The Lexus Eco Village at TED 2010, themed “A Future of Less Carbon - A Brighter Future Because Tomorrow Deserves Nothing Less,” brought together eco visionaries of the Lexus Hybrid Living Community with visionaries of the TED community to collaborate on ideas for a world using less carbon. Emphasis was placed on transportation, cuisine, sustainable cities and architecture. At the Lexus Eco Village, 50 TEDsters entered their ideas for carbon reduction through short videos and whiteboard displays for the opportunity to win a year’s lease of a Lexus HS 250h hybrid vehicle.
The Lexus HS 250h is the world’s first luxury vehicle available only with a hybrid engine. With the highest fuel mileage of any luxury car sold in the U.S. and its vast array of innovative and luxury features, the Lexus HS 250h seamlessly combines luxury and sustainability.
“The Eco Village by Lexus represented what is sorely needed in industry today: leaders of technology looking towards the future for sustainable lifestyles,” said Paul Stamets, TED Speaker 2008, Mycologist, Author and Inventor of the LifeBox. “The Eco Village became a magnet for great minds seeking community: an ecology of consciousness emerged over the five days of TED. I kept returning as I knew not only would I find smart, brilliant people, but that this company walks it talk. Although we may not have all the solutions now, the Eco Village became a rich mental landscape for experts and the inquisitive to share ideas - and some of these connections between Thought Leaders could lay the foundation for solutions so needed now. Plus I liked the car.”
The winning video, from John Ravitch, VP Global Business Development, IDEO, pitched the concept of “One Dashboard for Life,” a single, consistent device that measures productivity and carbon output across all aspects of life – vehicle, work, home.
“I love this concept,” said Sally Dominguez, Lexus Prize Judge, Spark Awards Judge, Inventor, Writer, Adjudicator and Founder, Rainwater HOG LLC, Bug Design & BeautifulUsefulGreen. “Simplicity is the key - simple living, simple communication. This concept by default covers the talking appliance scenario plus the backatcha talking computer PLUS the vegan offset concept all in a neat and simple package. GOLD!”
Notable TEDsters who entered their ideas into the Lexus Prize competition included some of the best minds in the sustainability movement as well as celebrities. The innovative concepts among the eleven finalists ranged from carbon labeling to increasing awareness of consumption habits; smart computers and smart homes that monitor energy usage; to the potential of games to change behavior towards greater sustainability.
The Lexus Prize Finalists include: Nikhil Bhojwani, Principal, The Boston Consulting Group; Ann Gentry, Founder, Real Food Daily; Kevin Surace, CEO, Serious Materials; Raina Kumra, Founding Director, The Agency for Holistic Branding; Rob Reid, CEO RipCam Media and Serial Entrepreneur; Ron Dembo, Founder, Zerofootprint; Michael Borosky, Founder, Creative Director, Eleven Inc.; David Hornik, General Partner, August Capital; Neil Izenberg, Founder, Chief Executive, and Editor-in-Chief, KidsHealth; and Tim Chang, Principal, Norwest Venture Partners.
The Lexus Prize Honorable Mentions include: William McDonough, Author, Cradle to Cradle; Paul Stamets, TED Speaker 2008, Mycologist, Author and Inventor of the LifeBox; Philip Zimbardo, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Stanford University and Co-Founder of the Heroic Imagination Project; Steve Glenn, Founder of LivingHomes; Whitney Mortimer, VP Marketing, IDEO; Chris Colfer and the cast of Glee; Claire Munn, representing Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Foundation; Mark Dwight, Founder, Rickshaw Bagworks; Jeremy Black, Co-Founder, Sambazon; Akasha Richmond, Founder, Akasha Restaurant.
The Lexus Prize was judged by a panel of experts in sustainable design from the Spark Awards, www.sparkawards.com, including Kit Hinrichs, Principal, Studio Hinrichs; Dan Sturges, IntraGo transportation solutions; Sally Dominguez, Inventor, Writer, Adjudicator and Founder, Rainwater HOG LLC, Bug Design & BeautifulUsefulGreen; Ted Howes, who leads IDEO's efforts in integrating sustainability and business; and from Lexus, Nancy Hubbell, Director of the Lexus Eco Challenge.