Platial News and Neogeography

Driving Directions Emissions Plugin

Real Costs

is a Firefox plug-in that inserts emissions data into travel related e-commerce websites. The first version adds CO2 emissions information to airfare websites such as Orbitz.com, United.com, Delta.com, etc. Following versions will work with car directions, car rental, and shipping websites. Think of it like the nutritional information labeling on the back of food... except for emissions.

I'm very curious to see it in relation to driving directions.

Why Real Costs matters:
The objective of the Real Costs is to increase awareness of the environmental impact of certain day to day choices in the life of the Internet user. By presenting this environmental impact information in the place where decisions are being made, it will hopefully create an impact on the viewer, encourages a sense of individual agency, and provides a set of alternatives and immediate actions. In the process the user/viewer might even be transformed from passive consumer to engaged citizen.

Offering this data at the point of purchase (or decision making) is absolutely the right track, now, getting the airlines to include this info themselves so that the mass market audiences will be able to see and utilize this, would be a great next leap.

Biking for Cancer

Platial has a new power user, named Mike Sierra. He is using Platial for a really wonderful and worthwhile project. The first week of August this year, he will be riding 192 miles across Massachusetts to raise money for cancer research. He writes about the fundraiser in his blog, Let Me Spell it Out for You:

"The PMC is the nation's oldest fundraising bike-a-thon, and its most successful charitable athletic event. Last year it raised $26 million for Dana Farber's Jimmy Fund, with an outstanding 99 percent of all funds raised going directly to developing new treatments."

Mike is hoping to raise $6,500 this year. You can make a pledge to his effort here.

Leave him some encouraging comments and check out his route on these maps:
Pan-Mass Challenge Day 0
Pan-Mass Challenge Day 1
Pan-Mass Challenge Day2