The Crowd-Powered Youtopia Grant

Every year we put out a simple question: “What does the world need right now?”

We get hundreds of responses from changemakers with great ideas and not enough funding to make them happen. Then, we let the world decide which idea should get some Free Range love. About 30,000 impassioned citizens voted last year. The idea picked gets $35,000 worth of Free Range services.

That’s the Youtopia contest and it’s made amazing things happen. Like the The Meatrix – a 2003 movie that peeled back the curtain on factory farming. It remains the most popular online activism video of all time. There’s the Global Footprint Calculator that’s been used by hundreds of thousands around the world to determine and reduce their ecological impact. And the recent emotionally stunning work done to remind everyone that Yellowstone National Park is your national park.

Want to answer Youtopia’s call next time we ask for ideas? Learn more here.

 

Environmental Stewardship

Sometimes it's the small things that matter. While we're crafting stories to try to chart a new future, we're also taking care of the details in our lab. Here are some of the things we do to walk the walk:

  • We only use green office supplies (products made from recycled materials, refillable pens and pencils, we reuse mailers).
  • Compost and recycle? Yup, religiously.
  • Our furniture comes from sustainable sources whenever possible.
  • We work with cleaning services that use non-toxic, biodegradable products. And we put cloth towels in bathrooms and kitchen.
  • Our partners are local vendors who focus on sustainable practices.
  • We provide public transportation benefits for employees.
  • Our footprint is small and getting smaller — we use very little paper and we telecommute when possible.
  • Our offices are full of natural light and we keep the electric bulbs off as often as possible.