Green Daily

This year, as part of the effort to make SXSW as eco-friendly as possible, organizers created a PDF document full of tips on how attendees could reduce their impact during the festival (some of these are also printed on page 20 of you guide). Useful information, or just greenwashing? Let's break it down point to point.

1. Travel to SXSW: Here you'll find a list of blindingly obvious suggestions like "use alternatives to air travel." This is a good idea in general, but not very practical, and a little insulting to anyone who'd managed to figure out on their own that airplanes pollute the atmosphere. Usefulness: 1/5 (If you're really worried about your air travel, look into carbon offsets.)

2. Travel during SXSW: More tips you've already thought of, like "don't bring your car," and "ride a bike." However, they do point out the Park and Ride, which is a great way to get from the outskirts of downtown to the middle of the action, and also the 'Dillo -- a free bus service. Usefulness: 3/5

3. Austin Biofuels: One tip worth noting is the "Fact" pointing you towards Austin Biofuels. If you drove your biodiesel down to Austin and you need to fill the tank, these guys can help. That way you won't be stuck trying the Willie Nelson homebrew method, which may or may not blow your face off. Usefulness: 4/5

4. Energy use: While at first you'll be tempted to scoff at mind-numbingly simple suggestions like "switch off your equipment when not in use," don't discard this section entirely. The guide gives you the skinny on a Batteries Plus location close to downtown, where you can pick up a multi-station charger for all the batteries that power your gizmos. Usefulness: 3/5

5. Greener hotels: For those of you that still haven't booked a hotel room, it's time to get your butt in gear, as rooms are going fast. The guide points to a survey SXSW did of some of the hotels they partner with -- some are engaged in green initiatives, other don't bother. The only problem is, the guide doesn't tell you which hotels are your most eco-friendly options, so you'll have to do your own legwork if you care about whether or not the Marriott uses compact fluorescent bulbs or not. Usefulness: 2/5

All in all, if you don't mind weeding through tips like "don't just throw stuff away," or "turn off the air conditioner when you leave your hotel room," the guide is a nice reminder to keep the environment in mind, and contains a few solid ideas on ways you can help your SXSW experience as eco-friendly as possible.