Social mapping for green living

If you get a kick out of online maps programs and eco-graphic info, there’s an online resource launching soon for map geeks and green tourists -- Open Green Map. It’s a Google Maps-style layout that offers interactive elements so visitors can mark green areas, resources, businesses, etc., and write reviews and information about them.

Icons (a LOT of icons) show areas in a city where a resident or visitor can find people, places, and businesses that support sustainable living, nature, and culture. By checking the map, people will know exactly where they can go to hit up a green restaurant, a recycling center, a park that practices sustainable techniques, or green transportation. It puts living and traveling cities on a whole new level of easy for people who like to be eco-friendly.

The project isn’t one of those lame sites that attempts to be interactive only to be coated in spam before the day’s end -- no, this is going to be a seriously cool resource, and it is backed by a long history.

The Green Map System has been going since 1995, creating over 350 maps for more than 50 countries that promote sustainable community development. But now, it’s hit a new level of EcoGeekiness by taking it online.

I love this because we’ll be able to access this on our phones or PDAs while tooling around a new city -- it takes info that is sometimes tough to find and puts it right at our eager little green finger tips. Plus, since it is interactive, the locals who really know their homes can give the inside scoop -- it’ll be like being with the green in-crowd wherever you are.

Features will include ratings, commentary, an impacts index, onsite markers, and of course, mobile access. I’m really excited about this because my most favorite cities to visit -- and even my own town -- will suddenly have a whole slew of new secrets revealed, and a little bit of that guilt over traveling can be reduced.

Currently in Beta testing, Open Green Map should be live around September of this year.