Here's more about our adventures from our intrepid team of canvassers here at CES 2009. Overall, the response to Greenpeace's rap about greener electronics has been well-received by conference attendees who seem electrified and glad that we're here. The BBC released an article "Tech Fair Offers Greener Vision" on Wednesday that says: "In the near future, the 'greenness' of a gadget will have a big influence on whether consumers will buy it".
Check it out our on-the-ground reports just in:
Brenna: I think our presence here at the CES is a welcome and necessary surprise. The people I have interacted with have been responsive and seemingly excited to have us here which is great! I can't wait for the press conference and the days ahead.
Lisa: I've been having mixed feelings about all of the "green" initiatives we've seen so far here in Vegas. While there's a huge amount of buzz and it's great people are paying attention to these problems, among the industry there seems to be more hype than solid action. One of our goals here that I feel we're making good headway on is helping folks separate green "fact" from "fiction". Getting people more informed about our new report will help a lot of people who want to go "green" but don't know how to cut through the spin.
Scotty: I'm having a great time on my first Greenpeace action here in Vegas! Today felt like a big success, just letting people know about our press conference and about our presence. The majority of the people seemed stoked to see us there, which was a very nice feeling! The great part about this in particular is that we can also work WITH companies, praising them when they do a good things and pushing them to make sure they follow through. Yay for good cop! Don't worry, we're having fun, too: tonight, we're going to see The Thunder from Down Under. More on that later.
Jay: Finding any signs of awareness about toxic contamination at the Las Vegas showcase of consumer electronics is like getting dealt a strait flush on the first hand – very long odds. Industry insiders representing companies of all sizes are here displaying the newest and hottest they have to offer, but the chances of finding one promoting low toxicity, take-back programs or even the energy efficiency of their products is about the same as drawing a fourth ace at the stud poker tables. Good luck. Very few of the exhibitors have made any attempts at branding that includes environmental responsibility. That is why I believe so strongly that being here with the Greenpeace toxics campaign team is essential to driving accountability in this industry. We're here to let the big boys know that we are watching their efforts closely and expect nothing less than fully meeting the commitments they've made to reducing toxicity (and the dangers and costs of recycling), energy demands during a product's lifetime and the carbon impact of making these products in the first place. Luck ain't enough here in Vegas, we need action!
Donniell: Overall, great response. Actually the best response coming from the international press eager to attend a Greenpeace press conference, let alone anything involving green electronics and/or technology. My favorite interaction was with a French man who literally stated, "but of course, I adore Greenpeace." I may have giggled and proceeded to engage with a professional Greenpeace demeanor. The day was smooth and gratifying. The result of our efforts will be realized tomorrow at 10am. Here's hoping!