If you like good design, you should know about DESIGN 21: Social Design Network. It’s a new online community dedicated to addressing global social concerns.

“But Jeff, I have enough trouble keeping my own store’s design fresh and inviting,” I hear you say. Well, if you join DESIGN 21 for free, you can learn about design through its articles and member forums.

DESIGN 21 isn’t strictly for retailers like you and me, though. It started in 1995 as the International Design Award to promote a spirit of understanding and sharing among young creators of different cultures.

DESIGN 21 takes in the big picture, discussing how design affects people around the world. It even has a relationship with UNESCO, which is sponsoring a contest open to all kinds of designers. You could win cash prizes and recognition if you:

• Design an awareness campaign to educate the public on the issue of global warming.
• Design an object that encourages children to cultivate their own imagination and creativity.
• Design a temporary emergency shelter for deployment in a natural disaster.

You can get all the contest details by visiting DESIGN 21 online. If you really want to think outside the box–or at least outside your store–think about entering the contest. At the very least, it will challenge you to think of how design affects the world beyond your front door.