Today I’m a completely different person – and a completely different consumer. In fact, it’s hard to find another part of my life that has changed so dramatically. So what happened? How did I become such a “greenie” (or as she puts it, such a proud member of the “sinister left-wing environmentalist conspiracy”)?

I trace my conversion back to a Kleen Kanteen someone gave me a few years ago. It was a good-looking aluminum water bottle that fit well in my backpack (I was in grad school at the time) and, best of all, it was free! I started carrying it around everywhere I went – even to the school dining hall, where I filled it with soda. Within a month, I no longer bought a bottle of water everyday. In fact, I rarely bought a plastic bottle of anything anymore. My Kleen Kanteen was a solid substitute.

When I realized how completely my behavior had changed in just one month, I was floored. And when someone pointed out that I had saved several dozen petroleum-intensive plastic bottles from a landfill, I realized that my actions had actually made a tangible impact, however small. It was a contagious feeling and I started to consider all the other areas of my life where I could make an impact.

As I was in business school at the time, it also got me wondering: how can we use the power of business and marketing to help people adopt sustainable behaviors?

The answer, I’ve found, is that people change their behavior in their own time and for their own reasons. But successful marketers can jump start the process by identifying and pushing our unique leverage points. A subset of psychology called social cognitive theory provides some principles that work across the board; here are a few that I find particularly relevant to my own “conversion:”

1. Incremental change: people seldom succeed in changing a complex behavior quickly (think: quitting smoking). It’s easier to make incremental changes to small behaviors (like substituting a Kleen Kanteen for water bottles). This often alters the way a person perceives himself (i.e. a person who doesn’t buy plastic water bottles) and makes him more likely to make larger changes.
2. Consistency: we have an inherent desire to appear consistent to others. So when we take public actions – and especially when we are rewarded for taking them – we are more likely to continue doing them.
3. Peer pressure: social norms and peer pressure play a huge role in changing behavior. In my case, I was living in Berkeley, California when I got my Kleen Kanteen. There was plenty of pressure – from both classmates and the community at large – to reduce waste and integrate sustainability into my lifestyle. But you don’t have to live in the epicenter of liberalism to be influenced by social norms – you just need to put the pressure on.  In one classic example, researchers found that the most effective way to get hotel guests to reuse towels is to leave a sign telling them that 75% of their fellow guests do it.
4. Motivation and ability: if we want someone to engage in a certain behavior, we need to make that behavior (a) easy to perform, and (b) worth the effort. So giving someone a Kleen Kanteen (i.e. making it easier to stop buying water) and letting him discover the benefits (less money spent on beverages, positive feedback from classmates) is more effective than simply spouting statistics about waste and recycling rates.

For more tactics and theory, check out the well-written blog “On Social Marketing and Social Change,” as well as the book “Influencer: The Power to Change Anything” and the slightly dated, but good, “Fostering Sustainable Behavior.”

I think people generally hesitate to refer to other humans as “brands.” This might be because we’re used to the Paris Hilton’s of the world trying to lend their personalities, names, faces, heads, shoulders, knees or toes to any product or TV show that is put in front of them – a practice that leads to overexposure and a severely diluted message. (Wait? What do you mean you’ve endorsed the Yellow Pages, Kaballah, Hardee’s cheeseburgers and Sarah Palin? What values do all of these disparate things share that reflect who you are as a person?)

In the realm of politics, however – and especially in an age of campaigning where constituents are being bombarded from all angles – candidates need to consistently share a focused message that will be remembered during that all-important minute voters spend in the booth. When Barack Obama hit the national scene in the 2008 election, it was an instance where I really started to see person and brand living harmoniously as one.

As outlined in our “Branding for Social Good” white paper (which can be downloaded at right), we at BBMG believe that a brand is what a person, organization or corporation stands for in the eyes of its stakeholders. And there is no time that this seems more appropriate than during elections. In the case of Barack Obama, he owned the word “Hope.” There was a concerted effort to make sure that all of the things he said, the experiences supporters had at rallies or through his website and the images of him that were out there in the world (Shephard Fairy anyone?) reinforced this one idea. And when the time came to vote, Barack Obama’s clear brand message resonated with and was remembered by millions of people across our country.

On a much smaller scale, I also am compelled by this topic because of personal experience. In 2001, my father was running for State Treasurer of Massachusetts for the first time, and found himself up against a candidate named Michael P. Cahill – a less than ideal opponent when your name is Timothy P. Cahill. But it was a perfect communications challenge – so much of building a good brand is differentiating yourself in a crowded field.

Enter my ten-year-old sister, Kendra. To her it seemed so obvious. “T is for Tim. And T is for Treasurer,” she said one night as we sat around the dinner table. (If only all brainstorms were so easy….) And with that simple act of alliteration, a successful tagline was born, out of which a brand was built. This slogan not only helped my dad stand out from his similarly named opponent, it alluded to a key differentiator that set him apart from all of the competition. As the only candidate with prior experience as a treasurer, he was given the unique opportunity to position himself as an experienced leader and to communicate this across all facets of his messaging. As I think any citizen of Massachusetts who owned a TV in 2001 would agree, the “proven treasurer for treasurer” note was sounded time and time again.

In both cases – and as we saw more recently with Senator Scott Brown – the candidates managed to define themselves early on. Whether change maker, experienced money manager or man of the people, they communicated focused, consistent messages over time – and were rewarded in the end with voter mindshare and action. By building strong brands, they were able to catapult themselves from lesser-known candidate to political success stories (and branding case studies).

What do you think is the most important part of a successful campaign strategy? Or a successful brand for that matter? Share your thoughts in the comments!

For all the press and buzz, it seems voluntourism has yet to go mainstream – even among more conscious consumers. But in the Haiti aftermath, will there be greater interest in service travel? BBMG explores the recent Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) controversy as an opportunity for cruise operators to get on board.

The RCCL website boasts of Labadee’s “pristine beaches, breathtaking scenery and spectacular water activities,” where vacationers relax less than 100 miles from the epicenter of death and destruction in Port-au-Prince. RCCL continues to bring thousands of tourists each week, unloading much-needed food and relief supplies with each visit. Despite the precious cargo, the stark contrast between paradise and purgatory has fueled a very public debate.

Cruise industry critics are wagging their fingers. Some passengers are calling it distasteful while others are just plain uncomfortable with the situation. RCCL executives maintain the tourist dollars rationale, and 67% of CruiseCritics.com’s readers support their behavior. The Center for Responsible Travel is critical, calling for a “more robust” response.

While most folks are wondering: Is the world’s second largest cruise line doing enough? Where does their responsibility begin and end?

For BBMG, this isn’t so much a question of responsibility. Because at the end of the day, this so-called controversy is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for RCCL to be there when it matters most — to redefine their brand and what it means to be a ‘sustainable’ cruise line. Our agency believes sustainable brands deliver on what we call the Triple Value Proposition™, seamlessly integrating practical benefits (price, performance, convenience), social benefits (positive impacts on the environment and society) and tribal benefits (belonging to a larger community that shares your values) into an authentic brand story and empowering consumer experience. And while today RCCL might be swimming closer to compliance, this doesn’t preclude the giant from turning that ship around.

RCCL has several opportunities to make a lasting social impact, offer meaningful experiences and begin to lay the foundation for a tribe around core values:

• Beyond Cargo: Take a Deep Dive: Delivering life-saving supplies is not to be snubbed, but RCCL has the opportunity to go deep. Partnering with a nonprofit that brings area expertise and an existing on-the-ground network (like a Partners in Health) would allow the brand to make a lasting impact and to show the world they mean business.

• The Road Less Traveled: Offer On-The-Ground Experiences: While Peace Corps-style volunteering might not appeal to RCCL’s consumer base, shore excursions that feature a service element would give travelers the opportunity for more authentic and meaningful experiences, while still enjoying their vacations. Make service trips easy and accessible, and prepare to be surprised.

• From Magical to Meaningful: Think Tribal: The RCCL brand appeals to our desire for luxury, fantasy and exotic experiences— but in truth, we humans are much more complex. We have deeper desires, surprising needs and higher aspirations than traditional brands have been willing or able to give us credit. RCCL has an opportunity to serve as an empowering platform that allows us to meet the full spectrum of our needs, make a difference in the world around us and realize our truest selves and best society. Service excursions are a smart first step toward that goal – and would allow for more robust experiences and help cultivate a more brand-loyal, interconnected tribe of consumers.

Mainstream cruising has yet to fully embrace sustainability and voluntourism. This is a prime opportunity for RCCL to step up and lead the industry at a critical time – especially given their long-standing relationship with Haiti. If executed with authenticity – RCCL stands to gain the goodwill of locals, tourists, employees and investors alike.

Not to mention the untold benefits of helping people in crisis.

If the devastation in Haiti doesn’t wake them up, I’m afraid to ask, what in the world will?

At BBMG, we thank the client gods every day for giving us the opportunity to work with so many amazing companies and organizations. It’s impossible to pick favorites, but every once in a while, a cause comes along that just pulls at our heart strings and jump starts us into action.

This year, we found just that when we were given a chance to work with the Save the White Elephant campaign. Did you know that every holiday season, 54.7 quadrillion white elephants wind up in the landfill? That’s right – sequined top hats, bejeweled tricycles, football phones, afro wigs, tie dye jumpsuits, feather boas – you name it, and there’s someone out there who doesn’t want it. With just a little help, all of these wonderful, useful gifts could find a loving home, but instead are discarded into the abyss by short-sighted owners.

We at BBMG say enough! Here’s to letting old gifts live anew! To find out more about the story of the white elephant and how you can make a difference, visit www.savethewhiteelephant.org.

In a world that’s adapting to radical social and economic change, today’s nonprofits are forced to reimagine how they do more with less: What could things look like if our costs went down, our reach went up, and we could multiply our impact? Innovation is no longer the exception, it’s the new imperative.

As some of the nation’s most iconic nonprofit brands struggle to regain market share from their more nimble counterparts, the opportunity has never been more ripe for nonprofits to reinvent themselves. And it starts by listening to and engaging the new consumer. They are, after all, your next donor.

Our latest white paper: “From Legacy to Leadership: Is Philanthropy Ready for the New Consumer?” explores how branding, innovation and consumer engagement can drive social impact and help move legacy nonprofits into leadership brands.

We sit down with Mirm Kriegel, head of BBMG’s Philanthropy and Social Enterprise practice, to explore further.

Q: The premise of this white paper on philanthropy is based on insights into the conscious consumer – people making purchasing decisions based on their values. How do you make the connection between purchasers and donors/volunteers?

A: Ultimately, we’re talking about people here, not sectors. So the premise is that people’s values as consumers don’t change when they engage in philanthropy. They’re the same people demanding transparency, accountability and authenticity across all areas, whether they’re doing it as consumers or donors. At the end of the day, what we’re really talking about is engagement – how brands across all sectors create value and build lasting relationships with their audiences.

Q: One of the key trends in philanthropy that you describe is this shift in communications – from top-down to bottom-up. What’s involved in this sort of change, and what are the implications for today’s communications and marketing officers?

A: Thanks to social media, there’s been a clear transfer of power in terms of who owns the brand message. And that means some pretty profound consequences for CMOs and communications directors – not just in terms of becoming conversant in the language of social media, which many legacy institutions are already doing. More than that, it requires a fairly radical shift in culture. For an organization’s supporters to really champion the brand, there has to be a culture change from the inside, a willingness to let go of controlling the message and encourage your most passionate supporters (your Passionate 10%) to become your ambassadors. Because the most powerful brands thrive when they’re co-owned by consumers.

Politics aside, Obama’s campaign is the perfect example. He clearly owned ‘hope’ and ‘change,’ but his supporters each appropriated the brand in their own way. You’ll notice there’s no official Barack Obama site. It’s my.barackobama.com. The groundswell of support comes from individuals, from the bottom up – not from the top-down.

I’d say that’s one of the toughest and most important lessons: Let go. Because the truth is, if you’re relevant at all, you’re not in control of your message anyway.

Q: On a related note, you talk quite a bit about democratizing fundraising in this new paradigm, the voices of the many superseding the power of the few. For legacy brands in particular, what does this mean for major gifts fundraising, which in many ways exemplifies the power of the few?

A: While we’re not fundraising consultants, there’s no indication that major gifts fundraising is going away any time soon. The difference from a brand perspective is that for an organization to be seen as truly relevant to today’s consumers, it can’t afford to limit itself only to what’s worked in the past. In short, it can’t only (or even mostly) be about major gifts anymore. The organization, and ultimately the brand, has to be more inclusive than that. Especially with the demands of the new consumer – they want to be involved and engaged. They want reasons to believe and belong. They want to join and even shape the conversation. So nonprofits today have to be innovative in meeting that need, creating new pathways for participation. Which goes back to this idea of culture change – moving away from exclusivity and toward a broader community of shared values. This is the only way organizations will be able to build entire movements around their brand.

Q: You talk about larger nonprofit brands losing market share to smaller organizations like the charity:waters of the world. At the end of the day, does size matter? And is it actually a detriment in this new economy?

A: I think it’s less about size and more about an ability to be nimble and proactive, to anticipate the needs of today’s consumer. Sure, smaller organizations have some advantages there, but there are plenty of large nonprofits doing some very innovative things, from leveraging social media tools to cultivate loyal tribes (March of Dimes, Smithsonian, Planned Parenthood) to integrating new revenue streams into their business model. And some of them have been doing it for a very long time (Heifer International). Even big organizations can act small. It’s less about size and more about delivering value and impact.

Q: Some would argue that one of the silver linings of the economic fallout is that it forces many nonprofits that are duplicating services to streamline operations by either collapsing or merging. At the end of this economic chapter, how do those organizations left standing distinguish themselves?

A: This is where defining your triple value proposition™ becomes so important. It helps organizations maintain or enhance their relevance. Consumers are looking for three types of value: practical value (personal relevance), social value (positive impact on the world) and tribal value (community of shared values). If an organization can’t legitimately define its personal relevance, demonstrate its social impact and identify reasons for belonging, it will lose out in the competition for mindshare and resources. Bottom line, brands that demonstrate their practical, social and tribal value will survive.  Those that don’t, won’t.

Q: If you had to identify one thing that this past year has taught us, what would it be?

A: Transparency would certainly be up there, but in addition, I’d say it has taught us the importance of being nimble and breaking free from old ways of doing things. We’ve seen this year that even the most tried-and-true methods – of soliciting, of investing, of doing business in general – aren’t in fact always true. And so the most successful organizations, from both an operational and brand perspective, will be those that can stay relevant by creating innovative solutions that might defy institutional memory and break the rules a bit.

Q: Congrats on your baby boy! We hear he just passed a big milestone – the three-month hump. Is he sleeping through the night yet?

A: Well, if 4:30 AM is officially the next morning, then, sure, I guess you could say he’s sleeping through the night…

But that hardly seems the case. No points for originality here. With but a few exceptions, the sea of trustmarks is a mess, a pea soup of poorly conceived (and poorly explained) seals and certifications.

Why is that?

Tough to hazard a guess, really, but experience says it’s probably due to (a) not having the expertise at hand, (b) not having the budget at hand or (c) not making it enough of a priority, the certification team arriving somewhat exhausted to the finish line after spending months putting the standards in question together, with little time and patience for the iterative process that great design requires.

To say “trust me,” a well-designed mark usually goes through several rounds of revision. In the end, it takes a simple form that is bold, memorable. It doesn’t try to communicate too much. Its forms and counterforms, words and symbols, colors and line qualities work harmoniously to create a unified impression that, at its best, is strong, meaningful and elegant. Easily read from a distance. Easily reproducible. Clearly connoting a quality, a tone, a certain je ne sais quoi, that fits the task at hand.

In 2009, BBMG showed 13 representative trustmarks to 2,000 U.S. consumers. The top three symbols — Energy Star, Recyclable and USDA Organic — are all federally sponsored and have benefited greatly from prominence and exposure, two factors that seem to go a long way toward cultivating trust, regardless of aesthetics or even the actual standards behind the mark.

Design-wise, none of these marks truly raises the bar but they do offer some lessons. First, each is contained in shape: square (Energy Star), triangle (Recyclable) and circle (USDA Organic). Each employs a simple, bold color palette. And each leverages a visual metaphor: Energy Star’s scripty type conjures notions of Thomas Edison’s incandescent adventures, while the star symbolizes efficacy and quality. The universal recycling symbol, created by a 23-year-old contest winner in 1970, boasts three chasing arrows that form a Mobius loop, clearly reminding us that a product’s lifecycle does matter. The ever-more-present USDA Organic label smartly connotes the verdant fields tilled by our country’s industrious farmers, although the rendered quality here is more officious and lab-like, less nostalgic and pastoral.

In addition to frequent, prominent and consistent usage, what’s a purveyor of trustmarks to do? To help you break through the clutter and avoid common pitfalls, here are seven prescriptive recommendations, in no real order of priority:

• Claim ownership. If you’re going to go through the time and trouble of establishing and promoting certification standards, you deserve credit. Acronyms need help. The LEED trustmark is clearly brought to you by the U.S. Green Building Council.

• Design for the long haul. Reducing a complex idea to its visual essence takes time and expertise. But it’s done every day. Give designers clear direction (and space) to create symbols that are durable, functional and beautiful. Most people will only know the certifications through the symbol; it’s important.

• Go for one clear idea. It’s amazing how many trustmarks say…nothing at all…or way too much. It’s laughable to consider Fruit Loops a smart choice for breakfast, but at least the Smart Choices mark sends a clear message.

• Break the box on color. How many green logos can there be? Or blue, for that matter? Blue is often considered the safest color. Energy Star earns points for breaking out with a brighter blue. 

• Get metaphoric. How might we move beyond the obvious — checkmarks, light bulbs, the scales of justice — without compromising legibility? Whatever metaphor you land on, make sure it has a clear connection to the standards at hand. Does that leaping bunny connote cruelty-free on its own? Does the Vitruvian-esque figure in the Fair Trade label capture empowering farmers and farm workers? 

• Think avatar. Long before Second Life, avatars have advanced logo design: Elsie the Cow, Elmer the Bull, the Energizer Bunny. The Rainforest Alliance frog is often brought to life to support awareness-raising campaigns. How might your trustmark feature a character that can give the program real personality?

• Connect the dots for us. At the end of the day, make sure the mark on the front of the package is clearly connected to a communications platform on the back-end: how easy is it to find out what’s behind the mark, how the standards were created, how they are upheld and how it makes a difference in our lives today? Consumers care more than you think. And, given our research, so-called “box turning” conscious consumers will go to great lengths to learn the ins and outs of your program.

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Thanks to my BBMG colleagues Scott Ketchum, Molly Conley and Rachel Lichte for contributing their thoughts to this post.

(It seems as though WordPress took off early for the holiday weekend and left us with technical difficulties. We wouldn’t let you down though, so let’s check out what the first week of September had in store.)

What’s on tap:

“Is Social Media a fad or is it the biggest shift since the industrial revolution?” Well that’s enough to get me to sit through the next 4 minutes and 22 seconds. This video, loaded with statistics about the rise and adoption of social media set to moody music, is definitely a must to welcome in the last third of the year. My favorite statistic you ask? “1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. last year met via social media” Wow! Socialnomics

Thank you Triple Pundit! For offering us a round-up of some exciting predictions and ideas from the Social Capital 09 conference. Predictions, Warnings and Best Practices

The ultimate in collaboration—biological diversity! “In the 1800s, farmers were growing 7,100 named varieties of apples, today 6,800 of those are extinct.” Check out Cary Fowler’s talk on the importance of agricultural biodiversity in a time of great change. His team developed an international secure seedbank (right) for the long term. Saving the world’s seeds for the future of food. Cary Fowler: One seed at a time, protecting the future of Food

As I sit in this very hot office, I have problem to solve, “How can I regulate my temperature?” This seems like a common question, but with the inspiration of Janine Benyus, I have an uncommon but age-old way to try to answer that question—I’ll Ask Nature!  Welcome to a biomimicry mecca, where you can learn how nature solves problems from temperature to construction to community. Oh how I wish I were a skunk cabbage! www.AskNature.org

For those of you with a desire to learn more about the sexual reproductive habits of sea creatures than the first and second seasons of Green Porno could provide, fear not. And behold, Season 3! Yes, Isabella Rossellini is back for the third batch of highly creative and entertaining, yet scientifically accurate stories from the great sea. If you haven’t seen this yet, you can brush up on the first two seasons, and the third season will be out on the 11th! Green Porno

And for the locals:

In NYC: Benjamin Barber invites us all to imagine a new way of viewing and living in public space—more specifically, a new Times Square. Imagine videos from local artists light the square and free music from the mini bandstand provides the sound track. (Thanks for the tip Worldchanging) The Art of Public Space

In SF: The last week of summer was big on local foods and biodiversity. For all you Californians out there, check out the latest on Californis’a Ag Crisis and our Concentrated Food System

Eager to get back in the saddle while working here at BBMG over the summer, I realized, much to my dismay, that my new apartment did not have the facilities to keep a bike. So, my two legs and the pavement reluctantly made friends. I soon learned, however, that a visual feast awaited me as I walked the 20-odd blocks to the office and back each day.  One thing that struck me, as I glimpsed at the kaleidoscope of colorful shop fronts, was that so many of the stores were featuring bikes in their window displays. And the funny thing was that none of these stores actually sold bicycles!

So I wondered, “Is this a sign of the times?” A recessionary-induced play by clothing brands to show how to reduce your transportation costs but still spend, spend, spend when it comes to fashion!? Or is the bike itself the fashion? Well, evidence suggests that more and more people are eschewing the automobile for all its spluttering, costly, congestion inducing habits and opting instead for two wheels and a bit of legwork. In fact, more bikes were sold in the first quarter of this year than cars and trucks!

So are brands just jumping on this environmentally friendly ‘bikewagon’? Carefully suggesting to consumers how their brands’ designs can successfully co-exist with a more frugal and healthy chain-driven lifestyle? It seems that new bike brands catering to the practical benefits and lifestyle elements of cycling are becoming more common. Specialized has recently introduced a sub-brand called Globe Bikes to the burgeoning $6 billion industry – ‘a brand of bicycles that have (sic) the unique ability to become an extension of people’s lifestyles and personal tastes rather than simply a piece of sporting equipment’.

All these observations seem to indicate that lifestyles of health and sustainability are penetrating the mainstream, becoming a bigger part of the consumer shopping experience. Below, I have included some pictures of shop windows and store displays that I’ve come across in the past couple of months in this magnificent city.

If you see any more, please take a picture, post a comment and upload here.

What is interesting about this particular issue is that the public outcry is not over the existence of BPA in the stainless steel bottle liners, but rather over the lack of transparency demonstrated by SIGG. Even though the company claims the bottles absolutely, 100% do not leach BPA into water, moms, bloggers and branders alike are questioning the way SIGG chose to casually omit information regarding the presence of the chemical in their bottles – bottles consumers consciously chose with the belief that they were BPA free.

The people have spoken (on Twitter, FaceBook and blogs), and they don’t like being lied to. See the links below for some articles that address this issue, including an Ad Age take on what this means for the SIGG brand, quoting BBMG founding partner Mitch Baranowski.

Ad Age: Sigg Tries to Control Brand Damage After Admitting Its Bottles Contain BPA

Cool Mom Picks: Breaking News – Sigg Bottles Contain BPA After All. Sigh.

Triple Pundit: Surprise! Sigg Bottles Contain BPA After All

While we’re media-agnostic and aspire to let no great article, photo or video go un-read, un-seen or un-heard… we can’t be everywhere. So, in return, we hope you can dish out some of your digs as well.

What’s on tap:

We tried to resist, but when Good posted this article on the environmental and personal health benefits of the four-day work-week, we didn’t have a choice. TGIT! TGIThursday

The streets of NYC or SF pretty much give themselves away…yup, definitely manmade.  In this photodoc on Matador Network, while the amazing landscapes are clearly not manmade, their presence on this blue (& green) planet seems questionable. (Morgen, you’ll have to check on number seven for us next week.) Photo Essay: The Most Alien Landscapes on Earth

“What is a Moment? … When cause is killed, and effect is born? @wnycradiolab” A video:  Moments

No review of the week could call itself a review without a tribute to the late Ted Kennedy. After 46 years of service as a Massachusetts Senator, he has lived a life of service that, regardless of political leanings, is honorable and vastly inspiring. Senator Kennedy

“Girls are as good as boys,” this quote from a man whose wife, after receiving a microloan, is now a successful business owner employing (read: supporting) thirty families in Lahore. This is an epic, statistic-filled story from Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn about why women’s rights are the cause of our time. Huge! The Women’s Crusade

And for the locals:

Hey New Yorkers…would you pay $.03 more per ride on the subway (the city’s most electricity-hungry consumer) if you could help transition it to alternative energy? Steal This Idea: Wind Powered Subways

In the SF Bay Area, this weekend is brimming with activity. We’ll be getting some urban gardening and farming lessons at the Eat Real Fest in Oakland Eat Real Fest. While others soak up the sun fog in Golden Gate Park at the second annual green music fest Outside Lands