"Toilet 2.0" Project

During APPLE Steve Job is launching his new Operation System X Lion, the biggest competitor Mircosoft Bill Gates is seeking to change the lives of over 2.6 billion people in Africa, this time with a toilet concept – “Toilet 2.0.”

You know, UNICEF estimates that 1.1 billion people worldwide don't have access to any kind of toilet or ways of eliminating waste. That, in turn, fouls drinking wate and can cause diarrhea, which spreads quickly. Unfortunately, there are around 1.5 millions childrens die with there infections each year.

“‘Toilet 2.0’ – that’s right, innovations in sanitation have a big, positive impact for billions without access,” Gates said

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which works to help people lead healthy, productive lives, announced on Tuesday their initiative to help bring safe, clean sanitation services to millions of people in the developing world who don’t have access to safe, reliable toilets.

“No innovation in the past 200 years has done more to save lives and improve health than the sanitation revolution triggered by invention of the toilet,” Sylvia Matthews Burwell, president of the foundation’s Global Development Program, stated at a sanitation and hygiene conference in Africa.

Brave New Toilet?

Unfortunately, the tried-and-true water closet of developed countries like Africa is too wasteful for poorer regions with limited sources of water. The Gates Foundation's Water, Sanitation & Hygiene department is working on two alternatives.

One low-tech solution supports the building of pit latrines in toilet-free areas. A second project gives grants to scientists who come with creative ways to dispose of wastes.
Some clever ideas for the "ultimate toilet" include:

• Create dry toilets that don't use water to flush, and which separate Number #2 from Number #1 to dry the solids
• Using bacteria to turn waste into compost
• Build toilets that turn urine into drinking water
• Use human urine to make nitrogenous fertilizer in powder form

Let's see how The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation use the different social media to deliver this productive concept and lead a effective fund-rising campaign.

Youtube

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/#!/billmelindagatesfoundation?sk=app_207976986934

Twitter

http://twitter.com/#!/gatesfoundation

Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gatesfoundation/5957759943/in/photostream/



Blog

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/foundationnotes/Pages/frank-rijsberman-reinvent-the-toilet.aspx

Bill Gates has turned his attention to a very unglamorous and taboo, but critical aspect of human life- the toilet and is looking to give it a much-needed technological uplift. Why not? When everything around us is becoming smarter and multi-functional, why not the toilet?

Ryan Leung

Amazing!!!!Joint Promotion ad for Nike, Adidas and Li Ning?

Nike, Adidas and Li Ning have a joint promotion advertisement? It's true! It's what I saw on Youtube. But, They are always as a competitor! How come they have a joint promotion ad? Why??Why?? Why??
Let's see the video  below to find the answer!

Oh~The ad from Green Peace!

In Hong Kong, I think everyone buy at least one stuff from Nike or Adidas, but who ever care how the product produce? To let more people know the effect of environment, Green Peace hold the road show on Causeway Bay. Three missions have been set for the event. First, collect citizen wish for a no pollution environment. Second, to send a message about the affect of water pollution to the citizen. Last but not lease, to force the industry leaders - Nike, Adidas and Li Ning making the commitment of reducing water pollution.

Make your wish to your favourite brand to force them be a responsible enterprise!Impossible is nothing!! Just to it!!

Click here to show your wish and share with your friends NOW!

Suki Wong

Be a "Green Rangers"

A filming competition was held by Fuji Xerox in early 2011.
The theme of the competition is to about environmental protection.
The target of the competition is teenagers, it wants to show how teenagers look about environmental protection.
Fuji Xerox has made a fan page on Facebook to attract people to join the competition.

In this fan page, it provides the competition details.
Also, it provided some software to let you download for movie editing.
Although the competition is finished,
you can still go to their official website the see the winning video.

The video below is the winning video

If you really interested in it, you can go to their website to have a look!

http://www.fujixerox-greenbuddies.com/index.htm

Anson Wong~~

Have you heard Ken and Barbie was broken up?

This video shared by my friend today, I was shocked and found it interesting. Let’s have a look on this video.

Ken was interviewed by Greenpeace and learned that Barbie's scandalous deforestation habit. He cannot accept it and broke up with her. Ken also staged a protest at Mattel headquarters in USA to announce to public that they were over.  

This video was created by Greenpeace. It is interesting, isn’t it? But it is not all about fun, but also deforestation. Greenpeace wants to tell Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie, stop using paper packaging for wraping Barbie from Indonesia’s most notorious rainforest destroyer Asia Pulp and Paper (APP).

The rainforests in Indonesia are home to some of the last tiger, orabg-utans and elephants. APP destroyed the critical wildlife habitat and carbon-rich rainforests to make the throw away toy packaging. We do not have rights to destroy the rainforests because of the nice packaging. 

I hope Mattel stops using APP. Otherwise Ken won’t forgive Barbie, as same as the customers and me!!!!

Cynthia Cheung

What's a creative ads come from our HK Government!

How many of you have seen this creative advertisment on TV??? If not, I strongly recommend you to spend few mintues to watch it, which is a creative and full of Hong Kong culture video. "Make the world, make a GREEN world".

You're not expected this advertisment is come from Environment Bureau!

Because of the video, it attracted me to visit their website: Green_HK

Then I found more and more materials and information of the environment protection from Government. They have carried out a lot of internet advertising campaign. To reach out to a wider community, the TV announcements, radio announcements, ringtone and video have been added into their website for review, also an on-line computer game has been developed to encourage the public to think and act green in their daily lives. Click to the game page.


Improving our environment is not a job just for either the Government or green groups. It is a business for each and everyone of us. Action makes a difference. We all should take part to help make a change.  A better environment can be more attainable if it becomes a way of life.  We must start forming new habits.  A simple act in our daily living can help conserve energy and reduce waste production or generation.


Tracy chan.

Have you join the Earth Hour?

Have you ever heart about Earth Hour? It's really a meaningful event hold by WWF which  I join Earth Hour in every year . Each year, WWF will pick one day to encourage people turn off the lights for one hour at 8:30pm. This year, there are 120 cities supporting the event for saving energy.

Facebook is a really powerful platform for company or organization for promotion. World wild, there are over 1,000,000 join the Earth Hour fans page.  Also, WWF created different  Earth Hour page for citizen supporting their city.

I think most of us have already watched the official promotional video in Hong Kong version. Let's watch the other version which really funny!

Without light for an hour at 8:30pm, what will you do? Still having dinner? Watching TV? Playing Facebook? or.............



In fact, we can do many things without light.  Let's saving energy and protect the environment in your daily life. If the earth hour event hold at everyday, the affect of light pollution can be reduce significantly in Hong Kong. Watch the video from youtube and pay attention on the sky.

Suki Wong

Tough to be GREEN x PlaystationHK?

Today when I go to the youtube site, the No. 1 most top view video is a Hong Kong teenager Mr. Ming free talk show. The video title is directly say " Why people think it is so tough to be GREEN?"

Firstly I just think it is only a teenager upload his talk show to show off his talent. His puffy behaviour make a lots of people comments on that and draw the attention successfully.

53, 923 people LIKE the post from Youtube!! More than 300 comments about the video~

At the end, I found that...... he is promoting the competition hold by SONY computer entertainment HK Ltd. I'm sure this video is more aggressive and popular than only show a poster on facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/PlayStationHK?sk=app_162384753782330



46, 831 people LIKE the post from facebook!!



Compare with two online marketing methods, both are using the internet platform to promote the same event, but youtube video is more easy to express their objective to their target audience.

If anyone are interested of this competition, please visit their website and join it, maybe you are the winner to win the PlayStation®3 console!!!!!

Tracy Chan

6 Empty Containers = 1 FREE Lipstick!!!

Back to M·A·C

By sharing the commitment to the environment, M•A•C  accepts returns of its primary packaging through the Back to M•A•C  Program. All you have to do is to save your empty containers from their primary packaging products. Once you have collected six, take them to a M•A•C makeup counter or fill in the form online and you can choose a new M•A•C  Lipstick to add to your collection for FREE. We just love rewards for recycling.

The program is very successful as many fans post onto youtube to explain to other customers how easy it is to get the Lipstick for FREE from M•A•C and the procedures required for the Back to M•A•C  Program. There are more than 30,000 views!! Great! 

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Back+to+MAC+program&aq=f

Moreover, doing it online can save time! Save time for queuing at the counters! So, why not to do it online? Using this method can encourage a large number of word-of-mouth from customers, for those who are satisfied will recommend to their friends, relatives or colleagues. This meaningful news will be spread to more and more customers. 


I have collected 4 empty containers already and looking forward to choose a Lipstick for FREE! How about you?  


Sally Wong ^ ^

Sustain your skin, sustain the planet!

Skin and planet, do you know what is the relationship of them?

One of the biggest US skincare brand - Origins, their mission is providing the healthy and natural skincare products to help customer to sustain and improve their skin problem. At the same time, they are expressing their attitude and actions on protecting the earth and its resources. As they believe the well-being of our planet is vital to the well-being of the people who populate it, they think people should respect the planet and therefore take up the social responsibility to have a long-term commitment on protecting the planet and its resources.

Their strategies on promoting their products and green views are mainly through using the company web page, facebook, twitter and also set up their video broadcasting channel in YouTube.

 

Company web page mentioned that they are the leader in the cosmetic industry who encourage customer to return the empty skincare and cosmetic tubes, bottles and jars,etc. Except this, others environmental protection policies of their company are mentioned as well.

Origins set up facebook and twitter fan page to build up the relationship with their customer. Customer can give comment in there and ask for new product information. Origins staff will reply their enquiry and remind the customer their new product launch or special event details.

Origins channel has been set up in YouTube which can let customer know their latest activity and customer can realize what the company are exactly doing on the product and the green side. Origins YouTube

Origins through using the above tactics to build up the relationship with their customer and this also helping to spread their company commitment on planet protection. Green become their company color and customer easy to think of them when seeing this colour, and also think of their effort on environmental protection, in which this may enhance the confidence of the customer for using their product.

To be honest, I am one of their big fans!

****Amanda Lam ^^

Social Media Success? Learn from Starbucks!

Using Social Media for the online marketing strategy is one of the best way to to connect with the customers and fans and engaging in deeper relationships and conversations. One company who is doing it well is Starbucks. What is it about Starbucks’s social media strategy that makes it so successful?


Let take a look of several strategies of Starbucks arcoss the interenet:


1) Starbucks on twitter - Starbucks has over 1,547,385 followers on twitter. They engage with customers on twitter, answering questions, retweets, what people are saying about the brand and creates an open communication channel to speak with the public.

2) Starbucks on Facebook - Starbucks uploads content to their Facebook page such as: Videos, blog posts, photos. They have over 23,685,000 fans on facebook. The company also invites people to events. Fans have a place to open discussions and comment as many of them do.

3) Starbucks on YouTube - Over 10,626 people subscribe to Starbucks YouTube Channel. They upload videos of commercials as well as informational videos explaning the origins of the different coffee blends and some of their charity work videos. They also upload videos showing their history thus enabling people to relate more to the brand. This video showing the beginnings of Starbucks received over 569,120 views.

4) My Starbucks Idea - Starbucks’ own version of a social network where customers are asked to share their ideas on anything related to Starbucks. The site gives users the ability to see what others are suggesting, vote on ideas and check out the results. This site is a brilliant and important aspect of Starbucks social media strategy. Users who are part of this network feel that they have some role in the decision making process of the company and it makes them feel a part of it.

Ryan Leung

Do you remember this? I want to eat shark fin soup!!!

The use of the social media marketing is really popular nowadays, many topics are related to environmental protection.  I remember there was a very funny and impressive video in YouTube which related to protect the ecosystem.  Maybe you have watched before, the lady in the video was very angry as she can't eat shark fin soup as no more shark in the world.  Let's recall it first:

This video was ranked in top 9 of the most popular video in 2009 of Hong Kong YouTube.  It was filmed by the environmental protection group to promote the "Year of The Shark 2009" to deliver their message "Save Sharks from Extinction. 

According to some research data, about 80% to 90% sharks were extinct.  Therefore many environmental protection groups suggest no more shark fin soup in the banquet.  The message this video tell us is many sharks dead already and we cannot find any shark in the world, to remind us, human should stop the selfish behavior now.

After the video launched, many people discussed this in forums.  People got impressive memory and they spread the video in their social network, also they discussed what is the purpose and the core message of the video.  It aroused the awareness of the people and some people were reflect in their real action without shark fin soup in their banquet.

I think this is really meaningful and success which people took real action after they watched this video.

Hey, enjoy the video and think seriously today!

*~Amanda Lam~*

Recycle in our daily life~

Hey guys, I would like to share an interesting advertisment to you in here. This is the story about the Coca-cola bottle. Please spend TWO minutes to see that video. It's very success that more than 70 thousand viewers to catch it on You-tube. Their messages not only promote the brand Coca-cola, they also express the other message on environment protection.

At the final 30 seconds, they show out some data about the recycle bottle which can be convert into different kinds of product after re-make, maybe you and me are unexpected!!!


Discarding plastic bottles problem is become serious in our world. Many brands and environmental protection organization have take a responsibility to propagate and educate people to "KEEP IT GOING. RECYCLE!"


Enjoy it!


Tracy Chan ^^

The advantage of using social media to promote a campaign

Nowadays, brand building become more important for company, especially for the company with bigger scale.  Social responsibility is one of the useful method usually used by marketer.  As eco-environment being a trend in Hong Kong, HSBC also hold a campaign 「綠色 e 一步」to encourage customers reducing the use of paper.


How the campaign run via the social media? Let's see!


Particpant should create a video around 1 mins in order to promote some methods for reducing the use of paper in the daily life or the affect of wasting paper and upload it to Youtube. As the prize is very attractive, many people join the campaign and some of the videos are really creative. Let's see the winner's video

The ranking mechanism make the campaign being successful, because 40% of the ranking from online vote. Particpant try their best to promote the video on different social media, such as forum and blog. That why we can see the video in difference forum and some participant's blog.

Suki Wong

Sunchips noise compostable bag have gone!

Sunchips, the one of Frito-Lay’s chips, have launched their first compostable packaging bag on April 2010. However, the bag was too noisy. They received a lot of complaints from the customers via official website and Facebook. Some of the customers have made the videos and uploaded it to Youtube to share how noisy it was. They even created a Facebook page called “Sorry, but I can’t hear you over the sunchips bag!” which have 910 members. What a disaster it is!

Fortunately, Sunchips accepted the customer complaints. They recalled the product first and used the old packaging. After 6 months, they improved the packaging and here is.

They uploaded this link to Youtube and share it on Facebook. It really got the customers attention and they tried it again!

Some of the blogger have started to do the composting test of the bag. Here is the link of the test - SunChips Compost Experiment: Month 1 

Although some people said it look too long to be composted completely, and though Sunchips was cheating them as they clamed that their bag can be composted within 14 weeks. I think it is a big step for the environment protection and they did a good work.

Cynthia Cheung