| SXSW is doing some pretty meaningful things to reduce its greenhouse gas pollution. Some highlights:
Carbon Offsets. SXSW began offsetting it's own carbon emissions (presumably just from their offices?) in 2006. Since then, the three festivals (interactive, film, and music) remain committed to maintaining carbon neutrality and increasing efforts to lower footprints.
Clean Power. "For SXSW, sustainability begins ... on the roof." SXSW installed a solar array atop their own Austin offices a couple of years ago, which has since generated 7,143 kilowatt hours of clean electricity, and is making a significant dent in their electricity bill. The installation also lessens the company's use of Austin's coal-, nuke-, and natural gas- fired electricity resources.
Greener Transportation. (More fun than driving...) The festival recommends walking, biking, pedicabbing and shuttling whenever possible. SXSW has an ongoing arrangement with Bicycle Sport Shop to offer a wide range of rentals. If you must drive, SXSW has arranged with Enterprise-Rent-A-Car to offer a carbon offsets option; SXSW additionally recommends renting hybrid.
Bicycle Sport Shop rentals: http://bicyclesportshop.com/ar...
Enterprise-Rent-A-Car offsets: http://www.enterprise.com/car_...
Greener Sleeping. SXSW's Web site provides a "green friendly" filter option when booking hotels. Hotels listed provide a link to their list of green practices. If you're coming in from out of town, SX recommends letting your concierge know you want to support environmental actions when you check-in. And of course, be kind -- "turn off your lights and water when you leave your room; set your air conditioning a few degrees higher while you're out; recycle..." (Such practices also reduce greenhouse gas impacts.)
Paperless Planning began in 2003. In 2008 SX's Registration Department saved 12,000 sheets of paper. Most recently the Interactive and Film Departments have made the switch to paperless, further reducing one of the embodied energy impacts related to the festivals.
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For more on this and other details, check out: http://sxsw.com/sustainability
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