Frankly this should just be an application on Facebook and MySpace, it would get better traction. But that’s not what the consultants told Waste Management (a $20 billion company that, well, manages waste), I’m guessing, since today they’ve launched Greenopolis, a social network for greenies.
They’re committed, they say, to connecting people and businesses on green issues, and teach people about ways to be more environmentally sound. Like other social networks, members can create profiles and add friends. Users also rack up Green Points and have a Green Profile, which shows just how much they care about the environment.
Greenopolis, I suspect, is designed to show that Waste Management cares about the environment more than anything else. So in a way, it’s like an advertisement. See ZeroFootprint, a Canadian company we’ve covered that also creates local social networks around carbon offsetting in partnership with cities.
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Cool idea but I agree that from a marketing strategy point of view I agree that they should have piggybacked on another network. The majority of people are not green enough to live in a specialized network just for that.
Yeah, I completely agree. This concept would be best applied as a Facebook app. I don’t think that it’s strong enough to stand on its own either… I’ve been wrong before though.
oh geepers, those consultants must be laughing now - i wonder how much they took from them. It sounds like a Greek hardware store in Athens, well there is no telling some people.
Agree jumping onto LinkedIn from a business perspective would have been a good idea - facebook maybe, but not sure if audience. I would have maybe looked at Treehugger.com and the whole community of bloggs dealing some of the green issues - pulling together all these groups with a Green initiative - rather than starting yet another social network.
my only complaint, is that its very US centric, and missing a whole heap of European initiatives. not convinced. give it 6 months before deadpool.
this was the dailytwitter
WM is pretty innovative, they did this comedic video on recycling… so funny:
http://smartmarketmovie.com/html/recycle.html
you know they charge you $5 bucks each time if your garbage sticks out of your lid? in my neighborhood anyway.
This is totally like when Dunder-Mifflin added social networking features to their online paper store.
am wondering if techcrunch has a sweepstake to see if some of the sites they give press coverage to ever make it into the alexa rankings.
i think this is a dead cert 20/1 donkey
dt
On a side note, this site, like many other community sites is done in Drupal.
Dunder Mifflin Infinity 2.0. Social networking card is so over played.
@Adam Oops. I missed your comment.
WMI I suspect is learning…i.e. their own network–which is dum. Clearly, this doesn’t stand alone longer term—there must be a bigger story here——like taking these benefits to customers who pay $50 to WMI to haul it away.
Serious stuff. Looks very impressive. I would go for the big prizes and accumulate green points. Very informative though.
Creating yet another social network, even if it is about the environment, is a risky venture. It will be interesting to see if Waste Management can pull off any unique apps or content that will differentiate this site from a “social-commercial”.
What I think is intriguing is the aspect of bringing corporate partners to the table. I think the marketing powerr of f200 company, combined with education, and green organizations could be powerful if wielded properly. Ultimately, whether this site fails or succeeds will depend on whether they offer something that users want to use - give them a reason to visit other than run of the mill social networking stuff…. something that affects real change or MY wallet.
Are you sure you got your facts right? I’ve been a member for over 6 months and i’m pretty sure WM is just a new sponsor, not the owner.
I could be wrong, but what’s your source? Where is the info that states they own it.
Because you stated they launched today, and that’s not true, Like I said we joined over 1/2 year ago along w/ 1000’s of other member.
Thanks.
-Adam
Check out CreativeCitizen.com for a more focused approach on how to go green. Michael you forgot to mention that CreativeCitizen.com is also a main competitor.
http://www.creativecitizen.com/
Social Networking sites are the next big thing I told a coleague. At lunch I was browsing my way through CrunchBase, crunching through new tech companies - their technologies and ideas; and I came across this site called “Tradinguponline.com.” From their profile I took a quick trip to the site, and I was quite impressed by how they brought together great ideas to form the site. I remember seeing a coverage about a man on TV not too long ago swapping items for items until he swapped and got a house; and I thought this website captured the same idea for people to swap things online with eachother for free till they get what they wanted…What a brilliant idea. I need to get more info on the company though, I might make a little investment of my own now and wait for future “takeover” possibilities.
Seems like a waste… Didn’t Walmart try and make their own socnet for youth .. and they got ignored. Was TheHub, I think.
Who were the consultants?
WM should have made an app on FB instead e..g where green points are given and people try to one-up each other by going green. That could go viral.
As a former WM manager I can tell you that WM doesn’t give a shit about the environment.
They care about profit. Period. Anything else is window dressing.
Anyone else find it odd that such a site would have Google ads on it? Have to question their motives if they are displaying ads like that.
“Greenopolis, I suspect, is designed to show that Waste Management cares about the environment more than anything else. So in a way, it’s like an advertisement.”
Any corporate sponsored social network is a form of marketing.
Quote: “am wondering if techcrunch has a sweepstake to see if some of the sites they give press coverage to ever make it into the alexa rankings.
i think this is a dead cert 20/1 donkey
dt”
They have an Alexa of 170324 already.
Peter, what types of ads do you suggest they have? It’s not like adsense ads are big money makers or something?
They would have been SO better off creating a Facebook (and MySpace) app.
Do people really want to sign up for yet another social network? Agreeing with #9, the social network card is kinda being overplayed right now. Wonder how long before it dies.
The proper term is ‘greenwashing’, though I’ve no idea if that is the case with WM.
That said, it’s such a completely asinine idea that it really only could be greenwashing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwash
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