SustainaBIL: November 8, 2009 11am-7pm
For some background on this most excellent adventure..
First there was TED. It’s an expensive and exclusive (invite-only) conference that brings together some of the most amazing people with some of the most spectacular stories. While initially TED was about [T]echnology, [E]ntertainment, and [D]esign, it grew to become an event all about Ideas Worth Spreading.
Enter BIL. A group of people around the country (maybe even around the world), made the observation that anyone can have and share big ideas. You don’t NEED a speaker line-up of best-selling authors, world-renowned performers, and the like to have ideas worth spreading. Also, anyone who wants to learn and share should be able to become involved. For people who know the history of BarCamp, BIL is to TED as BarCamp is to Foo Camp. (Also, Keanu Reeves Fans people who have seen Keanu Reeves’ movies might notice another layer of meta humor)
Hit the road, Jack. TED moved and BIL moved with it. But why stop there? Why only have BILs where there are TEDs? Don’t people everywhere have ideas worth spreading? BIL began to spread to the UK, to Santa Cruz (CA), and to San Diego. “Why not have one in Phoenix?” I thought. Turns out, one of the people behind the formation of BIL, Todd Huffman, was based in Phoenix!
Pick a flavor. With TEDMED and BIL:PIL taking on a single theme, healthcare, Todd suggested the Phoenix BIL conference take on a theme. With the amount of alternative energy, biofuel, and sustainable technology around Arizona, we decided on having a sustainability-themed BIL.
And finally, the announcement of SustainaBIL! SustainaBIL is bringing together people who are doing interesting things in the sustainability world to share their big ideas. The event will be a broad stroke at sustainability: energy, recycling, green tech, etc. Ideas will be around what individuals can do as well as small businesses or institutions.
I encourage you to check it out. The event is free (but donations are encouraged) and you can find sign up links at SustainaBIL.com.