
• Amber Naslund’s “Chicken Tortilla Soup” (@ambercadabra)
• Lee Odden’s “Philly Cheese Steak Rolls” (@leeodden)
• Jeff Pulver’s “Jeff Pulver’s Jackson Hole Shakshuka” (@jeffpulver)
• Peter Shankman’s “Mom’s Calming Noodles and Cheese” (@petershankman)
• Mari Smith’s “Mom’s Scottish Shortbread” (@marismith)
• Brian Solis’ “Tortilla Espanola” (@briansolis)
• Liz Strauss’ “Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich” (@lizstrauss)

“I love that this cookbook brings together some of the most visible people in social media to help some of the least visible people in our society,” said InvisiblePeople.tv Founder Mark Horvath. “I’m grateful to everyone who helped create ‘The Social Cookbook,’ as well as everyone who downloads it to help fight homelessness.”

To preview excerpts from the cookbook and learn more, visit http://bit.ly/thesocialcookbook.

“Fundraising cookbooks have been around for a long time, so our goal for Cookbook Café was to update the publishing process and make it easier, more efficient and more rewarding,” said BakeSpace.com Founder Babette Pepaj. “We wanted to come up with a technology that democratizes cookbook publishing and helps nonprofits like InvisiblePeople sweeten their fundraising efforts.”

Learn more about our homeless friends, aka “Invisible People,” Mark Horvath and InvisiblePeople.tv are helping us see using social media to spread their stories.

Cookbook Café enables anyone (individuals, groups, brands, etc.) to publish a cookbook as both a web-based e-book and an iPad app quickly, easily and at no cost.

Once a cookbook is published, the author can give it away for free or sell it to the world for profit or fundraising. Cookbooks are sold online and on the iPad via Cookbook Café’s community-driven marketplace, which makes it easy for shoppers to discover even the most niche cookbooks. “The Social Cookbook” is the first cookbook published using Cookbook Café’s new groups feature, which enables groups of any size to crowdsource recipes and work together to build a cookbook.

Earlier this year, Cookbook Café was recognized by the Webby Awards and the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) in the best social app and use of new technology categories. The do-it-yourself publishing platform includes: 1) The free Cookbook Café iPad app with cookbook storefront and reader, 2) A web-based version of the storefront and reader accessible via any web browser, and 3) A web-based book builder that automatically publishes each cookbook as both an iPad app and web-based e-book. More information about Cookbook Café is available at http://CookbookCafe.com. To make an original cookbook, visit BakeSpace.com/cookbooks – it’s free!

About InvsiblePeople.tv

InvisiblePeople.tv is a grassroots 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2008 by Mark Horvath (@hardlynormal on Twitter) to fight poverty and homelessness using the power of online social media. The organization launched its sister site – WeAreVisible.com – in September 2010 as a resource to educate homeless people, help them get online and connect with support services. After building a successful career in television syndication, Mark found himself homeless in 1995 following a battle with addiction. He worked hard to clean up his act, and was living comfortably by 2007 with a three-bedroom house and a 780 credit score. But then the recession hit. After several layoffs and a foreclosure, he was once again facing homelessness. That’s when Mark launched InvisiblePeople.tv with just $45 and a budding interest in social media. More information is available at http://InvisiblePeople.tv and http://WeAreVisible.com.

About Cookbook Cafe and BakeSpace.com

Launched in 2006 as the Web’s first food social network, BakeSpace.com has been described by USA Today as “the closest thing to a Facebook-like food site.” It has earned numerous Webby Award honors including back-to-back nominations for “Best Social Network.” The company’s ‘Cookbook Café’ publishing platform is the first DIY digital publishing tool that enables anyone to create, market and sell a cookbook as both a native iPad app and a web-based eBook. BakeSpace also produces the TECHmunch Food Blogger Conference, which is held in cities across North America. More information is available at http://BakeSpaceMedia.com.

This is the twelfth installment of the Impact series, #SocialGoodStars. The people highlighted here are passionate, dedicated philanthropists, strengths to their communities, and social media masters. They also happily share their vast knowledge with others, making them shine as leaders in the Social Good world. You can read the eleventh interview with Global Impact CEO Scott Jackson here.

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
- Jacques Yves Cousteau

Fabien Cousteau was born with a passion for the ocean. His grandfather, Jacques Cousteau, was a prolific ocean documentarian and explorer (134 documentaries, 70 books), and an inquisitive conservationist who helped invent the aqualung, allowing modern SCUBA diving. Fabien spent many years on board the Calypso and Alycone with Jacques and his family, developing a love for the ocean, filming it, and helping its creatures. His father Jean-Michel and sister Celine are also avid explorers, and the three of them completed a three-year multi-hour series for PBS called Ocean Adventures in 2006. Fabien uses his environmental economics degree from Boston University to bring insight into striking balance between regional and global environmental issues and the realities of market economies. In 2010 he founded the nonprofit Plant A Fish to empower and educate local communities by replanting aquatic plants and animals.

Between traveling between France and New York City, Fabien spends a great deal of time on the oceans filming. He also speaks around the world about the Ocean and its ecosystems, and has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Gayle King, and NBC’s Today Show. He is involved with the boards of SeaKeepers Society, Water Innovation Alliance, Millennium Project, and many others, and has spoken recently at TEDx and the 2012 UN Rio Earth Summit.

Here are some of his thoughts on saving the world, one fish at a time.

Plant A Fish (PAF) is an active, hands-on outdoor education and restoration experience developed by Fabien Cousteau, third-generation ocean explorer, documentary filmmaker and environmental ambassador. Photo courtesy of PlantAFish.org

You’ve said, “The oceans are the circulatory system of life on this planet. Quite literally saving the oceans protects ourselves.” Can you expand on that?

Oceans make up 71% of the earth’s surface and 97.5% of all the water on earth. And around 70% of all food contains ingredients from the oceans, even down to the grain grown using fish meal that may be fed to animals, or the kelp in ice cream. Someone skiing on a mountain 1000 miles inland is skiing on snow from water in the oceans. It’s critical to protect this ecosystem since it impacts all facets of life.

Once you start to learn more about the ocean and all its incredible life forms, it’s nearly impossible to turn your back. That’s why Plant a Fish came about – to educate, empower, and help restore these amazing creatures and ecosystems in a hands-on, fun way.

Telling stories visually, through documentaries and photos, is a hallmark of yours. Why do you think that’s so impactful?

Although it would be ideal for everyone to be able to experience the wonder of the ocean scuba diving or on a scientific submarine, since that’s not practical, being a storyteller for the oceans is the next best thing. I started film making when I was 8 and love it. Visual elements are at the core of telling compelling stories, and telling stories is a great way to inspire people and evoke emotions.

This is useful for any organization, visual storytelling. And although the attention span increases with the quality, any tool is a great tool when used properly – even a casual video shot from a smartphone can capture the essence of an event in a way that shares it more fully with the audience. And photos can capture the beauty and emotions of particular moments so they’re recreated for others, and create a desire to help or learn more.

What are some ways individuals can help the ocean?

Of course we offer many programs, and ideas to start an effort in your area, at Plant a Fish. Another great resource is your local aquarium. They will have access to conservation groups, events, and activities you can join to get more personally involved. There are hands-on actitives like beach cleanups and local restoration projects that are an opportunity to have fun and learn as well as protect and restore.

Just as important are simple, day-to-day things, a different way of seeing. Stay curious. Respect nature. Get guidance when doing new activities outdoors. Look but don’t touch. Explore, learn, and share what you discover.

And things like recycling are invaluable, but often come a bit late in the process. Instead, think: Refuse to use, reduce, reuse, then recycle. Conservation and protection are far more helpful to the environment that fixing things after they’re broken.

Fabien Cousteau was inspired to protect the oceans growing up on the decks of his famous Grandfather Jacques Cousteau’s ships, Calypso and Alcyone. Photo courtesy of FabienCousteau.org

You can learn more about how to get involved with the oceans at Plant a Fish, on Facebook, and @PlantAFish on Twitter.

Amy Neumann is a social entrepreneur, writer, speaker and consultant on social good marketing. Check out her Charity Ideas Blog and follow her on Twitter @CharityIdeas.

Follow Amy Neumann on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CharityIdeas