Electric and hybrid vehicles are typically eco-iconic in their own right, but a new program from Ontario's Ministry of Transportation aims to give them additional recognition via special license plates as well.

The Canadian province hopes to have one out of every 20 vehicles driven in Ontario electrically powered by 2020. As part of that effort, it is encouraging the purchase and use of electric cars via several incentives. First, vehicles purchased after July 1, 2010, can qualify for rebates of between CDN 4,000 and CDN 10,000. Even more eco-iconic, however, is that drivers of such vehicles will be given special, green license plates from the province starting next year. Said license plates will qualify them to use Ontario's High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes until 2015, even if there is just one person in the vehicle; give them access to provincial recharging facilities; and allow them to use designated parking spots at the University of Toronto and private companies such as Wal-Mart Canada. Particularly interesting from a crowdsourcing perspective is that the province's green license plate design was chosen through public voting from among four competing alternatives.

If there's anything more gratifying than simply reaping the benefits of an environmentally friendly vehicle, it's having that ethical purchase decision recognized and rewarded, for all the world to see. How long before every DMV under the sun has its own version of the green license plate...?

Website: news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2009/11/new-green-licence-plate-selected-by-ontarians.html
Contact: nicole.lippa-gasparro@ontario.ca

Spotted by: Monica Watkins

It's no secret that cities love to promote Christmas shopping as a festive way to boost the local economy. What we hadn't yet spotted, however, was a city selling its very own holiday gift wrap, which is what Manchester is doing this season.

Created by graphic designer Peter Saville—whose work has graced the city since he designed for and directed Factory Records—the wrapping paper's vivid colours match Visit Manchester's multi-hued logo. Produced in a limited edition of 5,000 rolls, the gift wrap is sold for GBP 2,99 through Visit Manchester's online shop, as well as at the city's Tourist Information Centre, Manchester City Art Gallery’s shop, exhibition centre Urbis, Visit Manchester’s Christmas market stall, and—with a nod to Saville's musical roots—at local record store Vinyl Exchange.

It's an innovative launch by Manchester's city marketers, and one that their colleagues in other cities will no doubt follow next year ;-)

Website: www.visitmanchester.com
Contact: www.visitmanchester.com/contact_us.aspx

Spotted by: The Scout

According to the World Customs Organisation, counterfeit goods account for between five and seven percent of world trade. In an effort to counter the counterfeiters, Hong Kong's government is working to facilitate efficient product authentication. In June, the region's dominant duty-free retailer Nuance-Watson pilot-launched an authentication kiosk in its Hong Kong Airport Travelcare Express store. The kiosk allows customers to scan a product's label and follow its supply chain history to verify authenticity. Since fake medicines are of particularly acute concern to regulators, the pilot is focusing on pharmaceutical products.

The kiosk is part of a wider government initiative—BarcodePlus—which is supposed to become Hong Kong's portal for product quality and safety information. Due for official launch next month, BarcodePlus will enable users to not only verify the authenticity of a product, but also to find information about its shelf-life, origin, ingredients and packaging. Consumers will be able to access the service online or via SMS.

The 'product life story labels' we've covered in the past—from spinach to sheep—were mainly about sustainability and unearthing the softer sides of authenticity. With BarcodePlus, on the other hand, traceability is being put to work to protect consumers and profit margins. One to keep an eye on if you operate in markets flooded with knockoffs!

Website: www.barcodeplus.com.hk
Contact: info@barcodeplus.com.hk

Spotted by: Judy McRae

Empowering citizens to improve their communities, SeeClickFix functions as a hub for residents to report and track non-emergency issues, with the aim of having them resolved by local government and neighbourhood groups.

The Connecticut-based venture was inspired in part by UK enterprise FixMyStreet, which we covered in 2007, when it was known as Neighbourhood Fix-It. SeeClickFix expands the model on several fronts. The free problem reporting service benefits from enhanced mobile accessibility in the form of an iPhone app, Twitter and a US toll-free number, helping people to report concerns while on the go. SeeClickFix will match reported problems with potential 'fixers'—users or groups who have signed up to receive updates—according to their location or keyword relevancy. Interested local media and bloggers are also encouraged to syndicate these feeds (which are available in a variety of formats), and to stimulate community engagement by adding Google Maps-based widgets to their own websites. And adding an extra level of interactivity, users can show their support for causes by voting, commenting and sharing.

SeeClickFix is currently focusing on select US cities, but was created with global expansion in mind. Its founders hope to maintain the sustainability of their enterprise by way of a paid premium service for local authorities, which offers extra tools for tracking issues and viewing data. SeeClickFix is also enlisting volunteers—SideClicks—to act as ambassadors for the service in their local area.

Website: www.seeclickfix.com
Contact: team@seeclickfix.com

Last week, we wrote about SFapps, a San Francisco initiative that invites developers to turn municipal data into useful tools for the city's residents. Not one to be bested, Mayor Bloomberg just launched a similar concept in New York: NYC BigApps, "a software application competition to make New York City more transparent, accessible and accountable, and an easier place to live, work and play." On offer for developers? USD 20,000 in cash prizes, plus dinner with Bloomberg. And, no doubt, some valuable media attention.

Developers can use public sets of raw data produced by city agencies, available from the newly-launched NYC Data Mine. Judges for the competition, which is taking submissions until 8 December 2009, include Fred Wilson, Esther Dyson and Jason Calcanis. No word yet on if and how the city will adopt and promote winning apps. Other cities around the world—what are you waiting for? Data isn't just for internal use; time to corral it, keep it up to date, and entice developers to create useful applications for your citizens.

Website: www.nycbigapps.com
Contact: info@nycbigapps.com