First Impressions

Arriving at the San Jose Convention Center, the first thing that tipped us off about the incredible participation in “the premier conference + expo on green innovation” was the full parking lot. (Not all of the attendees drove – ridesharing and transit were actively promoted by the event organizers – but a good portion of the 13,000+ registrants did.)

Vendors alone represent over a thousand people on-site, with over 380 displays on the tradeshow floor. In some ways, this enormous room feels like any home show – lots of salespeople at their booths, smiling and inviting passersby to stop and hear their pitches. Then you notice that every single product or service offered there has an environmental benefit (low flow toilets, rainwater harvesting systems, green wall membranes, native plant suppliers, solar everything – even electric motorbikes).

Similarly, the speaker sessions hit every imaginable topic on green innovations, centered around green building but weaving in the panoply of inter-connected issues – green jobs and finance, marketing green products and services, green media and internet tools for social entrepreneurs, and more. Picking among them surely poses the biggest challenge for most attendees.

Finally, the conference center set-up feels much like any expo, yet - like the rest of the experience - greener. Even before reaching the registration desks, new arrivals pass the well-marked and widely dispersed bins for recycling and food waste. And the hallways have easels with erasable signboards, for participants to offer their thoughts. Small tables with subject heading cards encourage strangers to sit down and talk together, (like a good host who introduces two acquaintances by telling them what they have in common and then wandering off to mingle with others). Food vendors set up in the side lobbies offer sustainable food choices on returnable (durable) or compostable serving ware.

Overall, the event promises to be the life-changing experience envisioned by its founder and large team of organizers. It is difficult to pull off an event of this scale and stay true to core values of collaboration and innovation in the service of sustainability (environmental restoration, social equity, and true economic prosperity). As “green” becomes the new beacon of hope for policymakers and entrepreneurs alike, the risk of dilution and greenwashing increases. But here at West Coast Green, the feeling so far is remarkably authentic.