Innovators for the Public

Ashoka is the global association of the world's leading social entrepreneurs-men and women with system changing solutions for the world's most urgent social problems. Since 1981, we have elected over 2,000 leading social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows, providing them with living stipends, professional support, and access to a global network of peers in more than 60 countries.

With our global community, we develop models for collaboration and design infrastructure needed to advance the field of social entrepreneurship and the citizen sector.

Our Fellows inspire others to adopt and spread their innovations - demonstrating to all citizens that they too have the potential to be powerful changemakers.

Want to know more? Watch Ashoka Founder Bill Drayton discuss the history of Ashoka.

http://www.ashoka.org/

Websites run on powerful computer servers that use massive amounts of electricity. Though energy efficiency should be a high priority for hosting companies—after all, it saves them money-—finding a company who operates their servers in an environmentally-responsible way is not always easy.

A2 Hosting makes it easy. Its FutureServe Green Hosting initiative was created to provide environmentally responsible website hosting in order to protect and improve ecological conditions for current and future generations. In addition, the experts at A2 Hosting have tips for MyClimateMinute readers to reduce their computer usage carbon footprints.

A2 Hosting sees carbon offsets as a means of balancing its web servers’ release of carbon dioxide through a combination of products, practices and resources that save an equivalent, and likely additional, amount of CO2 to what is emitted. Carbon offsets allow A2 Hosting to take responsibility for mitigating CO2 emissions from everyday business activities by contributing to Carbonfund.org projects like reforestation and the development of renewable energy. “Until all our energy needs are able to come from renewable sources, we felt that carbon offsets were the best way to reduce our environmental impact and act as a responsible business,” said A2 Hosting CEO Bryan Muthig. “We carefully looked at all our options before choosing Carbonfund.org to provide our carbon offsets. The fact that Carbonfund.org is a non-profit and has a good reputation made us feel confident our offset dollars were going to be put to good use.”

FutureServe Green Hosting is a combination of low-power hardware, employee effort, and offsetting, and it has established A2 Hosting among the greenest options for website hosting. Among the energy efficient equipment A2 uses are low-voltage Xeon Processors and DDR2 memory, both known for energy efficiency, and power saving hard drives that consume 40% less power and 4-5 less watts than competing hard drives.

In addition, the culture at A2 Hosting is green. Eco-friendly practices found at A2 Hosting include telecommuting to reduce carbon emissions from daily commutes, recycling of older hosting equipment, and eliminating the use of paper towels, Styrofoam cups and plastic cups. Employees who drink coffee or water bring their own re-useable containers.

A2 Hosting offers the following tips for making your computer eco-friendly.
1. The easiest and most efficient way to reduce a computer-related carbon footprint is to turn it off when it isn’t in use.
2. At the very least, turn off the monitor and printer when not using them.
3. Properly configure the computer’s sleep mode settings so its electrical use is reduced automatically.
4. A computer that is obsolete to you can often be used by someone else. Not only does someone less fortunate get the benefit of using a computer, this also prevents the computer from rotting in a landfill.
5. Also, check out this video dedicated to reducing computer power use.

MyClimateMinute readers can save 20% on all A2 Hosting services by using the coupon code a2green at the checkout. Readers can use this coupon to start their own green friendly website or blog. This coupon expires October 31, 2008.

For more on A2 Hosting, please visit www.a2hosting.com.

http://www.carbonfund.org/site/more/media/1056

We all know the sense of belonging and safety that comes from being a part of a community-how it nurtures our identity and fosters our aspirations. Few of us have experienced anything beyond a brief and partial separation from our community of friends, relatives, home and chosen paths-the elements that give meaning, purpose and direction to our lives.

For Iraqis in exile, who have already lost or left behind all material possessions, the loss of place and connection compounds their losses, leaving them to endure life in isolation, disconnection and hopelessness. Living shadowed lives in exile, they have little resource for safely connecting with others or for sharing or celebrating the important events in their lives with their extended family and former neighbors from whom they are now separated.

The Collateral Repair Project (http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/), which has been working to support Iraqi refugees by raising funds for small, home-based micro-projects to help them get back on their feet, is now planning to open a Family Resource & Community Center for Iraqis now exiled in Amman, Jordan.

The Family Resource & Community Center will offer the following services: relief distribution, English language classes, computer skills training, a lending library for all ages, a gallery and workspace for artists and hand-crafters, supervised play groups and structured events for children, counseling to improve coping skills and treat PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), social activities in a welcoming environment, and much, much more.

This center will be a place where Iraqi, Jordanian and Palestinian neighbors can all come together to access services and also to share one another's celebrations and sorrows. The center will provide them with the opportunity to get to know one another and enhance the bonds of a supportive broader community in a safe and nurturing environment.

Please visit our web site to find out more about this project and to donate. Truly, a small donation of just $10 will help make this happen!

www.collateralrepairproject.org/Amman_Center_info.html

You can also read our blog from Amman HERE: http://www.collateralrepairproject.blogspot.com/

posted by kimmiekim28 on 8/25/2008 5:12 pm

http://www.odemagazine.com/exchange/3090/help_build_a_family_resource_center_for_Iraqi_refugees