The Zombieconomy is dead: Long live Capitalism 2.0
Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
The signs of change are everywhere: not just in the economy, but also in the enormous wave of new ventures that are using cutting-edge technology, sustainable objectives and social consciousness to create a new paradigm of private enterprise for the common good. Umair Haque, the Harvard economist, eloquently describes the collapse of the “Zombieconomy” and what he calls Capitalism 1.0 evolving into Capitalism 2.0, or constructive capitalism. He also talks about old business models that produced good incomes and bad outcomes giving way to an “institutional revolution,” coming up from the grass-roots of society and changing the world as we know it.
In fact, once you start looking, the amount of organisations and companies trying to do the right thing for people, nature and the planet is simply overwhelming and far more than I could ever fit into one blog post. So I’ve divided them into three categories: digital, physical and consumable.
Today I’m listing my top 10 in the digital category: ways in which with simply a click you can change the world for the better. (with thanks to Mashable)
Digital Actions for good:
1. Change your iGoogle theme to help the hungry
2. Every time you use Windows Live™ Messenger or Windows Live Hotmail®, our free webmail service, they’ll share a portion of their advertising revenue with the cause you choose from among their partner social cause organizations
3. Teach your Granny to Text: The big book of small actions to change the world is out now.
Written by children, for children it’s a technicolour ‘how to’ for doing things. And changing things. How can you change the world? We Are What We Do is a new kind of movement inspiring people to change the world one small action at a time. Their philosophy is simple: small actions x lots of people = big change. They have the 130 small things that you can do to change really big things. Pick an action, track it here, and see how it all adds up.
4. Seventy-one ways to give without opening your wallet: mostly tweeted ideas, very brief and some very good
5. Good is - the magazine. Subscribe and 100% of the fee supports a social action project
6. Changing the Present - Like Bothar but even more gift ideas: roof tiles, tutoring for deaf children, books, tetanus injections, and more.
7. The Case Foundation - another giving website, but this has suggestions of things you can do as well as donations or gifts that benefit those in need.
8. World Concern - More giving again, but they also do HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa, water wells, orphans, education and help prevent child trafficking.
9. Good.ly For all you eco-bloggers, a url shortener that donates to charity for every address you shorten. Most Irish charities aren’t signed up yet, but using it creates the potential demand so try it out.
10. Blackle is a black version of Google that consumes less wattage. Apparently, it takes 74 watts to power a white screen, but only 59 watts for a dark screen. The site aims to “save energy, one search at a time.” You can also follow it on Twitter for more simple energy-saving ideas.
Next time, I’ll list my favourite sites for consumable actions for good - or, to put it another way - Shopping!!! And please let me know of your favourites too so we can spread the word!
