Progress in Texas

Austin, Texas is viewed by many as an oasis in the mist of a vast cultural desert. It's a massive college town and plays host to one of the more important music festivals of the day - South By SouthWest. They are even starting a film component to all this and are also hosting conferences and trade shows.

They've got a healthy amount of web video content to check out, including a piece by Neil Young that makes use of footage from 'An Inconvenient Truth'. Neil has been hip to sustainable living for a long time - check out his activist tune 'Vampire Blues' from the album On the Beach. By clicking on the film section, you'll find more videos including several about how to make worthwhile web video content. Internet video, sustainable living, musical communities - 16 posts in and I've finally brought it all together. Thanks Neil!

Anyway, I started this posting with the intention of hyping up the "Sustainable Shoppers Ball," a series of events in Austin centered on the sale of goods that promote sustainable living. Like any good event throwers, they've got music and art to keep people entertained. They offer a variety of ways to learn about why their views on sustainable living are important. While this event is still in its infancy, it is yet another example of how "green" is moving past being cool and slowly working its way into the mainstream.

While I don't have the funds for a trip to Austin, I think it is a worthwhile excursion for anyone who does. It already makes the claim that it is the "live music capital of the world" (though I'm sure many other great cities would have something to say about this) and if events like the Sustainable Shoppers Ball keep rolling, it could start calling its self the "green capital of the world". Pretty odd title for a city in the middle of Texas but I love the idea.