Green Ideas - A Social Generator of Green Solutions, Deconstructed

Green Ideas: A Social Generator of Green Solutions, Deconstructed

Nikos Palavitsinis, Angeliki Papageorgiou, Laura Gavrilut, Vassilis Protonotarios

Agro-Know Technologies, Greece

What is Green Ideas?

• Engaging and interactive events, exploring how green innovation can be empowered by education and technology

• Events that capitalize on the collective brainpower and creativity of the participants to come up with ground-breaking ideas

Who attends Green Ideas?

• Green Ideas events attract people from different backgrounds and combine them into groups that work collectively towards common environmental “goals”– scientists of the agricultural domain, – researchers of natural history, – teachers, – computer scientists – concerned parents and citizens in general

Methodology

Components / Steps

Methodology (1/2)

1. Harvest Requirements: Participants extract the experience of invited experts through interviews related to the goal(s) of the event

2. Plant Seeds: Participants share their ideas with one another on a common space and add new ideas, elaborate on existing ones

Methodology (2/2)

3. Cultivate Ideas: Participants describe their ideas, and model it using material in hand, in a 3D model followed by a coherent story

4. Blossom & Thrive: Participants come up with a tentative schedule that will guide their model in real-life situations and also discuss on possible business models that will support it

Tools

Tools (1/4)

• Interviews– External experts/guests are interviewed– Relaxed manner, no formalities, questions

related to real needs take place

Tools (2/4)

• Inspiring talks: one or more inspiring talks from invited speakers that get a maximum of ten minutes to present their work/interests related to the respective phase of the event

Tools (3/4)

• Brainstorming Techniques– Record all ideas: Constant access to writing material– Quantity: The greater the number of ideas generated,

the better– Withhold criticism: Suspend judgment, to feel free to

generate unusual ideas– Welcome unusual ideas: They can be generated by

looking from new perspectives and suspending assumptions

– Combine and improve ideas: When it comes to ideas, 1+1 equals 3!

Tools (4/4)

• Team Building Activities– Facilitate mixing of people with different

backgrounds– Engage participants in funny activities so that they

open up to the team

Roles

Roles (1/3)

• Format Expert: This person is in charge of planning the whole event in terms of the creative part

• Event Manager: This person is in charge of the whole event in terms of logistics

Roles (2/3)

• Facilitator is an expert in facilitating the work carried out within the groups with specific skills related to brainstorming techniques and team-building exercises

• Speaker: A speaker in Green Ideas has to have an interesting story to say and to be really extrovert and eloquent in expressing his/her opinion

Roles (3/3)

• Interviewee: Similarly to any speaker, the interviewee has to have good communication skills and a good knowledge of English

• Local Organizer: As in every event, Green Ideas is also in need of a local organizer with a good knowledge of the local community and region

Outcomes & Conclusions

2011 OutcomesGoal: “How might we create collaboration opportunities for

communities to share green knowledge?”

SlideaDescription: Slide + Idea = Slidea. To create a coffe shop where people discuss agricultural problems and they try to find solutions for the most urgent and important issues.

Green Dream Team projectDescription: To create a green network of organic food starting from the farmers and ending with the final consumer.

2012 OutcomesGoal: “How might we use e-learning resources in an innovative way to educate

children in making more environmentally friendly choices?”

Cookid! Description: Cookid connects children with local communities, helps them to make decisions on healthy food choices and exposes them to food production experiences.

GEMS - it! Grow it, Eat it, Make it, Share it! Description: The 5C's. •Canteen - a meeting point centered around the love of food, •Community - a common meeting point for all ages, professions and interests, •Collaborate - a cooperative approach to learning through actions, •Communication - a methodology for solving today's food challenges, •Connection - a way of connecting elderly and children to a sustainable food culture

Conclusions

• Green Ideas serves as a means to identifying innovative ideas that address environmental issues both locally and on a global scale.

• Results from the events organized so far, are far from encouraging – One of them have evolved into a full-fledged

initiative, namely the Green Learning Network

Considerations

• Careful selection of the participants, the speakers and the interviewees ensures the success of the event

• Identification of the real needs of the environment and the communities involved helps in identifying the goals of each event so that they are relevant, inspiring and at the same time tangible for the participants to tackle.

For more info:

Web: http://greenideasproject.orgFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/GIProject

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GIProject Flickr: http://goo.gl/3iD23

Thank you for your attention!