Last week Becki and I had the fantastic opportunity to participate in the largest multidisciplinary green business conference in Southern California: Opportunity Green. Situated in the heart of Los Angeles at LA Center Studios, this two-day business conference brought together over 800 attendees from Fortune 500 powerhouses to cutting-edge startups and showcased ideas and practices at the forefront of today’s sustainable business practices. Some of the lecture and workshop topics included renewable energy, marketing a business, philanthropy, lifecycle analysis, and green technology.It was an absolutely refreshing experience. From the very beginning there was a vibrancy that emanated from everyone. What I truly enjoyed was the great balance between speakers, workshops, networking breaks, and competitions. I loved that there was always someone new to meet, someone to gain inspiration or knowledge from, someone to share passions with. Even during the presentations there was a lively community atmosphere. Center Studio’s Stage 2 was laid out with round tables in the front and couches in the back, enabling entrepreneurs to network and engage in friendly conversations that otherwise would have been hindered in a standard conference row seating environment. Vendors and speakers were also willing to talk and answer questions at all hours of the conference, facilitating partnerships with green advocates from businesses both large and small.
I don't think Becki or I could have asked for a better experience. For me personally as a student looking to become an environmental lawyer, I really gained a sense of pride for the sustainability movement in Los Angeles and beyond. The amount of innovation and collaboration in this field is quite remarkable and I am so excited to be a part of it in the coming years.
