Our annual party for greenies at SXSW is back! Presented by TriplePundit and yours truly, this year’s event is gonna rock. We booked the coolest new bar in Austin, Clive Bar and our sponsors Applied Materials, Cree and GreenMBA will make sure the drinks keep coming. Our friends at Cree will be giving away some LED lightbulbs (they last 10x longer than compact fluorescent!) and blissmo has stepped up to provide a gourmet food truck (TBD) for a little nosh. So swing by for a free drink and to connect with like minded folks. RSVP HERE.

Another new initiative is the SXSW Green Zone, Powered by Nokia.  Located at the corner of 7th and Red River Street, the Green Zone will feature a water re-filling station, a solar charging area to keep your mobile devices energized, a recycling transfer center servicing sections of the central downtown area via human-powered transport and information about the sustainability efforts of Nokia, SXSW, and the City of Austin. Very awesome but the big bummer is it’s only up for film & music, March 16 to 19.  Hello Nokia–what’s up with dissing the techies?!

A few green events at SXSW:

Drive a Chevy Volt

Charged up for SXSW? Reserve your spot to drive the all-electric Chevy Volt at the Catch A Chevy stop on Trinity and 3rd from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. every day during SXSW.

Go Green Save Green Film Panel

Saturday March 12
3:30pm
Austin Convention Center
Room 13AB

Filmmakers are increasingly attending to issues related to sustainability and are “greening” their productions. While there is a lot of “green-wash” out there, there are models of sustainable production that cut through myths and uncertainties. Using “The Code of Best Practices in Sustainable Filmmaking” published in 2009 (sustainablefilmmaking.org), we will provide insight and inspiration through actual case studies to show you how going greens not only saves the environment but also saves you money.

Big Brother Goes Green: Surveillance For Sustainable Forests

Saturday March 12
5:00pm
Austin Convention Center
Room 9ABC

Can repurposed surveillance technology bring people together to protect their forests? Combining physical and virtual worlds, Real-Time Video Interactive Systems for Sustainability (RTiVISS) offer participants a way to remotely monitor natural environments for forest protection. Collaboratively developed by artists, activists and technologists, these new systems strengthen environmental awareness through “the emotion of real-time”. This presentation will showcase the design and technology of specific RTiVISS instances such as “Play with Fire”, “B-wind!”, and “Hug@ree”. It will also be a case study of what happens when tinkerers, open-source coders, and new media artists work together for a better world.

Energy Hub Launch Party

Sunday March 13
7:30pm
Paradise
401 E 6th St.

Join us to celebrate the launch of the EnergyHub home energy management system! Get hands-on product demos, chat with EnergyHub designers, and enjoy drinks on us. Tweet us @EnergyHub!

Goodbye Oil: Accelerating the Electric Car

Monday March 14
9:30 am
Austin Convention Center
Room 6AB

Join leaders of the electric car movement to debate how online organizing, culture jamming, and social influence can turn electric cars into cultural icons. The only way to break our addiction to oil is to stop driving cars that use it. In 2011, mass-market electric cars will, for the first time, become a real option for everyday drivers. But common misperceptions, old habits, and powerful interests could prevent electric cars from breaking through to the mainstream.

Three Undiscovered Companies Leading the Green Movement

Monday March 14
11:00am
Austin Convention Center
Room 6AB

The United States consumes more energy than it produces and is the second biggest emitter of CO2 in the world (behind China). If the United States truly chooses to become a greener country, then major improvements in our infrastructure (buildings and transportation) will have to be made. The green movement in the United States has yet to reach a tipping point. Companies either do not know how to lower their energy consumption and carbon footprint, or they are not implementing the projects fast enough. Fortunately, there are signs that we are now more green than ever. This panel will highlight three companies that you probably haven’t heard of that are implementing green strategies. You don’t want to miss learning about how these innovative companies got started and what they’re doing to make our country a greener place to live.

Cleantech: The Interactive Community & the Next Great Industry

Monday March 14
12:30pm
Austin Convention Center
Room 6AB

Every major forecast from McKinsey to The Gates Foundation points to cleantech as the Next Great Industry. It seems obvious, yet how many of us in the interactive community have deep knowledge and involvement in this sector? Our prediction and hope is that that will change in the next 3-5 years. This session will discuss the current growth of the cleantech sector, its implications for the interactive community and vice versa, the optimal scenarios for impact, and the ways we can start thinking about this industry now. We’ll dive into the current role of data and developers, the importance of mapping & the Internet of Things, and look at case studies from GE & IBM to TerraPower. We’ll also follow up on some of the principles in the SXSW 2010 keynotes of Valerie Casey & Bruce Sterling such as systems thinking in the interactive community, high-impact development, and our role in social & environmental change. Quoting the “Environmental Leader” blog on cleantech: “As our colleague, Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen has explained, new industries founded on new technology platforms tend to be complex and expensive at first, as it takes the combined efforts of an organized group of highly skilled people to commercialize a breakthrough.” They’re talking about us, so let’s get involved.

Internet Activism: Vegan Bloggers Take over the World

Monday March 14
3:30pm
Austin Convention Center
Room 5ABC

A surge of vegan bloggers has been using the internet to make change in the way people think about animals through new forms of activism. VeganMoFo (the vegan month of food) and worldwide Vegan Bakesales to raise money for causes and promote veganism are just some of the ways that we are breaking out of the stereotypes of the past and creating a revolution. Learn creative ways to promote your message and engage your community on and off the web and more about food activism and using your culinary skills to promote compassion.

The Sustainable Media Happy Hour

Monday March 14
7:00pm
Clive Bar
609 Davis St.

Our annual party for greenies at SXSW is back! Presented by TriplePundit and yours truly, this year’s event is gonna rock. We booked the coolest new bar in Austin, Clive Bar and our sponsors Applied Materials, Cree and GreenMBA will make sure the drinks keep coming. Our friends at Cree will be giving away some LED lightbulbs (they last 10x longer than compact fluorescent!) and blissmo has stepped up to provide a gourmet food truck (TBD) for a little nosh. So swing by for a free drink and to connect with like minded folks.

Keynote: Blake Mycoskie

Tuesday March 15
2:00pm
Austin Convention Center
Ballroom

In this visionary talk, Blake Mycoskie shows you how to succeed in a new era of relentless competition and heightened social awareness. Why is philanthropy your best competitive advantage? How do you make money and do good simultaneously? How are the two acts intertwined? At TOMS — a self-sustaining, for-profit company — the act of giving is the cornerstone of its business model, integral to its financial success. In a behind-the-scenes look at how it all works, Mycoskie shares counterintuitive ideas (“In tough times, give more!”) that you can apply to your own business. His bold, winning strategies are proven, and have been talked about by Bill Clinton, the Obama administration, and the hundreds of thousands of customers that have joined the TOMS Movement by buying a pair of shoes. Inspired, inspiring and most of all practical, Mycoskie presents a new direction for business, offering TOMS as his prime case study. After hearing him speak, you too will know why giving just makes sense.

Techies Can Save the World, Why Aren’t They?

Tuesday March 15
3:30pm
Austin Convention Center
Room 6AB

Techies are plugged in. We’re cutting edge. So, why aren’t we more green? Why aren’t we the ones using our special power to save the world? Are we too busy working on the next hot i-phone app? Do we not care? Are we just avoiding the guilt over our higher than average personal electrical requirements? Maybe the environmental movement just isn’t our battle to fight. Their ‘triple bottom line’ lingo sounds like a foreign language. And it doesn’t sound much like PHP. A kick-ass panel made up of a rare breed of successful environmentally and socially focused tech pioneers provide insights, examples and practical inspiration for techies, bloggers, entrepreneurs and web-business people who are looking to do a world of good. Our expert panel includes founders from major web based businesses, founders of the new generation of successful social and environmental start-up ventures, and major VC’s who are all focused on the triple bottom line – making a bunch of money while doing something positive for the environment and society. A well respected news media editor at the intersection of green and technology will moderate this panel of innovators. Come ask our panel how you can be the change you want to see!

Consumer awareness is a crucial step in solving the issue and so is corporate social responsibility which is  why I was excited to see this storefront recently at a Sony Style store in San Diego. Of course I had to check it out. Yep, modern green fonts get me every time. I discovered that Sony has launched a new electronics recycling program called EcoTrade.  Products eligible for recycling include laptops, cameras, camcorders, digital books, game systems, MP3 players and mobile phones.  Two things make this a really cool program:

1. They accept Sony and non-Sony products.

2. You receive credit to use toward the purchase of a new Sony product.

3. You receive credit to use toward the purchase of a new Sony product. Thought that deserved to be written 2x. Hello! They are giving you money!

By the way, if you’re in the market for a new laptop, I recommend the VAIO W series made partially from recycled CDs cuz that’s just crazy cool. Turns out Sony has a long history of environmental initiatives. The Sony Take Back Recycling Program was the first national recycling initiative to involve both a major electronics manufacturer and a national waste management company. On their green website, Sony’s stated goal is to collect a pound of electronics for every pound it produces. They’ve collected 27.1 million pounds so far.  They also have a goal to reach a zero environmental footprint by 2050. I like a company with a plan. Definitely makes me feel better about replacing my clunker of a laptop!

When the folks at Treehugger called and asked me to help produce a video series for their Green Holiday Gift Guide, I chugged some organic yerba mate and jumped on a plane to DC to get cracking. I’ve always been a big fan of Treehugger. I love their irreverent tone and sense of play.  To me they strike the perfect balance between taking the environment very seriously but not always themselves. Their team digs up the most fascinating and cutting edge stories, the writing is smart and entertaining and the aesthetic clean and modern.  So with all that in mind, we created companion videos for the gift guide so folks could see the products in action and I could pretend to be an eco fashion model.

This video features gifts for the Fashion Buff & Pop Culture Fanatic:

Deborah Lindquist

Marmol Radziner

Stewart + Brown

Avatar DVD

When the folks at Treehugger called and asked me to help produce a video series for their Green Holiday Gift Guide, I chugged some organic yerba mate and jumped on a plane to DC to get cracking. I’ve always been a big fan of Treehugger. I love their irreverent tone and sense of play.  To me they strike the perfect balance between taking the environment very seriously but not always themselves. Their team digs up the most fascinating and cutting edge stories, the writing is smart and entertaining and the aesthetic clean and modern.  So with all that in mind, we created companion videos for the gift guide so folks could see the products in action and I could stuff my face full of organic popcorn.

This video features gifts for The Foodie and The Health & Wellness Guru:

GreenGourmet by Cuinsart

Organic Popcorn set by Eden Foods

Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo

Ecosystem Notebooks

When the folks at Treehugger called and asked me to help produce a video series for their Green Holiday Gift Guide, I chugged some organic yerba mate and jumped on a plane to DC to get cracking. I’ve always been a big fan of Treehugger. I love their irreverent tone and sense of play.  To me they strike the perfect balance between taking the environment very seriously but not always themselves. Their team digs up the most fascinating and cutting edge stories, the writing is smart and entertaining and the aesthetic clean and modern.  So with all that in mind, we created companion videos for the gift guide so folks could see the products in action and I could play with sock puppets and get paid for it.

This video features gifts for The Animal Lover and The Kids:

Doggy Rain Coat by Recycling Zychal

Life by Discovery Channel

Cate & Levi puppets

Species Adoption from World Wildlife Fund

When the folks at Treehugger called and asked me to help produce a video series for their Green Holiday Gift Guide, I chugged some organic yerba mate and jumped on a plane to DC to get cracking. I’ve always been a big fan of Treehugger. I love their irreverent tone and sense of play.  To me they strike the perfect balance between taking the environment very seriously but not always themselves. Their team digs up the most fascinating and cutting edge stories, the writing is smart and entertaining and the aesthetic clean and modern.  So with all that in mind, we created companion videos for the gift guide so folks could see the products in action and I could live out my dream of powering a TV with a bike generator.

This video features gifts for the Green Geek and Do-It-Your-Self’er:

Voltaic Systems Solar Amp Charger

eMonitor by Powerhouse Dynamics

Windstream Bike Power Generator

The Official Why:

Roots of Change is hosting a reception, Good Food for All: A Taste of the Los Angeles Foodshed to showcase the diversity and great tasting food that is grown within the L.A. Foodshed. The event will bring together pioneering farmers, top chefs, tireless food justice advocates, environmentalists and community members from around the region. The Good Food for All reception will be held between 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Vibiana in Downtown L.A., and will open the Roots of Change Network Summit: Policy in Service of Innovation.

The EcoPop Why:

One word: Foodshed! Ever heard of it? As someone who has spent years protecting watersheds all over this country, I have a pretty good idea what it means but it’s a new word for me. Foodshed doesn’t have a Wikipedia entry (yet) but Care2 describes a foodshed as “an area where food is grown and eaten, and in today’s global food system, that could be anywhere in the world. However, if the goal is to develop a more local food system, then it is defined as a more immediate area similar to a community’s retail trade area.” And check it out, my watershed comparison is right on:  “like a watershed, a foodshed relates to a geographic area that provides the basis for food production. Like a watershed, a foodshed must be maintained. Like a watershed, a foodshed may not be the only source of the resource.” It’s a really amazing concept actually because it shifts my thinking about where I live. LA is not just the city where I work, it’s part of an ecosystem that provides me nourishment.  It’s part of a foodshed.

Of course the Good Food for All event will be chock full of good food but some really good people too like Michael Dimock, President of Roots of Change and  Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (who I met at an Ozomatli concert at the dearly departed LA Tofu Festival!).  Mayor Villaraigosa will update us on the L.A. Food Policy Task Force and unveil his plan to make Good Food a priority for Los Angeles.

Tickets are $100 a person with proceeds benefiting Hunger Action Los Angeles and Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles‘ efforts to increase the purchasing power of low-income consumers by matching their dollars in LA farmers’ markets.

I’m excited to see what the Los Angeles Foodshed has to offer and with chefs like Susan Feniger, Joan McNamara and Akasha Richmond in attendance, I have a feeling there will be more than Good Food being served but Really Super Amazing Great Food!

It’s National Farmers Market Week so I’d like to take a moment to thank farmers everywhere for doing what I haven’t been able to do: grow enough vegetables for an entire meal. If you’re like me you spend alot of time and money and maybe ended up with a cucumber or two. My final tally is something like 1 cherry tomato, 3 strawberries and a couple green beans. That’s taking “small plates” to the extreme. Turns out this whole organic gardening thing is much tougher than it seems especially if you want to actually eat.  I don’t know if I’m giving up gardening yet but I’ll ponder the pros and cons over an organic carrot from the farmers market.

The Deepwater oil spill disaster is over (we hope) but is it too soon to ask, where should I buy gas?  I’m all for a clean energy future but I still have to buy gas today…where should I go and does it matter? Are any oil companies “greener” than others? Watch the video and see what I find out and then let me know where you buy your gas or if you’ve made any changes to your fuel consumption since the spill.

Resources:

Greenopia’s Green Oil Guide

Lisa Margonelli’s Oil on The Brain: Petroleum’s Long, Strange Trip to your Tank.