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Planet 100 reports from the Opportunity Green conference on the biggest opportunities in green.
Courtesy of Opportunity Green
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Planet 100 recently covered the Opportunity Green conference held at the Los Angeles Center Studios in Downtown LA where we asked some environmental leaders what they thought were the biggest opportunities in green right now.
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We spoke with Actress, Michelle Rodriguez, Gopal Krishnan, Senior Director of Global Marketing for The Coca Cola Company, John Picard, Founder of John Picard and Associates, Russell Ford, President & CEO of ClearEdge Power, and Filmmaker, Chris Paine.
Their responses covered the gamut of green—from fuel cells to entertainment, technology to packaging, green building to electric cars.
5. Packaging Innovations
Image credit: Courtesy of Coca-Cola Co.
Coca Cola's Gopal Krishnan explains how, for his company, the biggest opportunity in green lies in advanced packaging design. In an effort to curb the flow of trash into the oceanic gyres, Coca Cola is researching recycled and recyclable packaging made completely from plant-based materials.
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4. Media Involvement
Image credit: AP Photo/Chris Pizello
Avatar's Michelle Rodriguez explained how the media and entertainment industries represent a huge opportunity in green. Education, she says, is essential and media companies have the power to inform those that currently "don't care or don't know."
3. Building Green Futures
Image credit: Courtesy of John Picard
There is a lot of room for green innovation in building, construction, and real estate industries, according to green building expert John Picard. Though significant technological breakthroughs have allowed builders to reimagine what is possible it is the drop in cost, he says, that has opened the most opportunities.
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2. Smart Clean Energy
Image credit: Courtesy of Clear Edge Power
Russell Ford, CEO of Clear Edge Power, says that the biggest opportunity, when it comes to energy, is the advent of new technology. Fuel Cells, he says, are one of these technologies, but the ultimate goal is reducing the would's carbon footprint with clean energy sources.
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1. Electric Car Revolution
Image credit: Thad Wadley
Finally, Filmmaker Chris Paine—who became a notable champion of electric cars with the release of Who Killed the Electric Car?—believes that the introduction of electric cars to the market presents a unique opportunity for consumers to send a message to "captains of industry."
What will be the biggest opportunity in green? We'll have to wait and see.
Credits:
Opportunity Green Logo Courtesy of Opportunity Green
Coca Cola Logo Courtesy Coca-Cola Company
Michelle Rodriguez ŠAP Photo/Chris Pizzello
John Picard ŠYvonne LeBrun Photography
ClearEdge Power Courtesy of ClearEdge Power
Chris Paine ŠThad Wadleigh
