Calling All Corporate Environmental Innovators

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Washington DC – June 3, 2009)  Businesses across the country will gain insights and share ideas on innovative environmental strategies through regional meetings this summer. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Ashoka will host a series of “unconferences” that bring together professionals engaged in making their companies and industries more efficient and sustainable, keeping them on the cutting-edge of innovation.  The meetings will take place in Washington, DC, Boston, Silicon Valley and Austin. 

Unlike traditional conferences, the EDF/Ashoka events will not include formal panels or speeches.  Also known as “learning labs,” unconferences are organized in a participatory format in which all participants will have an opportunity to share, problem-solve, network, collaborate and learn, focused on the topics of greatest interest to them—from packaging and product innovation to supply chain sustainability to advances in operational efficiency and beyond.

“Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes, from employees at all levels within companies,” said David Witzel, director of the EDF Innovation Exchange. “The goal of these events is to capture the powerful energy and innovation that we’re seeing at the intersection of business and the environment, helping to drive industry-wide change.” 

Sign up for the EDF/Ashoka events is available at the links below:
June 11 in Washington, DC:  http://greeninnovators-dc.eventbrite.com 
June 22 in Boston, MA:  http://greeninnovators-bos.eventbrite.com
July 17 in Silicon Valley, CA:  http://greeninnovators-sv.eventbrite.com
September 10 in Austin, TX: http://greeninnovators-aus.eventbrite.com

Participants will share new ideas for saving and making money while helping the environment; learn practical lessons about what does and doesn’t work in trying to make a company more sustainable; and develop new relationships with partners and colleagues in other businesses as well as non-profits, academics and government.

Designed to be accessible to all in these lean times, Green Innovation in Business unconferences offer registration fees that range from free to up to $75, depending on the location.