News on the ‘inhabit another planet’ front appears slow; meanwhile, the world’s population continues to increase at a staggering rate. One way or another, the world is getting smaller and we’re going to have to get used to sharing a smaller piece of the same pie.

As is typically the case with every challenge in life, obstacles provide an opportunity in other areas. Increases in the amount of energy used provides the scientific community with an opportunity to invent new efficient ways to reduce energy usage. Non-profits, social enterprises, governments, and big businesses alike are working (sometimes together) to tackle this ever pressing problem.

These institutions are pushing through some of the most innovative changes to solving global issues that we have seen in history. Yet, it is all for naught if we still intend to approach the outreach problem in the same manner. Albert Einstein famously quipped that the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

As the thinking towards solving global issues from a scientific perspective is changing, personal behavior and outreach must change as well.

Consumers have come to rely on technology, even in the must rural of areas. Yet social mobile media are tools that enhance something that we all innately possess – something with immeasurable value – our own network.

With space becoming rather limited on this hurtling marble, we had better get comfortable with each other – and fast. Our influence and instantaneous connection within our network provides an untapped resource towards global issues. We are just beginning to scratch the surface with respect to social influence and the real effect we can collectively have on environmental and social issues.

Don’t limit our outside-the-box thinking to simply technical or financial – we need to change the way we leverage a resource that is unlimited: the power of our networks.

- Chris