U of T Ranked High for Environmental Conduct
Canada's largest university was placed among North America's top 25 universities for "campus sustainability," in a first-ever ranking by a Cambridge, Mass., institute funded by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors...
"We're reducing our energy consumption using massive lighting retrofit projects, installation of energy-efficient chillers and broad-based social marketing campaigns.
"Most important in the long term, the university is building sustainability into its core functions.
CDC Reports HIV/AIDS Diagnoses Declines Among Blacks Living in Florida
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a report at the end of last week describing research that indicates the numbers of newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) cases among blacks living in Florida declined during 1999-2004...
The researchers conclude that the findings suggest that the decline in HIV/AIDS diagnoses amongst blacks living in Florida during 1999-2004 might be due to a reduction in high-risk sexual behavior. Parallel reductions in gonorrhea rates seem to support this theory...
The CDC continually conducts research and programs to promote HIV prevention among blacks, such as partnering with community leaders and organizations to mobilize against HIV/AIDS, conducting the Minority AIDS Research Initiative, and implementing social marketing campaigns focused on the importance of HIV testing.
PCI Announces 2007 "My Community" Radio Award Winners
PCI, a global not-for-profit producer of TV and radio shows in over 25 countries, today announced 12 winning radio projects. The awardees - known as "My Community Radio Innovators" - will each produce and broadcast an original radio drama that targets critical health and poverty issues in their community. Each winner will receive funding and technical assistance from PCI to produce, broadcast, and evaluate their radio project...
The 12 winning projects - all of which will be locally produced - were selected from a pool of applicants that have completed PCI's Entertainment-Education and Social Marketing training program. Finalists were chosen based on a criterion that measured creativity, innovation, sustainability, and potential impact.
Seeking Peace & Love
...I created Peace and Love last year, and we're really at the launch stage. It is a social marketing initiative committed to world peace and anti-violence...
You have to make nonviolence look and feel hip because that's part of where our communities are these days. There is a level of coolness to carrying a weapon, of using violence and a method of defense. We will be using celebrities to send a more positive message to our children.
People don't realize violence is a choice... you could change the gun laws or hire more cops, but if you don't change the way people think, you're going to get the same result.
Prenatal Care Available Pronto
... Rovetti is a recipient of Presumptive Eligibility, a little-known strand in the complicated web of Medi-Cal that allows women to get prenatal care right away while they wait an average of 60 days for a new application to be approved. But county health officials believe that many uninsured women don't know it's available, instead waiting until they're approved — perhaps already in their second trimester — or not seeking prenatal care at all...the county is trying spread the word about Presumptive Eligibility through social workers, health educators, local clinics and a prenatal social marketing committee.
250,000 Condoms Deployed For HIV Awareness, Prevention
It comes in a purple and mustard-yellow package, with a message aimed squarely at anyone having sex in the nation's capital, and today the city will dispense 250,000 of these DC-branded condoms during a massive giveaway...
With condoms one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of HIV, Pane hopes that they will be placed prominently and accessibly not only in government buildings, health clinics and social service agencies but also in barbershops, nightclubs, convenience stores and other locations.
"We want to go places we haven't gone before," Pane said...
Compared with New York's catchy approach, including "We've got you covered," the District slogan, "Coming together to stop HIV in DC," seems clunky. And the slogan, borrowed from the department's HIV testing campaign last summer, has in this context a double entendre that officials said was not intended...
Ron Simmons, Us Helping Us executive director, wonders whether people will treat the wrapper as a novelty -- and not use its contents. "The city is going to have to do a really good social marketing campaign," he said yesterday, "so people will become accustomed to the colors and packaging and realize these are reliable condoms."
..."Packaging is very important in normalizing condom use, in showing that condoms are something everyone should carry, that everyone can carry," she said. "But all the cool packaging in the world is not necessarily going to make up for the conversation."
Consumers Alone Can't Save Our Fish
...With the collapse of fish stocks and increase in concern for the oceans, non-government organizations (NGOs) have launched a variety of seafood related social marketing campaigns, most dealing with what to eat, ranging from eco-labelling to the explicit boycott of certain products.
The most prominent seafood label, plastered on tuna cans since the 1990s, is the "dolphin safe" logo for tuna products. Another well-established seafood label that is widely discussed is that of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). In addition to eco-labels, many NGOs launched campaigns to influence consumer behaviour, such as "Give Swordfish a Break" or the "Farmed and Dangerous" salmon campaign. NGOs and aquariums have also released seafood wallet cards for consumers to consult at the grocery store or restaurant...
Seafood awareness programs have had few demonstrable impacts in the market. NGOs play a valuable role in public awareness and should be commended for their efforts. But if the goal is to reduce pressure on wild stocks of fish, then perhaps faith in free-market magic should be questioned and consumer-oriented conservation strategies should be reconsidered.
In addition to their grass roots efforts, NGOs can continue to influence regulations...But not only NGOs influence government action. A citizen's strongest influence is his/her role in electing a government committed to fisheries management through curtailing overcapacity, abolishing flags of convenience, strengthening regulations and ensuring traceability.
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