Update (July 2011): I worked on the SAC website as part of an internship in 2009. I have since moved on from the project and the site is no longer live.

The website for Sustainable Alachua County (SAC) is evolving. Today I set up a community foundation for the site using BuddyPress, an open source social networking platform based around WordPress Mu. The website is starting to become what I want it to be.

Although the current design is nothing impressive — and a logo for SAC is still in the works — the functionality is in place, and the site has the potential to be something of a “Facebook for sustainability” in the Gainesville area.

Members can sign up, publish blog entries and make groups for their organizations, where people can discuss topics in forums and post items just like a Facebook group — the system even allows private messaging among members, and people can network and “become friends.” There’s also a central blog in place for SAC matters.

In the coming weeks I’ll be improving the design and tailoring the network more to fit the purposes of SAC.