Microlending success

via PSFK, microlending pioneer Kiva has a problem. a good problem to have, however. they are out of recipients for microloans. the demand is certainly out there for microloans, it's part of Kiva's job now to find it and attract those individuals and organizations. this is truly remarkable to me, and warmed by the success of Kiva, which really paved great ground for other lending and investment options targeting social change.

you can follow the above link to Kiva's site to make a donation of your own!

Social entrepreneurship

i'm always interested in other social entrepreneurs and what they're doing with their ideas. more specifically, how can social strategies succeed in the traditional business world. here's a great interview of David Bornstein by Guy Kawasaki.

one quote from David hit me hard...when asked why some take action and make their ideas happen, while some don't: "There is emotional pain associated with inaction, especially if we care about something."

Remarkable.co.uk

Remarkable is a, well, remarkable product design company based in the UK that reuses old products to create new, very cool products. From pencils to mousepads, I'm diggin' and wishin' I could buy these in the States. Great, er, remarkable work. My favorite part is the call-out on the products of what they used to be.


via Josh Spear.

Shellhouse collapsible shelter

Read a blurb in the latest issue of Good Magazine on Shellhouse, an innovative effort to engage DIY-ers to create portable, foldable shelters for the homeless. First of all, these are beautifully-designed structures. Second, they are quite practical, as they fold up to be carried during the day. Shellhouse also has instructions to create (and donate) radio transmitters. I'm not 100 percent clear on the transmitters, but I'm still diggin' through the site.

Regardless, this is a wonderful project and I do hope it catches on. This issue of Good is all about design - more importantly, designing for a greater good. Shellhouse is a great example of a practical and simple design that can improve lives. For you DIY-types, might be a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon...the materials are free and the product is fantastic.

Kudos.

the better job balance

Triple Pundit has an intriguing post on socially-conscious employers and the demand of the young workforce. the debate is over whether socially-conscious young folks are able to find a job that pays, offers appropriate benefits, etc. without sacrificing their ideals and social values. the post pins the debate between saint and sell out: choose a job that allows you to do good for the implied lesser wage/benefit package/perks or tow the company line and make some more moolah. true, we can't all work at patagonia (darn it), but as my generation sticks its head out of the job pool we've been in for a while now - or completes grad school - and enters its 30-something years, i believe our expectations will not only shape our careers, but shape the workplace.

therefore, i'd contend the debate isn't saint or sellout, but create demand or don't create demand. capitalism works to the socially conscious employee's benefit here. in addition to late Gen X-ers and now Y-ers redefining job fulfillment (from changing the dress code and workday flexibility to finding employers of similar social stances), we could change the social standards employers must hit to even consider recruiting strong talent.

within the same vein, a great recruitment video from Connected Ventures, via Dustin. is web video the new career fair? i hope so. they've got four million views. how's that for reach, HR?



Lip Dub - Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger from amandalynferri and Vimeo.

a better blog

by better, i don't mean better than your blog. or anyone else's for that matter. i mean, this blog is going to focus on better. bettering, betterment, best. even some good. i may post on social issues that need attention. maybe throw in tips to green up your life. i might post on record labels that are integrating environmental stewardship into the music industry. the benefits of organic cotton. responsible mountain biking. businesses that make a difference. and those social entrepreneurs who are tackling big problems with business ideas. and sustainability in business. and fair trade products. maybe some thoughts on building better schools.

i will write a lot about my own project, Interwoven Threads, and provide updates on its growth as a socially-conscious startup. the successes. the frustrations. the ideas. the questions. the new designs and collaborators that make up the soul of this company. Interwoven Threads is my way of doing better. it's my baby. my inspiration. my nights and weekends. and i enjoy discussing the company with like-minded people.

most of all, i hope this blog ignites and participates in important conversations about doing better in our homes, workplaces, communities and world. i also hope it simplifies the steps necessary to changing our own lives for the better. baby steps, you know?

check back frequently and add The Do Better Blog to your blogroll, rss aggregator, bookmarks, blog - anything!