For immediate release: March 4, 2009
Groundbreaking Facebook Application to Engage Communities Working Together to Stop Climate Change
More than $25,000 in Eco-friendly Prizes to be Awarded to Social Network Activists
Seattle, WA—Seattle-based news aggregator NewsCloud, today announced the launch of a new Facebook application called “Hot Dish: Serving up the Hottest Climate News.” With headlines from Grist.org, the country’s leading online source for environmental news, opinion and advice, Hot Dish engages users of the world’s most popular social networking site to share news about climate change, build community around environmental issues, and demonstrate to peers how everyday decisions can make a difference. The application is available now at http://www.newscloud.com/hotdish.
"As social networking grows and news readership declines, it is important to find new ways to engage younger audiences in current events. We believe Hot Dish is the answer,” says Jeff Reifman, NewsCloud founder. "Hot Dish is a groundbreaking social media application that puts what we love about the Facebook community to work at making the planet cooler."
The Hot Dish Action Team gives users the opportunity to earn points for actions, both on- and off-line, that bolster involvement in the application and show how they are making environmental change. Through May 3, 2009, Hot Dish is giving away more than $25,000 worth of eco-friendly prizes to eligible 16-25 year-old users who participate. Top point earners can win eco-friendly prizes ranging from organic cotton T-shirts and gift certificates to an Amazon Kindle 2 and new “green” Apple MacBook computer. Featured prizes include:
- A Grand Prize trip for two to the Arctic, courtesy of leading polar exploration provider Quark Expeditions
- Endangered species ringtones from the Center for Biological Diversity
- Gift baskets featuring fair trade coffee, teas and chocolates from ethical business partnership leader Equal Exchange
University of Minnesota researchers, led by Dr. Christine Greenhow, will use data gathered from Hot Dish participants in the 16-25 age group to investigate how to best engage youth in current events and how the Internet can be used to deliver educational materials in innovative and effective ways. A second Facebook application focusing on college students in Minnesota will be launched in April.
"Climate change is the most important challenge confronting our world today," says Russ Walker, Grist.org Executive Editor. "Grist is excited to connect its large online audience with the energy and enthusiasm young people are bringing to Facebook. It’s an ideal partnership which we hope can lead to long term social, behavioral and political change.”
The research is being made possible by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
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About NewsCloud
Launched in 2005, NewsCloud is a community-driven news aggregator and an open source solutions provider for social media. At the end of the project, NewsCloud will release the source code to these Facebook applications via open source license. Visit www.newscloud.com/research for more information.
About Grist.org
With a fresh spin on environmental news and views, Grist.org informs, inspires, and links America's next generation of green activists. Founded in April 1999, Grist has developed the most recognizable voice in environmental journalism: funny, opinionated, and intelligent. Grist offers in-depth reporting, news analysis, opinions, and practical advice -- all tailored to inform, entertain, provoke, and encourage its readers to think creatively about environmental problems and solutions.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation invests in journalism excellence worldwide and in the vitality of U.S. communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. Since 1950, the foundation has granted more than $400 million to advance quality journalism and freedom of expression. Knight Foundation focuses on projects with the potential to create transformational change. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org.
