What is the difference between a Local Green Map project and an Open Green Map?

A Green Map is a locally-made map that uses the universal Green Map® Icons to highlight the ecological, social, cultural, and sustainable resources of a particular geographic area. Some Green Maps focus on beneficial natural and sustainability sites, while others include problems impacting community well-being, such as toxic hot spots and other sources of blight.

Each local Green Map has a unique design. It can take many years to go through the entire process of organizing and fundraising, researching, designing and publishing before finally releasing a local Green Map. It may be published in different formats, including printed and digital, mural or poster Green Maps. Some Green Mapmakers have published many editions to chart the progress over time in their community. Over 365 unique editions have been published (as of March 2009). You can explore them in GreenMap.org's Maps section, or download from the Info tab on the right sidebar at OGM (if the Mapmaker has linked in a PDF).

In order to reduce the technological and financial barriers to creating an online Green Map, we have developed the cost-effective Open Green Map platform. Using it, Mapmakers skip the time-consuming steps of fundraising, design and distribution. OGM allows for almost instant publication, updating and sharing of the maps. Moreover, OGM adds a social networking component that was not possible before. The public can easily enrich the site's information with ratings, images and comments in any language by clicking tabs in each site's info window. More ways to involve community is being planned, both online and on the go. Find ways to help promote and share OGM on the top menu.

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