Green Mapmakers continue to innovate and create new ways to share their findings using GIS mapping tools. Our organization welcomes all types of mapping, and offers a unique Google Map-based interactive platform, the Open Green Map, as well as field-tested resources that help local Mapmakers create their own GIS or printed Green Maps, as desired. Murals, performances, postcards, kiosks and other formats have been produced as well, all with the goal of inspiring more community members to get involved in local green living.
Recently, Andrew Carter, a volunteer in our global office with GIS experience reviewed 3 great new interactive Green Maps. Enjoy!
Budapest Hungary Green Map
Launched in late 2009 by the Hungarian Association of Conscious Consumers (Tudatos Vásárlók Egyesülete), the Budapest Green Map is a speedy, extremely user-friendly system boasting numbers of sites from all corners of Budapest. Based on a similar system as the Open Green Map, Google’s base maps and the Green Map Icon set is utilized providing a certain familiarity with most Green Map users. The side bar allows for quick access to topics of interest and a search bar at the top allows for quick information access without all the sifting. Users are encouraged to create profiles and contribute to the map, allowing for a social networking aspect of the site, which we know you will love. Explore http://budapest.zoldterkep.hu/ in Hungarian and English.
Washington DC Green Map
Also using Google’s mapping platform, the Green DC Map is equally easy to use. The District Department on the Environment (DDOE) and District of Columbia GIS has made a hybrid with an eye-pleasing street-view overlay. Similar to the Open Green Map and Budapest Green Map, each icon has embedded information relating to the site, including contact information and relevant websites. DDOE set the icons' definitions in the local context to draw more attention to ecosystem services throughout the city, such as parks and bicycle trails. They also offer a “What’s Green Near Here” option, yielding an array of sites nearest the user, similar to our very own “What’s Green Nearby” resource that can be found on the new mobile website (access by typing GreenMap.org into any phone's browser) and the a Green Map iPhone app!
Sarasota County USA Green Map
Using a different approach, Sarasota County in Florida USA developed their Green Map using the ESRI Base map and ArcGIS server software. This approach offers a lot of benefits despite the lack of Firefox support and streaming maps. When developers have data compiled in an ArcGIS database, this design may be less time consuming from the map designers perspective. At first glance it may not seem as advanced as the systems outlined above, but it is as powerful as the rest. This map slows down a bit when more than a few layers are activated, but that is only because there is so much information embedded in the system. Topics the Green Map at http://www.scgov.net/greenmap covers quite well are waste disposal and recycling sites, which is extremely important in this day and age.
Summing It Up
Overall, every approach has its pros and cons, from the initial designs to the final product. Mapmakers should take all this into consideration when deciding which option is best for the public. Having the Open Green Map makes it much easier to provide a user-friendly interactive Green Map to your community, moreover, it is designed to involve them and the map's users in the process. GIS users who invest their skills can have more control over the way the map looks and works. At Green Map System, we will continue to support all approaches!
