Which country(ies) does the +U targets? I mean there should be a initial implementation. Where would the be deployed for its first launch?

I love the gaming aspect of this concept, making sustainability fun and rewarding. Reminds me of how foursquare checkins are prompting storeowners to offer discounts when people checkin at their establishment and users are changing their venues to get the discounts.

Well done, Paul, and good to find out your real name ;-) I think an app is easily implementable and so has plenty of potential to lead to real world change. Nice one!

Rock on Paul! Fabulous concept to encourage behavioural change. Wishing you well in the realisation phase that awaits...

Wow!!! Congratulations!!!! I is so wonderful that your idea won. I can't wait until I can start using it! ;)

Regis and all his fans
You received so many people to vote for you, congratulation for that. Maybe you could think of getting your project real with all support that you found, some of your enthusiast could help you develop this idea. Your concept made it to the top 3, so there is definitely potential. I am sure you have the capacity to go further with your concept.
Take the opportunity to gather and build something.

English Translation of below, from Brazi
Congratulations! But as my sincerity and knowledge on institutional issues and the long process like this: A greenbook, revised application for the PSP, Sony's product ... lol. This could be developed for application in web platform, installed on any brand of phone, smart, tablets and the like.
I must say that in my country, only 1% of children or adults, the rich can have such a toy, others often do not have what comer.Acabamos to go through a tragedy in the mountain region of Rio de Janeiro! And the best thing we have is a greenbook like a great idea to solve the problems of the planet. Given this I imagine that these projects should not be for the planet, but the rich of the planet, and look there if they will use a PSP / review for this!
 Greenpeace campaigns decades, to give a minimal idea of citizenship, environmental protection, with effective actions and face the world and we are crawling.
Well I want to make clear that I have nothing against the +U (can be useful), I have nothing against Sony and also I'm not being overly patriotic, because I think the best design, was a Brazilian. The fact is that it would be best for the planet. Chance of best concept for the planet, would it be the control of wildlife.
But before that maybe we should learn what it means planet and understand their answers: Hurricanes, storms, earthquakes, and many others. We must act! Reading and information are important, but in this case was an unfortunate choice. With my sincere respect to the winner, ooohhh luck! Congratulations,
Sincerely

Parabéns! Porém como minha sinceridade e conhecimento em questões institucionais e longos processos como este: Um greenbook, revista, aplicativo para PSP, produto da sony...rs. Isso poderia ser desenvolvido em aplicativo para plataforma web, instalado em qualquer marca de celular, smart, tabletes e afins.
Devo dizer que no meu país, apenas 1% das crianças ou adultos, os ricos, podem ter um brinquedo destes; os outros muitas vezes não tem o que comer.Acabamos de passar por uma tragédia, na região serrana do Rio de Janeiro! E a melhor coisa que nos apresentam é um greenbook, como grande idéia para resolver os problemas do planeta. Diante disso imagino que estes projetos não deveriam ser para o planeta, mas para os ricos do planeta; e olhe lá se eles vão usar um PSP/revista para isso!
 O Greenpeace trabalha décadas,para dar dar uma idéia minima de cidadania, de proteção ao meio ambiente, com ações efetivas e presenciais em todo o mundo e estamos engatinhando.
Bem. quero deixar claro,que nada tenho contra o +U (pode ser útil), nada tenho contra a Sony e tambem não estou sendo excessivamente patriota, por achar que o melhor projeto, fosse de um brasileiro. O fato é que seria o melhor para o planeta. Possibilidade de melhor conceito para o planeta, seria mesmo o controle dos animais selvagens.
Mas antes disso talvez devessemos aprender o que significa planeta, e entender suas respostas: Furacões, tempestades, terremotos, e tantos outros. É preciso agir! A leitura e a informação são importantes;mas neste caso foi uma escolha lamentável. Com meu sincero respeito ao vencedor, ooohhh sorte!!!! Congratulations,
Sincerely
Made.

Thanks to everyone for supporting this concept, those who brought their ideas to push the concept further. And a special thanks to some people Arjan, Vincent Cheng, Luke, Johan, Sally, WL Wong (I am probably forgetting some names, sorry...) and Susanna for organizing the challenge with the Expert panel for their guidance! That was a great team effort. There were so many motivating discussions on Openplanet Ideas. It was a real pleasure to have you as collaborators and wish all the best for the future.

Congratulations Sinuc! Really excited by this concept. The volunteer sector is crying out for innovation like this. I want it made already, so I can download it.

Congrats Siniuc, this has been my favourite all along! Can't wait to see it being realized as I will definitely be using it :)

Siniuc, congratulations! This is really great. I like this concept, and look forward to see it being realized. Well deserved!

I think this is a good idea because it also attracts those people, who normally wouldn't participate in such things, simply because they think it is too much work. With this game you make more people interested in taking part in the world (nature, animals, weather etc.) It will make more people aware of what is happening in the world and helping them take a part in making it better, even if it is a little thing they do. A lot of little things can turn out to be a huge thing.

Woah, Johan and Dominique, that's great comments !
I am still building my arguments about those issues. (having a flu doesn't help)

It would be useful for passing to one level to another to add another dimension. There is the vertical way of more and better and also the horizontal way to achieve different aspect such manual work, negotiating, bringing together people and designing

I have many additional thoughts. Regarding the experts concern about gaming and the fact that users gets bored with any game after a while. There is several cross-links between: experience, difficulty, enjoyment, knowledge and content.

If the game is a pre-packaged content in the shape of a Book, Magazine, or video game: the content is not always able to later be replaced, enhanced.
If there is too high difficulty, people quit, if it is too easy and too simple people quit. If you have played through a game to the last level, you are not likely to start from the beginning, you will need to wait for the release of the sequel or another challenging substitute. So: When users feel the time they spend could be better used in another game or other activities they leave it. If they fail to advance or fail to learn something, they leave.

Facebook is interesting because it is free, everyone can be social with their friends regardless of time or place. Users add content constantly. All users can participate in most activities online on their own terms, whenever they feel like.

For an interactive "+U - game" you have always options to add new experience or to heighten the difficulty level for veteran users.
The best enjoyment each user experiences is when the game is just difficult enough to survive and move on little bit, and seeing progress. The users must be always taking something with them from each use (knowledge, pride, sense of cooperating with others, or teaching others)

If difficulty levels of content is managed/changeable by both the individuals and the "game" (to be tailored to actual users age and previous knowledge), and the content is gradually changing, growing and evolving into bigger "tasks" and real-life-actions. (many other users adding local, regional or national "volunteer options" or "challenges" or potential interaction)
The users will feel that they are evolving, learning and approaching higher level of understanding, commitment.

If users can see gradual change of their own "scorecard" and that they can see relative levels against other users score, they can challenge themselves or others to increase their own and many others involvement and dedication. The "goals" must always be a little bit higher than they are on right now (but not to seem too unobtainable). And as the users progress they must be able to find newer goals a little bit higher up. I would think that it is easy with interactive setups and programming to give responses, content, motivational "peptalk" to users. And not to mention the option to being social together with others.

(perhaps monitoring their number of minutes online per week, the speed of which they gain points and so on, input from the organisations for those users that take part in real-life events)
I feel that one good way would be to let new users fill out a test of their knowledge, age, and ability to participate in real-life activities (perhaps with parental guidance settings?) (perhaps parents to teenagers would be invited to come with to charity organisations the first months to make sure the events are safe and trustworthy?) (perhaps there should be carefully written user guidelines for all age groups on a Code of conduct and making them sign a mutual "Letter of Intent")

I think that the force of this project is that the number of PSP and other game console users is gonna increase, especially in developing countries, and it may be a powerful tool to get people involved into environnemental questions, especially youngers. But this force is also its weakness : the greenwashing risk is very high.

I might try to contribute about incentive.

Perhaps it would be useful, in this acpect of incentive, to benchmark customer card, serious game, treasure hunting, murder party, charity business and volunteering ?

With respect gaming fuel is : to win ! And its easy to get tired of loosing (or winning) because there is an intense competition between a lot of games, that last to appear very similar. Gamers don't stop playing, they move to other games and modify the allocation of time dedicated to gaming. They are also very sensitive to the activities of their friends, family, acquaintances...

This last point is basing the success of Facebook and social media : the sensitivity to social interaction, as human is a "social animal". With social media you put in scene your real life, based on two powerful engines :
- what the others think of me ?
- am I alone ? aren't they interesting people beyond the horizon ?

The incentive engine of your concept is : be a Hero !

Perhaps it should be : be a Star !

Or, in a less sarcastic mode : be loved by many interesting ecofriendly people ?

First of all, I would like to say a big thanks to everybody who has been supporting this concept on this page and on Facebook! It really touches me.

So the challenge continues... to answer some of your comments
Dominique- the comparaison with gaming is true, I agree it might be better to have ecological project than World of Warcraft. It would be interesting to dig in why some gamer are stopping (maybe gaming is not a truly life enhancing). On each new platform, only the core player stays for long period (can we expect better result with +U)

Arjan- thanks, always a pleasure to hear from you.

Gabriel- sorry I didn't get your point. There would be a lot to say about Zeitgeist movies, but I believe its not really the place. Feel free to reformulate.

Johan- I understand your point with magazine, that's why its link to its opposite that you are the hero. Do you have a suggestion to replace the word magazine?
I feel its interesting that by starting from a passive point (where people currently are) +U can move them to become active (where the change is possible). As an example, I found The Inconvenient Truth very well done to present the problem. But I came out thinking- ok, what can I do? +U can offer an answer.
Thanks for offering your idea, and time! i really appreciate.

The experts mentioned to talk about how the project could be more refined, to investigate some issues. I will be looking at the following issues, if anybody want to bring in some information.
-Why some people stop playing game after a while (people don’t get tired of Facebook). +U is sitting in the middle of game and community (what are the driving force)
-+U allows a different relation to time with volunteering: very quick and intense such as the flash mobilization in cities or very long period to fit everybody’s schedule. It relates to our change of society, would younger generation be interested as Jacob was pointing out? Can ecological volunteering activity fit this trend?

I have always liked this proposed concept. But I do not like the word magazine, as to many it suggests a passive instrument that is just read when you feel like.

This concept must be much more interactive and enjoying, so any user (does not care on what education level he/she is at) can find fun facts and to share it with their friends to spread knowledge, positive influencing behaviour change in many more people at the same time.

If this gets developed completely free, in public domain and open source it could spawn users to develop ( contribute and share ) many new fun concepts of grass roots activities and actions.

I would be happy to donate some of ideas and functions that I thought about and wrote into my proposal that was left on shared 4th position of this final.

and also i think i have plenty of ideas for future content in such a system, so I hope it will become reallity soon!!! :) i work for free!

Siniuc, congratulations on making it to the top 3! This is one of my favorite concepts, I really hope it gets realized.

Expert Panel watch this video:
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=3932487043163636261

Very interesting concept. This is an interesting mix between customer card, serious game, treasure hunting and murder party.

I think that PSP, P2P, GPS and Felica might give new dimension to Street Wars concept. Your concept takes inspiration on that to build a kind of urban ecological game challenge based.

The fuel of this concept is adrenaline and adiction.

Is this a problem ?

Well, better to be addicted to an ecological project than to World of Warcraft, isn't it ?

Though, addiction to a game generally doesn't last and you might abandon it for other activities. The question is : does enrolling on an adrenaline basis can lead to a sustainable ecological commitment ?

I don't know : ask the US Army !

The other problem, is that this concept become a powerful tool, it might be used as a greenwashing tool : how to ensure the ecological basis of the game ?

And you might need good gae masters.

Hi Jacob,
very informative comment! My mind is bubbling of ideas...
I will try to make a last update on sunday

Hi Siniuc,

Great concept! We are working on something similar, and might just have many of the pieces that you have yet to put into completing this wonderful idea! I will do my best to keep it short ;)

I am founder and director of a childrens media company that uses fantasy characters and stories to inspire kids to get involved in making a planet and addressing social and environmental issues, here's a brief video that tells a bit of what we are doing:
http://www.gigglebubble.com/?p=391

In our concepting phase we discussed ways to make our media and books more interactive and we came up with something very similar to what you are proposing. However we wanted to make it exciting for kids to engage in. We werte inspired to learn that Nelson Mandela's life-story is being told in comic-books now because that is how kids most enjoy learning, so we took the concept and furthered it!

I then partnered with www.creativevisions.org since they already have such an extensive network of change-makers and a number of awarded environment and social programs on CNN, PBS, and others. Out of these original conversations, we birthed www.culturecollective.org a network of artists, educators, youth and media-makers to accomplish our goals.

We are now in development of an app for mobile devices, I-pad that makes the books/media interactive and inspires kids to be activists for the environment. What we have found is that there are others who are envisioning this type of platform like you have proposed, but most are lacking the content and networks to plug-in to the concept in order to make it real. We have the content and networks that complete the idea!

I'm sure you've seen Ideo's future of the book video:
http://www.core77.com/blog/technology/ideos_future_of_the_book_17449.asp


Your target audience for the concept above might be best to be young people, as they are still forming their ideas about the future and what they want to do, they have lots of time on their hands, and they love the technology and grasp it much quicker than the older generations!

-Jacob

Hi Thao Vo and Esther,
I would like to point out that GreenBook is not just a website/P2P plateforme. It comes with a SET OF TECHNOLOGY THAT GET PEOPLE OFFLINE. Bringing people outside is the real challenge to achieve the change, GreenBook is bridging the gap between the online/offline world.

Moreover, GreenBook is offering a personnalized path for each user. The system will help DEVELOP SKILLS OF USER to breed a new generation of green entrepreneur. Everybody can move at his own pace, either doing more and more voluntering job and creating new project.

Thanks to Nelly for your nice comment

Great job - I still remember when GreenBook was a website, and I like how you've refined your concept.

You might find this inspiring: Ecomotion http://www.ecomotion.org.uk/?id=-486 Ecomotion is "a social enterprise that empowers the individual, promotes ethical business, and supports groups, organizations, and entrepreneurs." More about Ecomotion: http://www.ecomotion.org.uk/about


To address our expert panelist's question about the use of social media like Facebook, I highly recommend Jumo: http://www.jumo.com/
Jumo is a non-profit social network for charities, and was actually launced by a Facebook co-founder not too long ago. It "connects people to issues, organizations and individuals relevant to them to foster lasting relationships and meaningful action". I hope to see it move people to action beyoung just "liking" or "following".

I think there are many take-away points from these examples that might inspire you further. Good luck with your concept!

Here is one UK platform for employee volunteering http://www.leapcr.com/

Thanks Chris
Sorry for the grammar mistake, English is not my first language... next time I will know :)

Just want to point out that the word "news" is not plural so you must use 'news is...' not 'news are...' thank you. Grammar seems to be a thing of the past. On the subject, this does appear to be a useful tool in education.

I think it's a brilliant idea, and I would love to see it go ahead!

I love this concept! Congrats, Siniuc! ;) How about a possibility of reporting some 'environmental issues' from your place and getting hints how to organize help - network of volunteers, what to do in different cases etc.? Sometimes you feel helpless and there are no people or organizations already doing it. Maybe there could be some 'waiting room' of issues, solutions or a think tank for single users?

Regis, When you are saying that GreenBook is promoting consumerism, are you referring to the discount scheme that is available for the first level? We will always need to buy food, washing product and others. SHOPS WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO GIVE AWAY DISCOUNT ON SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT. So the shop can get a greener image and more green product will be sold. Its only a shift between harmful product to green product.
On higher level GreenBook becomes a hobby, it will get you out of your house to do volunteering job to clean a park, make bicycle lane,... here you will be less tempted to buy useless thing and CONCENTRATE ON ESSENTIAL THINGS like meeting with people, taking care of the environment.

On the technological side, GreenBook is taking further the usual P2P by adding Felica card as a way of identification for the discount, exchanging data with organizer. The GPS features is also crucial to locate your position to display local event. In large cities, you might have 30min of waiting. You could pop to a park and help quickly a project. It relates to location-based game that is easily adaptable to green game. THIS SET OF TECHNOLOGY BRINGS INTERNET BACK TO REAL LIFE.

I am not sure it is only an education tool. All the project from green NGOs can be accessible on GreenBook. It is a platform that give access to all content in one click. That's why it can CREATE A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Whoa, I love this concept :)
I really believe the step by step level can get people to do more and more! and to make a big difference in the society

Siniuc! As an educational tool this is a nice concept, but I wonder how much of real repurposing of technology you are proposing here. This seems to me much more of a software development than a hardware repurposing project, though as I mention your idea is a nice one. Conceptually, I am against increasing consumism, which in my view is precisely what took us where we are today and it leads to unnecessary garbage and to me incentivating people to consume even more does not seem to me as the way to help the planet. Perhaps your incentives should be directed to a more constructive way such as real environmental action!!! Good luck with your concept!

Thanks Johan for your comments... will make an update next monday the 20th with a refined concept. Your points are good starting point for me
Until then, comments are welcome

Congrats on becoming a finalist! :)
I have also one concept in the final 8, but would like to share these thoughts on your concept:
Users could get additional points from recruiting friends, local businessowners, influencing and assisting and sharing advice to them, involving them in IRL-actions, helping them lowering their electric bill and so on...

Will you make +U open for all types of Corporate Sponsors ?
or make very clear distinctions within this system between those companies that have already changed to become better than average, and to those that just started to work for better practices.
If a company challenges other companies within their area, there could be difference in size, proportionally of their visible logos on a "sponsor page"?

I am really glad from magdalena's comments.

On the intial period, people will be interested in the financial reward of the first level. Then to pass to the next level, they need to sustain their effort for a while, proving their interest. Then people will come back for the same reason that they are playing games, you gain a sense of achievement, you are part of a community like World Of Warcraft. The only difference is that the game is real.

As you said the soft part is stronger than the hardware. Though it could work without Sony technology, I feel that the PSP platform to support the user in his search/ participation has good potential and the Felica is great for the 1st stage reward and further proof of participation.
 
Malicious use of the platform-
The different level of membership helps to reduce malicious use. Only people who demonstrated a certain involvement in the platform are allowed to create applications. Already existing organization can gain this level automatically by applying to the responsible of +U. We can only reduce these uses since no model is perfect. Having a clear record of the organizer and a monitoring group would be necessary. (Any large community based website has this type of group to detects misuse).
 
Volunteering liability in case of accident-
There is 2 cases to take in consideration for the greenbook platform: activities performed by already developed organization and self developed initiative. For the first case, volunteering organization are usually taking insurance for those specific issues. The second case should take example of Facebook legislation: when you register for an app (birthdays, games...) its made by a third party developer, facebook clearly rejects any liability in their terms and conditions for third party application. Every time you engage a third party application, you have to accept new terms and conditions. It would be wise to add a clear message when undertaking self developed initiative that those people cannot be held responsible.
 
The big society website
There are many reasons why an idea doesn't catch. A French company developed an mp3 player with a hard disk many years before the I-pod, yet only the Ipod remains in history.
I believe that +U offers a much more simple way to interact/ find green-minded activities/ solution around them. Plus, the level of membership would involve user more- the feel of achievement through each level, and the possibility to be seen and recognised is important. Every reward, application, activities will be on the same platform, not just a page with a couple of link, you don't need to register to every single organisation the compilation of data makes it easier to browse. On greenbook everything is linked to each other through location based, interest, time.

thanks for your comments :)
Johan- thanks for pushing me. I can see indeed that more work is required on the physical device and will keep it simpel
Susanna- ok, next time I will do update

This looks good! Getting more and more thought-through!
Just a quick pointer, there's no need for you to submit a new concept if it is an update of one of your previous ones. You can simply update/edit your previous concept with the latest data :)

Good.
And thanks for the link to TED, i like to watch as many talks as i can.
But your concept should also be made quite simple as an easy online-forum-game too.
I have no desire to buy either a PSP, GPS or a smart phone, and still wish to brag about what I do, and what I choose not to do.

And this could be huge if the involved companies will involve more and more industries to come apart of it, and to include other smaller forums that are devoted to saving the earth in many different ways.
I do believe that many small places on internet will be too confusing, and you will just stick to one or two. If many causes join together in same large quest, it will be able to reach more individual users.
Compare with Facebook, they have almost killed some community-forums like myspace, yahoo, AOL and MSN chat lines (by being simple-to-understand and constantly adding features and growing larger)