Commonwealth Islands
An experiment with
activism in virtual worlds
Josh Knauer (aka: Hayduke Ebisu in Second Life)
(photo credit: Vivienne Cassavetes)
A Project of
the EnviroLink Network

TWO ROADS DIVERGED IN A WOOD
AND I TOOK THE ONE LESS TRAVELED BY
AND THAT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
- ROBERT FROST

• Founded in 1991
• Mission: Help progressive
organizations adopt emerging
technology
EnviroLink Network • One of the first .org websites
• Has helped thousands of
organizations around the world
• Joined Second Life in Aug 2006
• Established Commonwealth Islands
by Oct 2006

Big Question: Can virtual
worlds become an effective
platform for actvism?

Community + Education + Fun + Action

Community - Create a place people want to be
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)

Community - Create a place people want to be
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)

Community - Create a place people want to be
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)

Community - Create a place people want to be
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)

Community - Create a place people want to be
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)

Community - Create a place people want to be
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)

Community - Content becomes part of the landscape
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)

Community - Content becomes part of the landscape
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)

Community - The user becomes immersed
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)

Education - Users learn by experiencing
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)
Users can learn about sustainability, green design and new technologies through an
immersive experience... every object holds the potential for discovering something new

Education - Users learn by experiencing
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)
Immersive virtual educational experiences allow the user to imagine how the experience
could relate to their own “real” lives. Most common reaction, “I didn’t know
it was this easy to have an energy efficient water heating system.”

Education - Users learn by experiencing
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)
Both negative and positive messages are communicated through the experience.

Education - Users learn by experiencing
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)
No one ever wants to be this close to a nuclear reactor core, but by exploring a model of one in
Second Life, users can learn about the dangers associated with this form of power generation.

Education - Users learn by experiencing
(photo credit: Bjerkel Eerie)
Users can experience the various outcomes of decisions they make and see the impact on the planet

Community - Even avatars have meetings
(photo credit: Venace Vandal)
Several dozen avatars self-organized to create strategies for opposing
the Bush administration’s policies regarding war, torture and other related issues.

Action - Virtual organizing leads to action
(photo credit: Ruby Glitter)
Several thousand avatars have participated in virtual protests against US war policies

Action - Virtual organizing leads to action
(photo credit: Vivienne Cassavetes)
ACLU protest

Action - Virtual organizing leads to action
(photo credit: Vivienne Cassavetes)
ACLU protest

Action - Virtual organizing leads to action
(photo credit: Vivienne Cassavetes)
Free Burma Human Chain Event - ~3000 known participants in SL

Action - Virtual organizing leads to action
(photo credit: Vivienne Cassavetes)
Free Burma Human Chain Event - ~3000 known participants in SL

Action - Virtual organizing leads to action
(photo credit: Vivienne Cassavetes)
Because of news coverage and word of mouth within Second Life, users throughout the
virtual world spontaneously created their own human chains... people found a way to
show solidarity with the people or Burma and generated a lot of media attention/awareness

Virtual action... real world results
IBM Strike in SL:
Almost 2000 avatars converge
on IBM’s presence in Second Life
in support of IBM Italy’s
unionized workers
(photo credits: Wagner James Au)

Virtual action... real world results
IBM Strike in SL:
Leads to a real award
from the French Senate

Virtual action... real world results
IBM Strike in SL:
- Thousands of participants in Second Life
- Hundreds of news articles around the world
- IBM caves to all of workers’ demands, cites SL protest

... and this is “just a game” ?!?

Fun - We have to stop taking ourselves so seriously
(photo credit: Vivienne Cassavetes)
There are many activities spread out throughout the Commonwealth Islands that exist solely to allow
users to have fun. Our surf beach is a popular destination and now hosts the Surfrider Foundation.

Fun Helps Build Community
(photo credit: Vivienne Cassavetes)
Live musical performances happen regularly at the Commonwealth Lounge.
This picture shows a classical music performance by a student at Juiliard

Fun helps build community... and sometimes people even learn!
(photo credit: Vivienne Cassavetes)
Tai Chi classes run by the Peacemaker Institute happen twice daily

Fun helps build community... and sometimes people even learn!
(photo credit: Vivienne Cassavetes)
Tai Chi classes run by the Peacemaker Institute happen twice daily...
Average attendance: 30 avatars

Pushing the boundaries... Google Earth in Second Life
(photo credit: Hayduke Ebisu)
Commonwealth has been supporting information activists who are exploring
new ways for users to interact with information in a virtual environment
Video Demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-8lo8Nvv78

Where is this all going? What’s the impact?

For more information:
www.commonwealthisland.org
Organizations hosted on the Commonwealth Islands:
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Homeless Link International
Climate Change Information Center National Coalition Against Censorship
Code Pink for Peace Northwest Solar Center
Earth First! Peace, Earth & Justice News
Fielding Graduate Institute Peacekeeper Institute
Free Burma Coalition Preferred Family Health Care
Free Tibet SL Avatars for Charity
Green Islands Trust Surfrider Foundation
Greenpeace UK & International UNI Global Union
Habitat Trust Witness