Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Googland

Googland

[G] One desk chair—hold the formaldehyde

Posted: 09 Apr 2012 10:27 PM PDT

Official Google Blog: One desk chair—hold the formaldehyde

Formaldehyde. Lead. Pesticides. Mercury. If building materials had nutrition labels, would you buy a product containing these toxic ingredients? There are more than 80,000 chemicals in the world, and we don't fully know how they impact our health. And a surprising number of hazardous chemicals still make their way into everyday products we use, including furniture, paints, carpets and flooring. Whether it's in the home or office, we shouldn't have to worry that the chair we're sitting in or the air we breathe contains harmful chemicals (PDF).

On my first day on the job at Google over six years ago, a co-worker asked me to sniff a carpet sample. I didn't smell anything and was told, "That's good!" We want to build a greener future and create the healthiest work environments imaginable for Googlers, which means we only use paints, sealants, adhesives, carpets, furniture and building materials with the lowest levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) possible.

A straw-hut style huddle room made with sustainably forested wood from Pescadero Willow Farm, bound by a saline-based, toxin-free solution

Unfortunately, the lack of clear and widely-available product ingredient information makes progress in this area challenging, so we're asking the market to provide toxin-free products and make its contents an open book. We put all our products through a rigorous screening process to make sure they meet our healthy materials standards, and request full transparency from our vendors by asking them to share comprehensive product ingredient information.

This movement is also gaining momentum outside of Google. Recently, 30 leading building product manufacturers signed on to pilot the Health Product Declaration (HPD) Open Standard, the industry's first common reporting standard for transparency around health impacts of building materials. Google is a founding endorser of the HPD, and we applaud these manufacturers for taking this important step. Continued leadership like this is needed for the product transparency revolution to gain real traction—not just for building materials but all types of products we consume or use.

So whether you're at the restaurant or hardware store, ask tough questions so you can make better-informed choices about products to help keep yourself and your families healthy. Your collective voice and purchasing power can make a huge difference.

As for Google, by setting high standards, asking difficult questions and encouraging transparency from our partners, we hope to show how other organizations can create their own healthy and sustainable work environments.

Posted by Anthony Ravitz, Green Team Lead, Real Estate and Workplace Services Team
URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/one-desk-chairhold-formaldehyde.html

[G] Google+ Hangout with the UN Secretary-General

Posted: 09 Apr 2012 10:27 PM PDT

Official Google Blog: Google+ Hangout with the UN Secretary-General

We're passionate about changing the world. But there's another organization that's equally passionate—and has been doing it a lot longer. For more than 60 years, the United Nations has worked to advance a global agenda on ending war and poverty, promoting human rights, protecting the environment and dealing with humanitarian crises—critical issues that will determine the quality of life for future generations to come.

So we're delighted that on Tuesday, April 10, some of the voices of the next generation will have the chance to participate in an exclusive global conversation with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon via a Google+ Hangout from the United Nations headquarters in New York. Six young people, selected in consultation with partners in civil society, academia and United Nations offices in the field, will join from the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, and have the opportunity to ask questions on the issues that matter to them.

The Google+ Hangout with the UN Secretary-General will be streamed live at 3:30pm ET on April 10 at youtube.com/unitednations. David C. Drummond, Google's SVP of Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer, will moderate.



Technology has given us the chance to advance the important work of the UN, while ensuring that global politics is made more accountable to citizens. We're thrilled that Google can help play a small part in this.

Posted by Dex Torricke-Barton, Global Communications & Public Affairs
URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/google-hangout-with-un-secretary.html

[G] Watch the recorded GoMo for Publishers videos to learn how to mobilize your site

Posted: 09 Apr 2012 10:27 AM PDT

Inside AdSense: Watch the recorded GoMo for Publishers videos to learn how to mobilize your site


As part of Google's ongoing GoMo initiative, we hosted a live webinar a few weeks ago to help publishers learn the benefits of creating mobile-friendly sites, hear tips and case studies, and tap into new resources to get started. If you missed it, no problem! You can watch the recorded video or download the slides below.





Watch this webinar to learn:



1. Why go mobile?

Your users have gone mobile in a big way, hear why you must follow suit.

2. Tips for building mobile sites   

Mobile is different.  Learn 10 practical tips for building engaging, uniquely mobile experiences.

3. Best practices in action

Hear from web publisher FindTheBest about the success they've seen from going mobile.

4. How to get started

Google is here to help. Learn about tools we've created to get you started on the path to delighting

your users and maximizing your mobile revenue.



Interested in learning more? Watch the recorded webinar and download the slides.



Posted by Tuyen Nguyen - Mobile Publisher Advocate


URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/tuAm/~3/7fo7xxAv4HI/watch-recorded-gomo-for-publishers.html
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