A month or so ago, I was lamenting in my head that there are many great projects going on in regards to sustainability and aquaponics but many of them (not to single any of them out) seem either to have virtually no social media presence at all or have little idea of what a successful social media presence is likely to consist of (hint: 18,000 automated tweets to 17 followers is NOT a successful social media presence).

So, I came up with the idea to help existing and forming aquaponics projects learn to use social media more effectively and to help them collaborate with other projects. By networking and collaborating with each other, aquaponics projects can save money, make fewer mistakes when starting, fundraise for their projects more quickly and effectively and feel that they are part of a larger movement.

Currently, I'm working to help support and promote various aquaponics and sustainability projects locally while at the same time connecting globally using social media to seek out and support others who share a similar vision. Not everyone involved with this project will have the same level of commitment to it, that's fine. Sharing a link to a good video on your Facebook or Twitter account once a week is still a way to support this project.

As a starting point, I'm connecting up with individuals and organizations globally who are willing to put more time and effort into creating, supporting and sustaining local aquaponics projects in their area, but there will definitely be a place for micro volunteering within the picture as well, probably both through websites like http://sparked.com and http://timebanks.org as well as through mutual support on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.

Fundraising options for individual aquaponics projects will likely vary depending on the size and commitment of the individual or organization but could include possibilities like kickstarter - which has successfully funded a couple of aquaponics projects already including one in Pawtucket, RI and another one in Youngstown, OH with another campaign currently running. Another funding option would be through microloans from Kiva.org, which now has a green projects sort, a Kiva Cities initiative for the United States and Kiva Zip. Finding possible sources of grant funding for aquaponics projects also be a part of the mission here. Potentially, teaching social media techniques to businesses could provide a source of income for the non profit in order to help fund more projects. As further collaborations develop, I feel that more funding sources and possibilities will emerge.

More on my vision can also be found in a Facebook post I made awhile back.