Key takeaways we learned this year
The 2015 SXSW Eco Conference was held at the Austin Convention Center from October 5 to 7. Now in its fifth year, SXSW Eco creates a space for business leaders, investors, innovators and designers to collaborate and develop solutions that lead to economic, environmental and social change.
Green Mountain was there and proud to take part. Here are the key things we took away this year.
Brands can really be “good”
Grace Kim, managing director of GOODcorps, told us that brands could demonstrate “goodness” to inspire customer loyalty. Kim also explained that consumers define goodness as “doing the right thing wherever possible, consistently,” and identified key indicators of goodness as:
- Treating people right
- Transparency
- Honesty
- Supporting local communities
Key takeaway: When you invest in decent or “good” brands, other brands and companies will be encouraged to adopt “good” practices. It starts with you, the consumer.
Be good to your workforce, and they’ll be good to you
The executive director of the Levi Strauss Foundation, Daniel Lee, discussed how Levi’s “Worker Well-Being” program is guided by four values: originality, empathy, integrity, and courage. Lee said apparel is the most globalized industry, yet many consumers are unaware of where their clothing comes from. Levi is focused on improving the lives of the workers around the world who make the clothes they distribute, and they don’t treat their employees like a cost center.
Key takeaway: By supporting companies like Levi, you’re supporting employee empowerment programs.
Hyperloop is the future of transportation
New Hyperloop technology is coming to California within the next two years, according to the CEO of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Rob Lloyd. This sustainable, carbon-free method of speedy transport can move people at the speed of sound, traveling one kilometer every three seconds. Designed to limit interference with nature, Hyperloop tubes would be built above ground and have the potential to generate renewable energy to feed back into the grid.
Key takeaway: Traffic and transportation dictate how we live our lives: we choose where we live based on our commutes to work, entertainment, etc. The Hyperloop could completely disrupt the way we travel today and can be scaled to connect cities across the country.
We help put the “C” and “O” in ECO with carbon offsets
Since 2011, Green Mountain Energy has been the exclusive and official carbon offset provider for SXSW Eco. Whether it’s buses, trains, planes or automobiles used by attendees, Green Mountain will calculate the estimated greenhouse gas emissions and source enough carbon offsets to balance out those emissions.
Key takeaway: Green Mountain works its eco-magic to ensure we keep our commitment to sustainability and reduce our impact on the environment.
Learn more about Green Mountain Energy’s partnership with SXSW ECO.
Find a clean electricity plan that meets your household’s needs.
Enter your ZIP code to get started.
