For last week’s Global Susty Thursday, Peter and Jeff discussed their experience of putting on Virtual Bali. You can see the video they showed us in Second Life, also on the web here, http://us.oneworld.net/section/us/virtualbali

As I am exploring Second Life one of my biggest questions continues to be, “why is this better than a discussion board on the web?” I got some interesting answers during this discussion. For instance, Peter and Jeff really felt like there was a connection between the avatars and the leaders at the

Bali talks that would just not have been there on discussion board. Perhaps it is that more people/avatars feel comfortable speaking up and asking their questions when they see at least the live video of the people with whom they are talking, and they know people are seeing them. There were avatars from all over including Iceland, Turkmenistan and

South Africa. At least for me, that is a pretty new experience to have such a variety of people gathered together and easily discussing a common interest. And it seems like it was a new, gratifying experience for the leaders as well.

Another answer to, “why is this better than the web?” came from another member of OneClimate. She suggested that Second Life is about the right brain - creative, spontaneous, unpredictable. Those qualities are what make it a better discussion tool and collaborative space than the web. The web is more linear, controlled and efficient. I was talking to some fellow MBA students about SL who mentioned it was not very efficient for getting information. That is absolutely true. So as I continue to think about what activities to do or create in Second Life, versus on the web, these will be key criteria for me. Am I looking for an efficient way to share information or am I looking for open-ended, unpredictable results?

Global Susty Thursday is certainly about the latter! Join us at http://slurl.com/secondlife/OneClimate/128/128/26 12pm slt any Thursday for sustainability discussions.

This Thursday (Feb 21) we will hear from a MBA sustainability student from

Marlboro

Grad

Center on a shareholder resolution project to one of the major automakers on their CAFÉ standards. And from there the discussion will go wherever we want it.

Here is a snapshot of us watching and talking about the video with Congressman Markey speaking to the Bali gathering in Second Life.

Global Susty Discussion and video of Congressman Markey presenting at Bali