Discussion about application of bio-fuel cell technology (where power provision is difficult)

• Distributed environmental sensor technology
• Lighting in Africa

How do we use open data to drive ...

• Awareness?
• Change?
• Interest?
• Individual's monitoring organizations (no way to support this with current technology)
• Insurance companies as a driver?

(Riffing on insurance companies) Can we use this kind of information to connect causes (x leads to y).

Privacy issues - what if entities get access to data *I* don't want them to have access to.

• Q: What if I have a company and an environmental group wants to put their sensors on my land
• A: well, they could monitor downstream.

Monitoring may be a niche market, but once again, how do we connect data to things that matter to people

• Q: Have you (to Michael Chu) done any research in correlating impacts with sensor data?
• A: Not yet - information doesn't really exist, chicken and egg problem
  
• Q: Could this be used in an LCA (life cycle analysis) application?
• A: Certainly
• A: (disagreement) No, not really, not enough sensors are available, need more macroscale analyses
• too hard to connect microlevel data to macrolevel phenomena

Does having this data invite people into the process?

• Democratization of the analysis of that data may even be more interesting.
• How to get the analysis out of the hands of the "priesthood"
• Maybe like "fantasy baseball"
• The "right" conclusion isn't necessary - just getting people to play with things would be great
• Q: But what are the rules with the data?
• A: You don't need to play by the rules in fantasy baseball.
• Q: How do we represent inferences with the right level of granularity?
• You need to get participation - too many rules with stifle participation
• The values of openness and transparency need to be re-
  

How do we get policy makers to listen to the open - democratic activity?

• Education matters and will lead to accountability
• Use the popular media
• Identify "generative" issues -
  
• Discrete
• Non-divisive
• Winnable
• It matters
• People "care"
  
• Tight iteration to build momentum
• e.g. Donors-choose; (??? another one?)
• Is this policy-change or market change
•