The South by Southwest Eco conference begins today in Austin, TX. The city's motto is "Keep Austin Weird" and this quirky, creative town has transformed itself into a haven for eco-mided enthusiasts, advocates and industry leaders. The three day event is chock full of panels, discussions and events aimed at creating fresh answers to today's sustainability questions. Want in on the action? You can watch keynote speakers live, on the
SXSWEco site.
One of the highlights of the conference is the
Startup Showcase, a chance for innovators and entrepreneurs to present their ideas for creating a more eco-friendly world. We are so proud to be presenting at this year's Showcase, and are really looking forward to hearing the amazing things our fellow presenters have been up to. Among the semifinalists are:
Since we're in Texas, we thought it would be a great chance to stop by and see our friends at the Habitat for Humanity ReStores in
Dallas and
Austin. It's so interesting and inspiring to see how different cities around the country have embraced the
Habitat mission. Both cities do a fantastic job of getting the word out about their services and the positive impact their organization has on their local communities.
We think these signs in the Austin ReStore are visually stunning and really drive home the importance of their continued efforts to create decent housing for those in need. And the fact that Dallas is the largest builder of single family homes in the city? Impressive, to say the least. Needless to say, these cities are definitely living up to the saying of "everything is bigger in Texas" - in this case, their commitment to the cause.
It's events like South by Southwest Eco, and the chance to visit ReStores, that lights a fire under us for the future of sustainability. We
have a lot of work to do, and a long way to go, but with people like this
leading the charge, we're surely heading in the right direction.
