Just earlier this month, President Obama signed an Executive Order on Federal Sustainability which challenges agencies to lead by example in energy and environmental performance. The agencies now have 90 days to set their 2020 goals for greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Since the Federal Government is the largest consumer of energy in the country, this seems like a pretty good place to start. Although this is a mandate for the agencies, the White House is also looking to engage Federal employees by initiating the GreenGov Challenge, a website where they can share their ideas, and vote on others for how the Government can become greener.

This is all part of the President’s “lead by example” initiative by not just issuing orders for the Federal agencies, but also including the people who make up the agencies, and tapping into the vast resource of their knowledge. The top ideas will go to the Steering Committee on Federal Sustainability, which includes representatives from all agencies. And this seems to be catching on. For example, the Federal Agencies in the Western United States – Leading by Example site is a voluntary, collaborative group which has formed on its own to further green Government and Federal Sustainability. The Army has even created a site, Sustainapedia which includes the GreenGov Challenge. Its main focus is on “how Web 2.0 can be used to help enable a culture of sustainability in the Army.” It can only become contagious.

The President is sending a very clear message that going green to save our planet is everyone’s responsibility, and that the Federal Government needs to lead by example. By starting with the Federal agencies first through the executive order on October 5^th, then engaging the people of the Government, the 1.8 million employees, he has set a tone for us all to follow. So what have you done today to be greener? Don’t just think about yourself. Find something green to do for your home, work, neighborhood, city/town, or for your Government. And if you are a Federal Government employee, I encourage you (as does the President) to take the GreenGov Challenge (through Oct. 31^st)!

I recently added an application to my phone called Glympse, (sorry folks, it’s not available for iPhone yet). It is a GPS location app that simply shares your location (and motion) with specific people for a specific period of time, and even allows you to enter your destination so it can estimate your time of arrival.

Glympse’s tagline is “Share your where,” and for some reason it has really stuck in my head. I find myself wondering where all this social networking is going next, and what else we can share. Journey sharing may be the next big thing. Most smartphones will now capture your GPS location with the picture, so many of the photo sharing sites can display a map of where it was taken. One site, EveryTrail , will take the GPS track from your phone (whatever app you use on your device), add the photos you took during your journey, and create a map of your trip with the photo pinned to the location along your route. Then you share this with family and friends, or the world!

In this visual world, photos and videos do really help communicate more than just words. Sharing what you are doing or thinking via Facebook or Twitter is wonderful, but sharing where you are and what you saw begins to tell a story. I’m not saying we do away with Facebook or Twitter, but as we start looking for the next way to network, interact and build community, why don’t we start sharing our journeys as well? Go ahead and give it a try. Share a trip or simply a bike ride or hike. Who knows what journey sharing might lead to next.

The Bethesda Chapter of Young AFCEA (Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association) has been hosting a great series, “Federal Web 2.0 – Virtual Podium Series” by bringing in some key players in Government Web 2.0.  In the latest webinar, Lynn Dean, Manager of Strategic and Web Communications at TSA talked about some of the major challenges of Web 2.0, and establishing a blog on a Government website.  One excellent hint was to remember that, since the change in administration; you “Have the President on your side.”   The TSA blog, Evolution of Security, also has its bloggers on Twitter, @TSABlogTeam.  It is great to see the Federal Government getting creative, removing roadblocks to Web 2.0 technologies, and developing policies around them.

One of the presentation’s main points was that you must educate yourself and others to recognize the importance of using blogs and other social media to communicate with your stakeholders.  GovLoop has a great forum on “must reads for Social Media/Government Web 2.0,” including a list of resources they have put together.

Lynn Dean’s presentation can be found on the YAFCEA Bethesda Chapter’s website.