the web will save the world.
Some sites that I think are making the world a better place:
Minti.com – a parenting site that people seem to really use to reach out and find solutions and fellowship in parenting.
FreeRice.com – a mindless game you can play where the more you play the more rice they donate to the World Food Program. Does it make a difference? I dunno, but I like the idea of the energy people put into games being recycled into something useful.
SchoolPulse.com – full disclosure: we made this. That being said, the idea of teachers, parents and school administrators having another way to communicate appeals to the BBS guy in me who thinks that people can open up in different and sometimes better ways through digital media.
current.tv – I actually liked the last version more than this, it was easier to find the indie political videos. I like getting my news from the many, not the few.
I’m not going to name a political site, cause it’s been done to death and frankly I don’t really spend any time on a candidate/issue site.. weird.
Besides, that’ll give you some thing to post about, and tell me what else am I spacing?
If the web can make the world a better place, lets have some more examples….
One of the things that the web is supposed to be really good at is connecting people — not just to communicate with one another, but also to enable us to act on someone’s behalf. It’s not supposed to be an entirely passive medium—just the opposite.
I’d add Kiva.org to your list for that reason. This is a microlending project that allows folks to lend as little as $25 to someone starting or trying to grow a business in the developing world—where it’s not easy to get access to capital. Person-to-person lending that helps people working hard to improve their lives achieve their goals.
Some stats from GOOD Magazine:
“118,702 people have loaned $11,870,035 to entrepreneurs in 38 countries. The repayment rate is a staggering 99.63%. Kiva.org expects to have facilitated a total of $100 million in loans by the end of 2008.”
Seems like a really good idea to me.
donovan
May 13, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I totally agree, microlending is the first sane thing i’ve heard about in a long time. In fat, we’re thinking that any “donate to the project” button on concrere5.org is going to encourage people to donate to charities instead of us – kiva.org would be a great one for that list.. Thanks Mike!
franzmaruna
May 13, 2008 at 3:54 pm