SXSWORLD

SXSW Eco Solutions for a Sustainable World sxsweco.com SXSW Eco, the newest addition to the SXSW family of conferences and festivals, made its debut October 4-6, 2011 at the Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas. Th e three-day conference brought together a diverse audience of professionals from the public, private and academic sectors to discuss how to form a concerted, cross-sector approach to solving rec- ognized sustainability and environmental challenges, and in the process develop solutions for our rapidly changing world. On the agenda were such diverse topics as advancing the cause of cost-eff ective green energy in a fossil fuel dominated world, balancing conservation with smart development, sustainable urban planning, extending access to clean water and air to poorer nations and philo- sophical discussions about the environmental movement at large. Keynote speakers included: Alex Steff en, one of the world's leading voices on sustainability, social innovation and planetary futurism, who discussed building carbon zero cities; Mark Tercek, the President and CEO of the Nature Conservancy, one of the largest global conserva- tion organizations; and Philippe Cousteau, Jr., grandson of the famed oceanographer, who heads EarthEcho International and advocates for greater environmental activism among young people. Th e general feeling emanating from the panels and hallway discus- sions was one of urgency based on the stark picture of a future where present carbon emission levels, rising temperatures, and diminishing resources mix with the burgeoning global populations. However, there was an undeniable sense of optimism and opportunity for those present as they used SXSW Eco to cultivate the knowledge to fi nd and imple- ment eff ective solutions. Tuesday Keynote: Author and Planetary Futurist Alex Steffen Oliver Campbell, Dell 's Director of Packaging, discussed innovations such as bamboo and mushroom packaging From left: Philippe Cousteau, Jr, Susan Hunt Stevens (CEO Practically Green), and Niyarta Spelman (Executive Director of Rainforest Partnership) 14 SXSW ORLD / N OVEMBER 2011 William Shutkin, CEO of Presdio Graduate School and Alex Steffen during their book signings at the SXSW Eco Bookstore CHRIS CARRASQUILLO HANS WATSON CHRIS CARRASQUILLO CHRIS CARRASQUILLO

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