In the News: Sourcemap

Sourcemap is "a collective tool for transparency and sustainability," but really the name says it all: it maps the sources of all the stuff that ends up in consumer goods and helps calculate those goods' total carbon footprints.

Despite being an early beta, Sourcemap's potential has people talking. The BBC reports that businesses in Scotland are piloting the program:

Several businesses have already volunteered to get involved.

They include Connage Farm Dairy in Ardersier, Cairngorm Brewery, The Lovat Hotel in Fort Augustus, the Spa Soap Company in Strathpeffer, Plexus Media in Cromarty along with Forres-based Tuminds, Macbeaths Butchers and Open Brolly.

The Lovat said it already offered price reductions to guests who travel to the hotel by public transport, walking or cycling.

Sourcemap developer Leo Bonnani told the BBC that Scotland was an ideal testing ground, because local really means local. "Local sourcing in the US might mean 1,000 miles while here in the Highlands people are hesitant to get something from out with Scotland."

Meanwhile, Kirstin Butler writes at Worldchanging that "the increased accessibility of online mapping tools and wiki-style collaborations have changed the cartography of consumption." She points out that though Sourcemap users could benefit from some coding experience, "product maps will look familiar to anyone who has called up a set of road trip directions."

We hope you'll check out Sourcemap and provide feedback---the team is looking for volunteers.

Treehugger: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/10/see-where-stuff-is-from-sourcema...
BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/827431...
Worldchanging: http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/010538.html
Mashable: http://mashable.com/tag/sourcemap/
Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/05/where-do-laptops-come-fro_n_309...