Archive for January, 2010
The Chevrolet Volt Rocks + Your Answers!
Sunday, January 31st, 2010
Earlier this week in Washington, DC, Jen Conner, John Taylor and I had the privilege of driving the Chevrolet Volt. We wanted to share our experience with this new technology-driven, plug-in electric car with Live Earth readers. Our primary goal was to find out if it would actually function as a day-to-day car. Here’s a little video on our findings:
In addition, we crowdsourced many questions from you, my readers. Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director for the Chevrolet Volt, joined us for our ride and took questions.
Here are the answers to some of your Qs. The back seat answer for Todd Jordan is in the main video above. Video for all of the transcribed answers below can be found here on YouTube.
Q from Jim Woods: I’ve always heard that hybrid/electric cars lacked the power for fast pick-up, especially on hills. True or false?
A: False. A vehicle like a Chevy Volt is an electric drive vehicle, not a hybrid vehicle. Electric drive provides you instantaneous torque The peak torque of the Chevy Volt is at 111 kilowatts, [or translated] it’s like a 250 horsepower V-6 engine.
Q from John Taylor: For someone who is not a car person, what does that mean?
A:: It’s the equivalent of a CTS, our entry level luxury sports car. [We then punched acceleration to prove it, and yes, it's fast enough.]
Q from Marc Meyer: How is the sound system?
A: We’re not going to show it today, but in the future you will see a Bose premium sound system, very unusual for a compact or a small car to have it. It’s the first of its kind, the most energy efficient sound system. It actually recaptures the energy from the shaking of the speakers, and it has a lower electric consumption than our base system.
Q from John Taylor: Do you feel that the Chevy Volt is a great car that happens to be green, or is it green vehicle that just happens to be a great car?
A: Our engineers who worked on this car viewed it as let’s create a technological marvel. The technological marvel had a few goals: Displace petroleum and make the car able to be your everyday car. I think it’s a technology car first that does so many things well: It can be your primary car and green and fun. I don’t think any car [available] today has been able to do it.
Electric cars have been attempted to be delivered to the market for 100 years. Thomas Edison, Ferdinand Porsche, no one has been able to solve it, and they were smarter than my team is. But collaboratively we’ve made this thing happen, and I think this can be a mass market car.
Q from Rebecca Davis: What does it feel like?
A from Geoff while driving: It feels like a real car. I’ve driven a lot of cars, I’ve had some sportier cars like Audis and obviously, I ride motorcycles. This is a nice ride, it’s pretty tight, feels good, it’s got some gumption. It definitely feel like it’s got some horsepower under it’s hood, I like it a lot. It’s very nice.
Q from Roger Williams: How close to 230 mpg do you get from start to finish of your trip?
A: It all depends. If you drive 10 to 20 miles a day, 30 miles day; if you get more than one plug in, you may get even better than that. We’re not advertising anything. The 230 was really an identification of the potential this car has, and it’s different than a conventional car. More news will come on tha., but the more plug-ins you have, the more electric miles you get.
Q from John Taylor: Talk to me about the larger approach GM has with green.
A:Well, if you look at the Chevy portfolio, we’ve used the language of gas-friendly to gas-free, so we probably have more choices for folks. The Volt is really about choice… Look at what the Volt offers you, the opportunity to use E-85 as your extended range fuel, regular gasoline, plugging it in at 120 volt in your garage, 240 volt with a special system… Chevy offers hybrids from Silverados to Tahoes, and we have more ethanol vehicles than anyone else. So I think the future is one of choice and a blended set of solutions.
Q from Andy Sternberg: Do you see any opportunities to recharge along the way?
A: One of the things we’ve announced here are start-up regions. So we’re hoping that now that someone knows [these] cars are coming, infrastructure will be put in place. And the beautiful thing is there’s some interesting fast charging technology. If people are willing to invest the monies, the Volt can literally be charged up in 10-15 minutes with one of these fast chargers. In a normal situation with 120 volt eight hours while you’re sleeping, 240 volt, three hours.
Follow up Q from Geoff: How will that impact carbon emissions with an electrical charge versus an actual gas charge?
A: The electric grid is getting greener and greener all the time. Depending on the source of the energy — and they have their own standards they have to meet — we think the battery the Volt has right smack in the center of the car, if this car is plugged in and people want to use solar and wind energy, I’ll gladly collect it in this battery and give you a green ride all the way through.
Geoff Livingston is a regular contributor to the Live Earth blog.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Tags: Chevrolet Volt, Jen Conner, John Taylor, Live Earth, Marc Meyer, test drive, Todd Jordan
Posted in Geekery | 6 Comments »
Messaging Still Fails
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
One of the greatest triumphs of the social web remains the open citizen revolt against marketing messages (bored image by Samael Trip). Note how well the Apple iPad name flew yesterday online (ahem, let’s not go there). Nonprofits experience the same disinterest from their stakeholders as companies due.
In fact, a recent report by marketer Nancy Schwartz (hat tip to Beth Kanter for forwarding me these stats), 84 percent of 915 nonprofit leaders who completed the survey last month said their messages connect with their target audiences only somewhat or not at all. Nancy’s post includes comments from survey participants explaining why their messages fail to connect:
- “Our messages need to be more succinct to communicate how effective we really are.”
- “We don’t move our base to action.”
- “We have individual elements that are ok solo, but no unified path.”
- “Our messages aren’t hard-hitting or targeted enough. So they fall flat.”
- “We need to shape messages that are simple enough for staff to remember and feel comfortable in repeating it to others.”
- “Too much jargon. I can’t even understand what we’re saying.”
Maybe, but… Let’s be frank as I’ve written about this over and over again in the past on the Buzz Bin: The Cluetrain Manifesto was right! “There’s no market for messages.”
It doesn’t matter if you have a compelling cause or a public interest, or if your company contributes to society. If you drill people with messages, they will absolutely turn their back on you.
And you know what? You deserve it. It’s like entering a party and spamming people with solicitations, stale lines, and hucksterisms. Thanks for talking about yourself and what you want from me all night. Cause or not.
The 20th century approach of communications is over, regardless of medium. Mass communicating at people no longer works. Even Super Bowl ads are starting to fail now, thus Pepsi’s $20 million (troubled) social refresh program.
Whether its social or not, cause and corporate communicators alike need to stop and retool their strategic approach towards messaging. What we learned in business or communications school has changed. The old dynamics of media, specifically the concept that there are limited channels of media that people get information from, no longer applies.
Look at messages as conversation starters (see this post I wrote on the starter message premise). You won’t control the dialogue, but the fact of the matter is you already lost control and some argue, you never had it. Instead let’s have real interesting conversations that matter to us (organization and person), and society, in general.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Tags: Apple, Cluetrain Manifesto, iPad, messages, messaging, Nancy Schwartz, nonprofit, Pepsi
Posted in Cause, Rants | 19 Comments »
Argentine Patagonia: A Stunning Photo Set
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Get ready for an incredible visual experience. Is it any wonder I fell absolutely in love with this amazing part of the world?
The set flows through three major attractions in Los Glaciares National Park, the Mount Fitz Roy hike, the Mount Torre/Glacier Grande hike, and the Perite Moreno glacier tour. All in all, the photos were taken over a one week period. You can browse the whole set here on Flickr.
Next up is my Chilean Patogonia set. But while stunning, make no bones about it, Argentine Patagonia was my favorite part of the trip.
Popularity: 11% [?]
Tags: Argentina, cerro, fitz roy, los glaciares, mount, mountains, Patagonia, perite moreno, photos, torre
Posted in Photography | 2 Comments »
The El Show Episode 19: Eleven Steps for an Obama Turn Around
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
The Obama presidency is in trouble. Between the Massachusetts election, the Supreme Court decision and other foibles, last week was a terrible time for U.S. government. On the eve of the State of the Union address, Richard and I held a clinic with eleven steps for Obama to turn it around. Here’s a short summary of our suggestions (not in order):
1) Everyone is after Obama. He needs to stop people pleasing, and take some positions.
2) Obama needs to get Democratic leadership on his side. Pressure Reid to depart, get someone like Webb to take the GOP senate lead. He has to get Pelosi in line.
3) He needs to make health care happen. Force it through.
4) End the era of bipartisanship, and go on the offensive. Create a grassroots effort to make things happen. Take shots at the GOP leadership, and own the middle path.
5) Ask for a movement to remove all incumbents that are standing in the way. Naysayers are corporate tied, show the special interests. Supreme Court.
6) Own the balance budget (freeze discretionary spending, for example), take it from the GOP and make it his issue. Start doing it, raise taxes (Robin Hood). Consider trust busting, amendments, monopoly approaches towards big businesses, acting in collusion through special interests. Add trust busting to legal agenda, revise laws.
7) End one of the wars. Summer is beginning of Iraq pull-out, by end federal fiscal year 2011 (September), and make it full pull out. It’s the Hurt Locker analogy.
Get rid of Rahm Emanuel, and get your house in order. He’s not helping, doesn’t take direction, and he’s giving poor guidance. Make him a fall guy.
9) Stop overexposure on TV. TV shows are great, but it’s time to get work done.
10) Focus on the education system. Education is everything, it’s our future, a real halo effect that everyone can stand behind.
11) Take ownership of foreign affairs, stop giving so much credit to Hillary Clinton. But learn from her.
Download or listen to the El Show Episode 19 today! Also available on iTunes!
Popularity: 10% [?]
Posted in Podcasts | 2 Comments »
Crowdsourcing My Chevrolet Volt Test Drive
Sunday, January 24th, 2010
On Tuesday, I will test drive the new Chevrolet Volt, the highly talked about electric vehicle that will be released this year. In addition to its place as on of GM’s cornerstones of the future, the Volt is supposed to be an incredible emissions saver, delivering 40 miles on a full charge. 75% of Americans drive less than 40 miles everyday. The car then uses it’s gas engine to deliver a hybrid performance.
What better way to test drive the car than to crowdsource it with your input? In partnership with the Live Earth blog, the test drive will be filmed by John Taylor using a flip camera. Let us know what you’d like us to find out for you. We’ll post the film on Thursday.
Geoff Livingston is a regular contributor to the Live Earth blog.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Tags: chevrolet, electric, hybrid, John Taylor, Live Earth, volt
Posted in Geekery, Green | 7 Comments »
Upcoming 2010 Conference Schedule
Sunday, January 24th, 2010
Tomorrow morning, I have my first speaking engagement of the year at the first ever Social Media Breakfast DC. So, in that spirit, I figured I’d publish my intended conference schedule for the first half of 2010. While this schedule may have a couple of additions, they will be few and far between.
I hope to see you at one of these events.
Speaking Engagements
- Social Media Breakfast DC (Keynote) – January 25, 2010
- NonProfit 2.0 (Organizer), Washington, DC, February 12, 2010
- Ignite 3 DC – February 18, 2010
- St. Mary’s School, San Antonio, March 25, 2010
- NewComm Forum 2010, San Fran, April 19-23
- Next Level Hawaii (Keynote Session), Honolulu, April 29 – May 2, 2010
- SOBCon (Nonprofit Day Facilitator), Chicago, April 30 – May 2, 2010
- Webcom (Keynote Session) – Montreal, May 25-27, 2010
I will also be attending Sex::Tech (February 26-7), SxSW (March 12-15), and Sustainable Brands (June 7-10).
Popularity: 17% [?]
Tags: DC, Ignite, NewComm Forum, Next Level, NonProfit 2.0, Sex::Tech, SOBCon, Social Media Breakfast, Sustainable Brands, SxSW, WebCom
Posted in Zoetica, social media | No Comments »
Warrior, Artist and Yogi – A Lesson in Balance
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
While in France, I had the opportunity to meet and have a brief conversation with zen master Thich Nhat Hanh (nicknamed Thay by his sangha). After telling him about my hopes of affecting change and awareness with the environment and to a larger extent Zoetica, Thay said to me, “You must be part warrior, part artist, and part yogi.” Then he simply smiled at me.
Of course, like any novice, my unvoiced mental response to such a statement was, “Huh?”
But I think over the past weekend I finally understood the full impact of Thay’s words. The launch of Zoetica really drove it home.
Warrior: I got this part right off the bat. This is easy for me. Anyone who knows me understands that I’m a fighter. I get up no matter how hard life throws punches, and I know how to win.
Starting a company is an absolute war, even one with Zoetica’s mission of “providing superior communication consulting, training, and strategy to help mindful organizations affect social change.” You are pushing a big boulder up a massive mountain for years, literally. Last week we had a great start, and I am proud of our accomplishments, but it was just the beginning of what will be a very long journey, and I felt it by Friday (as I do this week, too!).
Going to “war” — even for good outcomes — drains your soul. Further, so many fighters for peace are unpeaceful inside. And what does that really mean? How can we give away what we don’t have? That’s where Thay’s other two suggestions come into play.
Artist: Art represents a human’s capture of that in life that fascinates their soul. In essence, art expresses a person’s interpretation of the beauty, in the moment. When we express beauty in life, we come to appreciate the joy of living, and that my friends is invaluable.
In that sense, to be balanced as an entrepreneur or someone trying to affect change, we cannot be all warrior. For then there will be no beauty and we become the fight itself: Anger, misery, outrage, and yes, hate. At that point, one must ask one’s self what they are fighting for? Is it to relieve the world of an ill, or to revisit a seed of the negative past and indirectly, replenish the seed transmitting its angst into others?
About 18 months ago, I engaged in painting and then photography in full. Also, at least one or two posts a week tends to be a creative experience. Beauty through art channels my soul back to the spiritual core of life, and reminds me why I am here, what I hope to achieve.
Yogi: OK, I think it’s important to define this word because there are many western misconceptions of it. A yogi practices yoga, which simply means, “any of the methods or disciplines prescribed, especially a series of postures and breathing exercises practiced to achieve control of the body and mind, tranquillity, etc.”
I simply take this to mean one must engage in whatever spiritual activity it takes to become peaceful and loving in mind. Prayer, meditation, walking in nature, exercise, and even taking and editing photos. Whatever it takes to calm my mind.
The yogi part was the light bulb for me this weekend. Four years ago when I started Livingston Communications I fought and fought and fought until I dropped. Then when I recovered, I fought some more. This type of slog is the prescribed state of the American entrepreneur. Everything became about the company, and I had no balance in my life. It also made me pretty miserable after a while.
But to achieve my hopes with the environment, and on a larger scale our dreams with Zoetica, such behavior will not do. There must be balance. To help the world, to achieve the kind of result where we are truly benefitting others, I truly believe I must be a warrior for the beauty I appreciate in life everyday, and I must do so with peace in my heart and mind. For I cannot give away what I do not possess.
Warrior, Artist and Yogi really seems to be a prescription for spiritual balance. In that spirit, I spent much of last weekend practicing, and also editing photos. And hopefully as a result, my efforts this week yielded more peace with the effect of more positive change. Thanks, Thay.
Popularity: 35% [?]
Tags: thay, thich nhat hanh, zen, Zoetica
Posted in Photography, Pop Philosophy, Zoetica | 15 Comments »
300 Million Tons of Carbon
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
Every year the recycling industry in America saves 300 million tons of carbon emissions from entering the environment, says Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries and the EPA.
Consider that impressive number. We’re so focused on creating new green technologies to save the environment! Yet simply being more mindful about recyclables can make a huge difference in our carbon footprint.
Smart companies are already thinking along this path, and are engineering products for sales, and then to be recycled. This sustainable route can actually be quite profitable. A recent Harvard Business Review article noted that several companies have already made sustainability via recycling a cash positive venture, including HP.
To that end, ISRI created a four-step Design for Recycling policy to foster sustainable manufacturing:
1. Making Consumer Products Recyclable
2. Reducing Environmental Risks from Consumer Products
3. Controlling Special Environmental Problems
4. Assistance to Manufacturers of Consumer Durables
Never mind waste. Think of consumables as resources that can be reused intelligently. And if you are a business owner, profitably!
Geoff Livingston is a regular contributor to the Live Earth blog.
Popularity: 9% [?]
Posted in Green | 3 Comments »
What’s Coming Next?
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Last week the Washington, DC chapter of IABC held an event on the past and future decade in online media. Daria Steigman moderated the panel, which included John Taylor, Sprint; Shashi Bellmakonda, Network Solutions; Torod Neptune, Waggener Edstrom; and Paul Sherman, Potomac Techwire.
The first conversation was fascinating, discussing which media properties mattered most, new or old. Instead of the usual black and white debate, Sherman noted that it really was a question of the stakeholder and the media forms they prefer. Neptune also noted that influence was determined media outlet by media outlet, not by traditional or new form. This matches the larger trend of confluence we are seeing between new and old media forms in the current marketplace.
All of the panelists agreed that organizational culture still continues to be the biggest barrier to success in social. It became apparent that determining how (or if) to embrace social needs to be a much more thought out process for organizations, particularly those with conservative cultures.
Both Sprint’s Taylor and Bellamkonda noted the important impact that mobile was making. Taylor added that the industry broke a record with mobile fundraising for Haiti. Shashi added that anyone could communicate using mobile, and noted Twitter as a primary example, as well as its importance to companies.
Corporate social responsibility campaigns are also becoming an important part of online communications for companies. Taylor noted Pepsi’s $20 million online giving program that replaced its traditional Super Bowl ads.
Later in questions and answers, the NBA’s suspension of Gilbert Arenas was noted, in particular, whether or not the league had a right to stifle Agent Zero’s tweeting. Bellamkonda noted that if its illegal, employees cannot be talking about it. Panelists all agreed that the NBA had to act to protect the Bullets, er Wizards, image.
Also of note, IABC-DC President Shonali Burke celebrated her birthday at the event. She used social tools to make her 40th a fundraising endeavor for Kids with Cameras.
Popularity: 12% [?]
Tags: Daria Stegman, future, Gilbert Arenas, John Taylor, mobile, Paul Sherman, Pepsi, Shashi Bellamkonda, Shonali Burke, social media, Torod Neptune
Posted in social media | 1 Comment »
The Unconference Experience (Get Ready for @nonprofit20, Folks!)
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
With NonProfit 2.0 just around the corner and a wait list exceeding 50 people, attendees should be excited. To get folks ready for the event, here’s a short video from SocChangeCamp ‘09 in New York City last fall. This event really captured the spirit of a cause-based unconference.
Also, here’s a recap of the “unsession” that I led at SocChangeCamp on cause exhaustion.
Popularity: 12% [?]
Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »
