Last week I attended the annual Digital Marketing Conference in Cambridge to hear what those with a vested interest in the rise and rise of the Internet had to say about the digital future for all of us.

Presentations were on subjects like the power of mash-ups, the belated arrival of the mobile revolution, the next generation of web connectivity and the dawn of ‘intelligent agents’ on the web. (As a side note, watch out for that phrase, ‘intelligent agents’ - I predict we’ll hear more and more about the chips and processors behind the web descending upon humankind and making our lives ever simpler).

This wasn’t the first time in the week that the emerging revolution in internet and mobile communications was brought home to me. Just the day before, on Radio 4 Today programme, Tim Berners-Lee had been talking about the future of the web – and how the progress being made on the development of the semantic web will reduce the workload on our poor human brains.

Two days later Apple launched its clever new iPhone 3G with camera, satnav and push e-mail. The device was greeted by Tom Dunmore, writing on Stuff.tv: "I can prove that the iPhone 3G is 31% better than the original. That's 31% better than the Best Thing Ever." Blimey.

And then to finish the week we wrapped up the work on a couple of recent news stories for Chameleon Net (you knew I’d get a plug in there somewhere), both of which demonstrate ways the internet is being deployed for social and environmental good.

First, there was the news that they’d been working on a ‘mash-up’ of data drawn into the Medicins Sans Frontiers website where the extraordinary work of the agency in remote field locations was brought elegantly to life through the plotting of those locations on Google Earth maps. This reflects MSF’s philosophy of ‘temoigner’ (act as witness) brought firmly into the 21st century. (By way of complete digression, that’s also the title of a book by Nicholas Sarkozy!)

Secondly there was, on the face of it, the not-very-sexy news that Chameleon Net have been working with the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Environment Forum (YHREF) and Yorkshire Futures to create a dynamic shared online diary for environmental groups and those working on regional information sharing.

With their newly joined-up ability these groups can work together to ensure that environmental issues and concerns can now have greater impact on the local, regional and national agenda. I’d give that a ‘hurrah’.

From all I’ve learnt recently about the rise of the semantic web intelligently connecting like-minded global communities, added to the long-awaited mobile revolution to help disseminate their joined-up thinking, I can’t think how else we’re going to effectively communicate the changes we need to make to our society to increase the planet’s survival.

Let’s just hope Tim Berners-Lee gets a move on – the clock’s ticking.

Steve is MD at marketing and PR consultancy the Actual group (www.actualgroup.co.uk)