June 23, 2008
Ask EPA is an online interactive forum where you can discuss a wide range of environmental and human health issues with EPA's senior officials.
Today's Session
Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock is a pioneer in government blogging. His blog, "Flow of the River," now part of EPA's "Greenversations," was one of the first blogs by a senior policy official in the federal government. On June 23, he will be joined by Molly O'Neill, EPA's Chief Information Officer, as well as Jeff Morin and Kay Morrison from EPA's Office of Web Communications as they take questions on how EPA can use "Web 2.0" to carry out its mission to protect human health and the environment. With the ever-expanding developments in web services and technologies such as wikis, blogs, and social networking services, how can we use these tools to further the exchange of ideas and enhance creativity in protecting the environment?
Date: Monday , June 23
Time: 1:00-2:00 ET
Get
email about sessionsMarcus Peacock: Marcus Peacock: Thanks for joining Molly O’Neill and me for this "Ask EPA" session. We're also here with several members of our Web Communications team. This live Web session is one of several Web 2.0 tools we are starting to use at EPA to reach out internally and externally so we can do our jobs better. I guess it's only fitting to have a session on how we can better use these tools to assist EPA in carrying out our mission.
One advance we've made this year was my original blog “Flow of the River” transformed into an Agency-wide blog called “Greenversations.” This has been a great way to hear from lots of people on a variety of topics relevant to our mission. Also, I know Molly has been using Web 2.0, or as she says "Gov 2.0", in a variety of ways. For instance, she's currently actively engaged in listening sessions as part of EPA’s National Dialogue on Access to Environmental Information. You can find that at www.epa.gov/nationaldialogue.
So, let's get to it!
From: LCR
In: Dallas, TX
Question: EPA is faced with the challenge or recruiting the next generation of talented employees. How do you see Web 2.0 serving as a recruitment tool for the Agency? While the blogs from senior policy officials are great, we would also like to hear from the experiences /perspectives of normal staff, particularly new hires who are bringing a transfusion of fresh ideas and energy into the pool of the "seasoned" ranks. Do you forsee providing room in "Greenversations" for such perspective?
Marcus Peacock: To answer your question about new hire perspective in Greenversations, we have several blog entry contributors that are new to the Agency, including Cory Wagner [http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2008/05/09/knowing-your-rights/].
One thing to understand about Web 2.0 technology is that it is not one "big" thing. It is a family of tools that can be used individually on smaller problems, but, when linked together, can change the way we do business. So far we've made a small effort regarding recruiting. Last December a fairly new EPA employee, David Bend, wrote a guest entry in my original blog that talked about how new graduates can get their foot in the door at EPA. [http://flowoftheriver.epa.gov/my_weblog/2007/12/draft-getting-y.html] Recruiting and retention was also discussed in an entry by EPA's Emerging Leaders Network, a volunteer organization driven by EPA employees new to the Agency or just starting their careers. [http://flowoftheriver.epa.gov/my_weblog/2008/03/guest-blog-up-t.html] These contributions have been a small step. But we're now looking at how we can use the network of EPA employees on Facebook or LinkedIn to further draw new people to EPA. When you start using the tools to network and inform more and more people about recruiting opportunities, that's when it gets exciting. I'm hoping, for instance, that these tools can also help us further increase the diversity of EPA's workforce.
From: Jill
In: Vienna, VA
Question: First, I'd like to comment. Thank you for having these greenversations as they provide excellent dialogue and direct feedback to decision makers. Moreover, I love the fact that EPA is considering Web 2.0 technology to improve outreach and communication. I wonder if the IPTV shows that EPA puts on could be placed on a public access server or adapted to a wiki or blog format? After all, NASA has its own TV channel! Why can't EPA do the same to leverage interest in science, particularly environmental science? Also, how can EPA improve communication with educators and students using Web 2.0 technology?
Molly O'Neill: Thanks for the comments and support for Web 2.0 technology. I do believe that expanding the usage of IPTV or other similar technology is in the future. You may not know this but, the Office of Environmental Information broadcasted most of our National Symposium over IPTV last November. And, I'm sure that Marcus will not mind if I mention that he has just finished a pilot where he broadcasted a management meeting on IPTV with plans on expanding this out more over the next year. It seems natural that we move to live meetings with the public in the near future. This might be a great way to help educators with students on environmental issues as well. Another way we can utilize educators and students would be to put out a research challenge using a wiki.
Marcus Peacock: We've received a significant number of questions and comments that aren't quite related to the topic Molly O'Neill and I are here to discuss. For example, Kim of Longmeadow, MA asks, "What is the cruise ship industry doing about black and gray water, including ballast water?" Kim brings up an excellent question, which we do want to answer. That is why we suggest if you have a question unrelated to how EPA can use Web 2.0 to carry out our mission, please click "Contact Us" on EPA's home page www.epa.gov and you'll find ways to have your concerns addressed directly.
From: EPAer
In: Washington, DC
Question: Really glad that you're trying to avoid the "build it and they will come" approach. Can you tell us about the strategy that EPA is implementing to identify how to target web 2.0 applications where they would be most useful? What have you learned from your internal and external stakeholders so far? What are the real nails that you're trying to hit with the web 2.0 hammer?
Molly O'Neill: I agree, I don't think we should roll out technology for technology's sake. We need to find the right business applications. Luckily, at EPA we do a lot of collaborative work, which means there should be many opportunities for both internal and external use. One thing we've learned so far is that people like to use blogs over discussion boards... it seems to be easier and it may be because so many people are using them outside of government services. I think there are great opportunities where we are collaborating on environmental issues with our other federal and state partners. We can be developing science-based documents collaboratively on line through wikis or engaging a very broad set of experts on a particular issue. Marcus just chimed in, "If we don't use the right hammer on the right nail, we all get screwed."
From: Kim
In: Washington, DC
Question: Can anonymous posting ever be acceptable within the context of government-hosted Web 2.0 applications?
Marcus Peacock: We already allow anonymous posting on the Agency blog, Greenversations.
Molly O'Neill: Marcus is right as to the blog; however, in the future if we use Web 2.0 to collaborate on a scientific document this may not be an option.
Anonymous: They are both right!
From: Becky
In: Portland, OR
Question: Are you measuring readership of blogs, wikis and social networking services? If so, what are your stats and is it a growing readership? How do you measure success and that the effort is making a difference in delivering key messages?
Are you using services like UTube to deliver messaging?
Are you doing any of these techniques 'behind your firewall' for EPA employees as part of your internal communications program?
Molly O'Neill: Where we have used blogs, internally behind the firewall we are measuring the hits and contributions to ensure they are being used and are an effective collaboration tool. We've done the same for wikis. For instance, when we did the Puget Sound Information Access Challenge last November, we had 17,000 page views over a 36-hour period. I think it's important to measure these as we continue to learn about these tools.
Marcus Peacock: We were getting around 1,000 page views per day when my blog Flow of the River converted to Greenversations and we are doing better than that now. With respect to YouTube, we are working on a more permanent presence.
Anonymous (in the room): The "Question of the Week" on the Greenversations blog regarding biking to work received almost 800 comments.
From: Jason
In: Arlington, VA
Question: What are the Agency's plans to offer "open" or mass collaboration to the public that will provide EPA offices the opportunity to solicit the Public/International communities for their possible solutions or even ideas to our environmental problems? For instance, after EPA lists down all environmental problems, visitors from around the world look through the list and select ones that are appropriate to their knowledge and provide a well-researched response. In the end, EPA may review, reject, or approve responses and offer cash awards, if appropriate (as part of incentive strategy for eliciting the returning visitors to make great contributions in the future).
Marcus Peacock: There's an elephant of an opportunity here but we have to eat it a bite at a time. For instance, we are considering a wiki regarding climate change, but obviously the scope needs to be limited at first so that we can get coherent answers to specific questions.
From: Cory
In: Washington, DC
Question: Has EPA considered working within the blogosphere to help identify companies or facilities that may be violating environmental regulations? Bloggers have proven to be exceptionally adept at uncovering information in the political arena. Perhaps groups of environmentally conscious bloggers could serve a "watchdog" type function for criminal polluters?
Molly O'Neill: That's an interesting thought. We don't have any immediate plans to use the blogosphere in this capacity. We do offer a similar service from EPA's home page: click on "Report environmental violations" http://www.epa.gov/tips/
Marcus Peacock: I wrote a blog related to this topic back in September. http://flowoftheriver.epa.gov/my_weblog/2007/09/chuffed-about-t.html
Molly ONeill: Thanks for getting involved today and sharing your questions and ideas. Weve gathered some more good input for how to effectively use these tools. I hosted an Ask EPA session on April 24th where I asked for your suggestions on improving access to information and combined with that input and what weve learned during our National Dialogue, my office will produce a multi-year strategy later this Fall, that will define the steps EPA could take to ensure greater access to environmental information. Web 2.0 technologies are definitely in the mix for improving access!
Marcus Peacock: Again, thanks for your participation! If we didnt get to your question or idea, please visit the Greenversations blog today where you can contribute to the Question of the Week on this same topic.