[okfn-discuss] Encouraging the use of environmental data

Sun Apr 17 18:22:15 UTC 2011

see below --Puneet.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <McMahon.Ethan at epamail.epa.gov>
Date: Tue, Apr 12, 2011 at 1:34 PM
Subject: Encouraging the use of environmental data
To: owner-SOC-MKTG at georgetown.edu, "soc-mktg at listproc.georgetown.edu" <soc-mktg at listproc.georgetown.edu>

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is trying to encourage software
developers to use its data to make useful applications about the
environment and human health. I'm wondering how we could apply social
marketing techniques to encourage developers to use our data in this
way.

A little background: The Open Government Initiative encourages federal
agencies to make data more accessible so it can be used in innovative
and helpful ways. EPA makes a lot of its data accessible (see EPA Data
Finder www.epa.gov/data and Data.gov and Data.gov
http://search.usa.gov/search?query=epa&affiliate=datagov&x=0&y=0), but
many developers don't even know it exists. They also don’t know that
agencies encourage this kind of activity. Luckily, the developers I’ve
spoken with are altruistic and are looking for ways to use their skills
to make a difference.

Other agencies, like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
have made their data available and done a great job of building
awareness about their data (see the Community Health Data Initiative
http://www.hhs.gov/open/datasets/initiative_launch.html and the Health
Data Community http://www.data.gov/health). The U.S. Department of
Agriculture sponsored a challenge called Apps for Healthy Kids (
www.appsforhealthykids.gov ) that encouraged developers to make apps to
keep kids healthy.

How could EPA reach software developers and the people who would use
these applications? You can respond to the listserv or to me directly.

Thanks,
Ethan

Ethan McMahon  ||  Office of Environmental Information ||  US EPA  ||
202-566-0359
Try EPA's Data Finder at www.epa.gov/data
See EPA's 2008 Report on the Environment in 40 pages at
http://oaspub.epa.gov/hd/home