Jessica Alba Speaks, Dept. of Energy Presents Hackathon at SXSW Eco

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SXSW Eco, a unique three day conference, is proud to once again be bringing together innovators and decision makers from the public and private sector as well as academicians to network and strategize about solutions to challenges facing the economy, the environment and society.  Daytime events will include keynote addresses, distinguished speaker presentations, panels, and hands-on interactive events. Evening events, being held at some of Austin's favorite nightspots, include dinners, parties, musical events and films. Recently added speakers and events include Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan, a hackathon and the i2i award winners. SXSW Eco takes place Wednesday, October 3 through Friday, October 5 at the AT&T Conference Center in Austin, Texas.

SXSW Eco is pleased to present "An Honest Conversation with Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan" sharing their story of creating The Honest Company. The Honest Company provides expertly curated natural and non-toxic products consisting of "what moms need most." Ranging from diapers and wipes to household cleaning detergents and a full line of body care products for the family, the brand is designed to represent a friendly, healthy and sustainable future. The products have been listed on the Environmental Working Group's Sunscreen Guide and recognized by top Parenting and Eco-Friendly Awards, including the National Parenting Publication Awards and the Natural Child World Eco-Excellence Awards.

SXSW Eco Hackathon presented by the U.S. Department of Energy and Cleanweb Worldwide takes place Thursday, October 4 with voting for the best project on Friday, October 5. The SXSW Eco Hackathon provides a unique opportunity to create a useful energy tool from public data released to SXSW Eco from the U.S. Department of Energy. With the help of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Data Initiative, there are now vast and valuable datasets open to the public, which cover all parts of life from appliances and cars to electricity rates and CO2 emissions. In just 24 hours, teams of hackers will work to use public and open data to make new tools to be shared with the general public. The most popular energy tool created will be promoted by the Department of Energy through various forms of media.

TechConnect, in partnership with SXSW Eco and the Clean Technology and Sustainable Industries Organization (CTSI), have announced their 2012 Innovation to Inspiration - i2i Awards winners. i2i Awardees, were selected from over 150 global applicants spanning energy, water and environmental solutions, seeking out unique innovations that have the greatest potential positive impact on the planet and society. The i2i Awards program will consist of a very fast paced pitch session from the over 20 highly-vetted socially and environmentally responsible companies followed by a 30 second video clip that focuses on the inspirational impact of their innovation on our planet and society.  Winners are posted at www.sxsweco.com/schedule/i2i_awards.  Pitches will take place on Friday, October 5th.

The SXSW Eco 2012 schedule is now available at sxsweco.com. With over 130 talks, panels, workgroups and special events to choose from, the online schedule organizes a busy three days of inspiring keynotes, cutting edge panels and networking events. Programming highlights from this year's conference include: Keynote Speakers Lance Hosey ("The Shape of Green"), Annie Leonard ("The Story of Stuff"), and Senator Byron Dorgan with Jigar Shah. Distinguished Speakers include: Professor Michael Mann (Earth System Science Center), Tamar Adler ("An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace"), Juliet Eilperin (The Washington Post) and Bill McKibben (350.org).

A sampling of panel discussions include "Energy Challenges on the U.S.- Mexico Border," "The Intersection of Art + Sustainability," "New Urbanism: Why Reshaping Cities is Green," "Rust Belt to Fresh Coast: Milwaukee's Quiet Revolt," "Behind E-Waste: The Good, Green & Shocking Truths," "The End of the Golden Age of Automobiles?" and "Risks and Rewards of More Texas Wind and Solar."

Special events will include "Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica" performed by Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky,  an opportunity to play "Global Water Games: The UVA Bay Game" with Philippe Cousteau, Jr., and the design and building of a Crisis Response App at the NGO Toolkit session.

This fascinating event will drive the conversation of sustainability beyond rhetoric and towards solutions. To register for this productive and educational event, please visit: sxsweco.com/attend. Registration provides access to all daytime events at the AT&T Conference Center including the keynote addresses, panel sessions, SXSW Eco Startup Showcase, i2i Awards, Eco Connect, the Exhibition, an on-site bookstore with daily book signings, receptions, film screenings, music events and parties. The  full schedule can be found at: http://schedule.sxsweco.com.

SXSW Eco is sponsored by Chevrolet, Sierra Club, Staxxon, Lagunitas Brewing, and The Austin Chronicle. Media partners include Guardian Sustainable Business, Dwell, KUT and KUHF-FM.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Derczo at [email protected] or 512-467-7979.

SOURCE SXSW Eco