^B00:00:00 [ Music ] ^M00:01:01 >> This program was made possible from the support of VSA Texas and Amerigroup. ^M00:01:13 [ Music ] ^M00:01:26 >> Rise up, Amerigroup. >> The following program may contain strong language and brief nudity, but don't get your hopes up. After all, this is Public Access TV. >> I'm Gene. >> And I'm Dave. >> And we're The Gene and Dave Show. >> And we're here today to save the planet, Gene. >> We are, indeed. >> Oh, man, I am all fired up after Eco SXSW. >> That was a great South-by and, you know, until recently I didn't even know there was such a thing as South by Eco. >> Man, I'll tell you what, I learned all about my carbon footprint and art and just so many things were there, it was an amazing day. And, you know, like our friend, Kathy Keller, always says about it, who was the one that told us that we needed to get out there because it was so important to us. You know, she's like it doesn't matter what platform you're on, what your favorite rights are, women's rights, you know, racial rights, civil rights, disability, accessibility, it all doesn't matter if we don't have a planet to live on. >> Exactly, yeah. >> Yeah. >> So Eco is a nice blend of science and sociology and psychology because it's the whole human factor. It is, it really is, yeah. And it demonstrated itself, it folded open right before our very eyes and we were there. >> And we - I think we made a footprint there, too. It started off with a press lunch. >> So today we were invited to the Parks ide, to the SXSW Eco Media luncheon, so we got to have lunch here at 6th Street in San Jacinto. But when we got here, Gene, there was a problem. >> That's right, Dave. The luncheon was upstairs and there's no elevator, just stairs, so we had to let them know we weren't going up the steps. >> Yeah, I mean that's kind of the story of our lives, right? Wherever we go, you know, things like that happen. And if you have a disability you know it all too well and if you don't you probably know somebody that does and you've tried to help them in some sticky situations. You know, what we recommend is just staying calm and asking if there's any alternatives. And in this case they made one. >> Yeah, Dave, here's the amazing thing, all we had to do was ask. We said we'd like to be included, could you find a way to include us in the luncheon without carrying us upstairs? And they did. >> And there were no lawyers involved either. >> Not, at all, they had a smile on their face, they said we'd be happy to do it. So the folks at Park Side, the Eco folks, they got together and said let's bring it downstairs. They brought out a ramp. We were all set. >> So they moved the whole party from the - they had everything all set up, probably, they've probably been working on it for hours upstairs, setting this whole venue up and making sure that all the glasses were on the table. And within 20 minutes they moved the whole thing from being upstairs to downstairs where they put in a little ramp to go up two steps, that we could actually participate in. So it's really great. Got to commend all the folks here at SXSW Eco and the Media Department that actually made it happen and also the people at Park Side, who were very helpful and were able to make the switch. So thank you. For now, I'm ... >> A shout out to Kaitlyn, who helped me with, you know, she got me a plate, helped us through the line and, you know, got my napkin out and everything. She was a big help. Yeah, shout out to Parkside. Everyone is doing a fine job this year. And, Dave, I think it shows that just if you've got a disability just taking part in events helps people become aware they need to make events accessible. >> Sure, sure. >> So get out there, people, and do your part. I know Dave and I are doing ours. >> Yeah, if you're afraid that you're not going to be able to get in, show up anyway and at least talk to them and educate people and at least then the next time they'll be ready or maybe they can make the accommodations and make it happen. >> Like they did for us. >> Yeah, fantastic, great, a great way to start the show, huh? >> Yeah. ^M00:06:12 >> First of all, I'd like to say thank you, all, so much for coming and we're excited for you guys to be here on a beautiful day in Austin, Texas. My name is Rachel Mardigen [Assumed Spelling]. This is Scott Wilcox. Together we are the Co-Founders of SXSW Eco. And thank you, thank you. [applause] We started SXSW Eco six years ago to create a platform to advance and promote solutions that would address climate change. And this, as you all know, has become the single greatest challenge of our time. Today we have evolved. We are celebrating the power of design, technology, business solutions to drive global change and that's highly important. Scott will tell you now. >> There a re so many positive stories in this fire work being done by the hundreds of speakers here. So many inspirational stories of entrepreneurialism and social impact, and I urge you to put those positive stories out there, to amplify the impact of this exceptional leadership. ^M00:07:19 ^M00:07:43 >> Wow, what an awesome day to be outside, Gene. >> You couldn't ask for a more beautiful day. The SXSW Eco folks have got it in on climate and they dialed up a beautiful day and here we are. >> Even some of the Eco stuff is happening outside, go figure, outside getting, you know, being out in the environment. What a great day. It's at the park, right across the street from the Convention Center, sponsored by SXSW. So we're glad to have them out here, and they've even got a few snacks and treats for people. And remember what the one thing we couldn't find at SXSW was, Gene? >> Yeah, Dave, it was water. >> That's right, no matter where we went, they had all kinds of free drinks, you know, even vodka, free beer, everything, but if you asked for a glass of water nobody had one. But they do here at the Eco Fair. >> They do, indeed. I've got my SXSW water today. >> That's right. So we're going to enjoy some of the weather, soak this up, and take a look around at the fun games that they have and maybe meet some new people. Okay, so I'm not real sure what they're doing behind me here. They're building something. It kind of looks like maybe they're building a hangman's stage. You know what? And I think the next guy that throws a plastic bottle in the trashcan, well, I don't want to be here when that happens. We spent some time outside with the art exhibits and, lo and behold, they were accessible, too. >> Yeah, that's right, Dave. We went to Brush Park downtown there and they had all these outside exhibits. They had the clouds. I'm not sure what that 3D exhibit was about, but they had this big teepee, this frame, multicolored frame, looked like a teepee. And we would like to thank Jennifer Chenoweth ... >> Yeah. >> ... from xyzatlas.org, who I understand is responsible for that. >> Yeah, and she said that, you know, she had a photographer out there taking pictures just as we were filming, and she e-mailed us and she apologized for it not being accessible. And, you know, we said really it was, that we got in and it was great. And it was really nice to see that she was actively trying to make her art exhibits accessible for everyone. So here we are at the Eco SXSW, and I know that Gene has been looking around for a new accessible housing. But, Gene, I think there's a little problem with the teepee that you're here underneath. >> Well, Dave, this is what you call a captive audience here. Now I can't get out. But, no, the good thing is this place is accessible. So there's a number of exhibits here at Brush Park that SXSW sponsored for the SXSW Eco. And this place happens to be accessible. So all the demonstrations around here, exhibits, we can enjoy and it's nice to be included in this kind of stuff. >> Absolutely. I do like your new house, Gene. But, hey, before you go to the bathroom I think we're going to turn the cameras off. >> I think so. >> Relax in our billowing sky space, hug a cloud and sneak inside. Let's follow the cameraman as he goes inside the clouds. ^M00:11:39 ^M00:11:43 If you ever wanted to know what it was like to be in the sky and in the clouds, only could you experience here on the ground by the thing put out by SXSW of the billowing air clouds. Ah, it feels so lovely. >> Dave, it is lovely. I feel like I'm on Cloud 9. >> Reporting from Cloud 9, I'm Dave. >> And I'm Gene. >> And we are The Gene and Dave Show. >> That was great. And now at this outdoor exhibit, which is - all this is still part of SXSW Eco -- they had a talking bench. >> Right. >> And so you go up to the bench, you sit on the bench, you press a button, and you could either hear someone's stories or you press a button and it records your own story. >> Right. Well, after we looked for the button for awhile, there was no button, and I guess we missed the day that the recording bench was there. >> Ah, yeah. >> But we still got to listen to the people's stories, which was kind of neat and so we figured we'd interview the bench. >> Yeah, and so we did. And this is a great art exhibit of including the community, building community, which is all part of SXSW Eco. >> And the computer is like randomly proposing stories that people are like recording on the other side. And the idea behind this is that like people can get to know like without having to meet someone on the bench they can at any time get like stories about the place. And these are like part of - it's just like one of the installations of the process that we're doing and it's about basically shifting the perception of people towards their community and their environment. So that's like you get more like stories and views and your own environment. >> Yes, this is a prototype ... >> Wow, this is probably the most effective interactive interview I have ever done. Gene, we have never interviewed a bench before in our lives. Well, here at SXSW Eco ... >> It is because there's a little ... >> I hate to talk over people, but, man, this is great - quite a concept. So the idea behind this concept, as you may have heard earlier, you can come and sit down at this bench, press this button and record your story. You record your story into the bench and then the next person that wants to come by and sit down, they can hear your story or stories of how somebody got to Austin or what the exciting thing might be. Anyway. >> Can there be anything more exciting than a Gene and Dave Show? >> I don't think so. I don't know where the button is, though, to push to record. Let's see if we can find it, shall we? >> Everybody on the series, particularly the CD lever, agenda for that right there. And we have so many people come from outside the world and outside of ... ^M00:15:01 ^M00:15:20 >> Gene, this is just the talking bench. We actually missed the recording bench. Go figure. >> Well, Dave, in any event, this has got to be the most interesting bench that we've ever included in the conversation. >> Absolutely, and you saw it here first on The Gene and Dave Show. >> Badges, we ain't got no Badges, we don't need no Badges, I don't need to show no stinking Badges. >> Oh, I think, yeah, if I could do it. ^M00:16:03 [ Background Conversation ] ^M00:16:31 >> Well, Dave, who do we have with us today? >> Tell us who you are and a little bit about yourself? >> Hi, I'm Dee Lawrence and I'm the Director of Cool Effect, which is a new web based platform to encourage individuals to help to do something about climate change by supporting projects that verifiably and are scientifically proven to reduce CO2 emissions. >> Wow. >> What can I as an individual do, to reduce the carbon imprint I'm making. >> Well, there's a lot of things you can do. You can reuse your, you know, certain things, you can recycle, you can eat less meat, you can drive a fuel efficient car, you can put insulation in your home, but one of the other things you can do is you can support projects that verifiably reduce CO2 emissions. It's cheap, it's simple. Everyone has a carbon footprint of about 17 tons of CO2 per year. >> Dave, I learned that. >> Seventeen tons, wow. >> Yeah, that's the average American, and so some people have more, especially if they're wealthier individuals or if they fly a lot they have a much higher carbon footprint, but for most of the average Americans it's about 17 tons. And so by reducing, by driving less, using public transport, all those kinds of things you can bring the footprint down slowly, but you can never really get to zero. >> But I do hear about the environment, so it's important that we actually reuse, refurbish ... >> Recycle. >> ... recycle. Do green. >> Put insulation in your house. >> Put insulation in my house. >> Turn up your air conditioner. >> So I set the thermostat a bit high so I'm not keeping my apartment a really cold temperature. >> Exactly, all those are things that you can readily do. >> A huge responsibility is that who can we blame if this doesn't work? >> I blame Gene. >> Yeah, I'd like to blame Gene, but I think we have to blame ourselves, you know? >> So it's everyone's responsibility is what you're saying? >> Exactly, it's everyone's responsibility to do what we can and ... >> Here we go. >> Okay, thank you. >> Two dollars. >> Thank you so much. >> From The Gene and Dave Show. >> I really - all right, guys, we're putting this towards the collection, okay, the collection of all the ... >> I [inaudible] already. >> I tell you want my favorite part is when we went to see Microsoft Inclusion. >> Right. >> They had a great presentation for us, and they talked about building accessible programs and they made a number of films. And so Sarah and Nathan were there from Microsoft. We talked to them and here's how that interview went. ^M00:19:33 We're here with Sarah and Nathan from Microsoft at the SXSW Eco Conference, and we just saw a presentation you folks made. It was really super, about inclusive design. Sarah, can you just give us a short synopsis of the presentation? >> Yeah, hi, thank you for having us. We're really excited to be here. So we showed a few of our short films that we made that are meant to inspire empathy across Microsoft and also more broadly in the industry, as we focus on inclusive design and how as product designers we can consider the full range of human diversity when we build our products. >> Fantastic. And, Nathan, what was your involvement in this project? >> Well, I'm going to - Inclusive Designer at Microsoft, so I use the toolkit and the activities in there with product teams and we go through design sprints to look at new ways we can innovate and create some interesting new products and new designs for Microsoft. >> Tell us about your toolkit? >> Ah, well, the toolkit is some very specific activities where we bring in subject matter experts to talk about their life and what they're trying to achieve, and we use specific design mechanisms in the sprints and the toolkits are basically the instructions on how to do it. So it's how to do inclusive design. >> Nathan, if you knew anything about PR you would know that the name on the mic is supposed to face the camera, but that's okay. You're new at this, we'll help you out here, but ... >> We're not movie stars. >> Dave has been working for the state and in their accessibility technology program and, Dave, you worked a lot with Microsoft products and what did you get out of this presentation? >> Pretty much exclusively, you know, well, I'm awed, this is really is an awesome presentation. I'm really glad to see that Microsoft is doing this and starting with the design. You know, it happens so much that as an accessibility specialist and Gene and I have been trying to preach from the mountaintops about accessibility and making - you know, it doesn't end with just putting a ramp on a curb or a door opener button on a door. You know, there's a lot of things behind the scenes, a lot of electrical accessibility that you have to have. Documentation needs to be accessible for people that are blind so that their screen readers or their assisted devices can pick it up. Websites, very important to have HTML coded correctly with headers and things like that, and it's very simple to do, right? I mean when you really break it down to it it's so simple if you start from the beginning. >> Right. >> Right, if you start with the design, like you're saying here, which is awesome. You know, it's what I've been trying to tell people, if we start from the beginning with this, you know, it will save us a whole lot of time and effort and once you learn how to do stuff accessibly it's so much easier to modify later. I mean just Office, Microsoft, a Word document. If you use Styles, you learn how to use Styles with headers, things like that, you know, you need to change your title. It's really easy, your heading, you know, the font, it's just much simpler to do so that if people could learn to bake accessibility into their - I like to say bake it into your DNA right from the beginning it can make your life a lot better and lives of many other people that are, as well. And another thing I wanted to say to the filmmaker, hopefully you guys can pass this on, is that the videos that you showed for empathy were really good. Gene and I, as filmmakers and focused on accessibility and people with disabilities, a lot of times it's really hard. We don't want to show, we don't want to make a pity film to show pity on people that are just trying to live their daily lives. And these videos were great at not being pity movies, you know, I didn't want to go to pity porn at SXSW, right? >> No. >> I wanted to see and I saw - really I was amazed, it was really nice seeing people with disabilities just trying to live their lives and the technology that they used to achieve their goals, so. >> Can I comment on that? >> Sure, please? >> Thank you so much. So the filmmaker is Sydney Martin from Slanted Light, and what we loved that Sydney focused on is the core of what we do, which is empathy not sympathy and they're very different. And my favorite thing in working in inclusive design in the last year-and-a-half has been this crazy simultaneous moment that I watch people go through when they sit down and for the first time sometimes in their life sitting face-to-face with somebody who experiences disability on a permanent basis. And they have this kind of simultaneous moment where they say, wow, this person is exactly like me, we have the same motivations, the same hopes and dreams, we all want to be included and at the same time, wow, this person is nothing like me, we have different abilities and different ways of doing things and a different perspective on the world. And I think it's that magic moment where you realize we're all the same and we're all different, where you can really spark innovation and create something new together, so. >> Well said. Sarah, you're holding that mic just right. Nathan, you could learn something from her. I just want to reiterate it's so much easier to start with accessibility in mind rather than build a document and then try to fix it later. You folks did a great job. Thank you both. Thank you Microsoft. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, we appreciate it. Thanks, guys. >> And if you want to find out more about this ... >> Good point. See, we're bad, we're not good. >> ... Microsoft inclusion. >> Yes, yes. >> We can learn from you guys ... >> Yeah, we do. So go to aka.ms/inclusivedesign and you can download our toolkit, which is comprised of a manual and activities that can be added to any process, any engineering process, as well as check out all of our subject matter expert videos and our short film on inclusive design. >> And the toolkit is just $99.99 in four monthly ... >> It's free, it is completely free, completely free. Yeah, no, we've licensed it under Creative Commons License. We're always looking to make it better, so please download it, use it, send us feedback. We actually respond. I am the person on the other end of the inbox, so please send us feedback, inclusivedesign@microsoft.com. >> We'll do it. Thank you so much for being on The Gene and Dave Show. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, guys. >> Thanks. ^M00:26:40 >> A man unrolls wide paper on the floor. Paper is taped to a wall. >> We've gathered everyone here today to talk about inclusive environments and what does it take to create them and ultimately to create an inclusive city. >> Susan Goltsman, Co-Editor of the Inclusive City. >> Design is just a tool, it's not an end in itself. Our end goal is to connect people to each other in the places in which they live to take responsibility for themselves and their world. >> Some liken this to the branches of a tall tree. Susan is their playground. >> I design products for a play environment. It could be a seat, it could be a piece of play equipment, but they all require anthropometrics, they all require some sort of behavior to interact with it, and I would imagine any kind of thing that's created ultimately for humanity would have those kind of requirements. We interviewed all these kids with varying levels of disabilities and the more severe the disability the more vicarious the play. So the child who could not move very much was playing full on in their brain using other kids out on that play area to play through. So access means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. >> Various parts of the playground are pictured in close-up, including the crafted image of a turtle's head. >> The first park we ran our programs we got a giant Gamelan. A Gamelan is an Indonesia instrument where you can't make a bad tune. You can put anybody in front of this Gamelan and make beautiful music and so that harmonizes everybody and everybody can do it. So that's what you have to find out in your world, things that bring people together and things that bring people apart so you can have your own individual accomplishments and you can have a group experience, as well. >> A woman in a wheelchair is reflected in a building's windows. Pedestrians are walking in a city. Some of them carry shopping bags or drinks, others carry cellphones or canes. >> You have to look at design as a tool that services humanity, not as an art form. Not that it can't be artful, but it's not an art form. And you have to really in the design schools really teach about human beings and human behavior and what we need to survive and what makes a good environment. That has to be part of the basic tools, not just how to draw, how to use color, how to use the equipment to get your ideas out. It has to have both of those things. >> People add ideas to a list on the wide paper, others take a photo in front of a map. Design for all of us begins with design for each of us. Learn more at inclusivethefilm.com. ^M00:29:43 >> So that was just one of the movies that Microsoft has put up on YouTube for everyone to enjoy. And, Dave, they've got a lot of different movies on there, so I'd encourage our fans that want to know about access or disability awareness to go to that URL we just gave a minute ago. >> Yeah, I really liked how Microsoft did that, you know? In the films that they did they did want to, you know, they didn't want to - you to be sympathetic from watching that, you know, you didn't want to feel sorry for these people, you just got to see, you know, people with disabilities doing what they like to do. >> Yeah. >> Which is really in line with ... >> Exactly. >> ... what we do here on our Show, you know? >> Yeah. >> We're not looking for sympathy or, oh, those poor wheelchair people, you know? We're just doing our thing and putting it on display for everybody, so. >> Yeah, sharing what we find out in the community. >> Yeah, I mean just showing us doing what we do. >> And they were stressing the same thing that you say all the time is you plan to make it accessible from the very beginning. >> Right. >> You don't just do something and then afterwards say, okay, now let's make it accessible. So we really like these folks at Microsoft. Now the other great fun - well, we met a lot of fans here, we should include this guy here. He was one of your fans, Dave. >> Jason? >> Yeah. >> What is your favorite TV show? >> You know, I've traveled all over the world, I've watched television shows in every different language, even the ones I don't understand, and The Gene and Dave Show I think has to take it hands down. I don't understand why it's Gene and Dave, though, it should be Dave and Gene because D becomes before G. >> That's right, folks, you heard it here at SXSW Eco from Jason and he's a professional. Thanks, man. >> Yeah, did you pay him to say The Dave and Gene Show. >> Oh, no, I never do, people just - they just know. >> They come out of the woodwork. >> What the Show really is, right? >> But one guy we did see there, I really enjoyed, was Bill Nye. >> Bill Nye, the Science Guy. >> Yeah, we grew up with Bill Nye. He's a wonderful advocate for science. And he was talking about exploration and NASA and the budget and saying that he enjoys exploration because it is inherently optimistic. >> Now at the same time, everybody, I just emphasize how important it is to be optimistic. And I mention this because space exploration is just inherently optimistic, and the reason we do space exploration is because it's the way that we answer these two deep questions. Where did we all come from and are we alone in the universe? And if you want to answer those two questions you have to have space exploration, that's what science is all about is the joy of discovery. Our ancestors, who did not feel the joy of discovery, I claim were not really our ancestors, they got outcompeted by the other tribes who were curious about stuff and went over the next hill and found the next link or the next opportunity. And so I would just like to remind everybody that space exploration, while we have these problems here on earth we have to continue to explore space, to learn about the cosmos and our place within it. >> And, you know, when you start off a presentation that way he really engages you, so he talked about all of the things that are possible. Renewable energy is possible right now. He said Texas, we could have renewable energy right now. >> So I'm looking for a solutions project, but this is out of Stanford University, California, it's run by civil engineers, and they have done an analysis and they believe that all of the United States, in fact, 130 largest countries in the world, could be run renewably right now, this afternoon if we just decided to do it, we just got to work. Now these are not whacky people, they're civil engineers. And for you Texans got to say way to go, you're getting 10% of your electricity from the wind and that's right on. [applause] And that's without subsidies, without having a standing army on the other side of the world protecting your assets, it's just head-to-head competition. And so this I say is the beginning of things and the real assets that we have in the United States on the East Coast, this is the Solutions Project plate for the State of Texas - the real asset we have is wind off the East Coast. We just had a hurricane, for crying out loud and 100-mile-an-hour winds are strong, but airplanes fly way faster than that, airplanes fly through hurricanes. I mean they're strong winds, but they're manageable if you engineer properly. So in the State of Texas, by way of example, we could run the whole place renewably right now if we just decided to do it and the number of jobs would be fantastic, 300,000 jobs. That's like, that's three Dallas Cowboy football games full of people, to put it in perspective. I don't know, I hope they'd all be cheering properly. But, you guys, this could be done, we have the technology, and the real opportunities are wind and solar energy, then there's some tidal energy, some geothermal energy and this is all without building any new nuclear power plants. >> And then he's talking about World War II and he gave some examples how everybody worked together to get the job done. >> Right. >> And the sacrifices they made, but they were able to get the job done. And if we all worked together we could have renewable energy right now and we wouldn't have to put all this carbon in the atmosphere. >> It goes back to if everybody would just do their part, you know, just do a little bit. >> Yeah. >> And make something happen. ^M00:36:47 >> So that's it everybody, if we had clean water, renewably produced reliable electricity and access to information for everyone in the world we would provide for everyone in a very fair way, and when we get nine billion brains on these problems we will solve them the same way my parents solved their problem when they came of age. And with our brains, my friends, we are going to solve these problems, we are going to address climate change and we are going to - dare I say it - change the world. Thank you, all, very much. >> So our takeaway from this, work together for a better world and access is part of it, inclusion. >> Yeah, I was just waiting for him to have some of that electricity just come out from his fingers, you know, electric storm show or something, but it didn't happen at this one. >> It didn't happen. >> But, anyway, he is a very intelligent, bright guy. >> Yeah, and to sum it up, at SXSW Eco they started six years ago to address climate change and then they've involved, evolved to include design, technology, business solutions, to drive global change. And Dave and I were part of this. >> We were. >> So I mean go to that lunch and we made that accessible. >> Okay. >> And it was just the awareness, they thought, you know, once they saw us there they figured, oh, we've got a need to make it accessible. >> Right, sometimes all you've got to do is show up, folks. >> Yeah, yeah, and so showing up, showing the need, getting involved, we encourage everyone to do that, make this world a better world. Go to SXSW Eco next year, I think it's next October, so please do that. >> And look for us because I'm sure we'll be back again. I really had a good time. >> I had a good time, too. I never figured out, though, what that Cool Effects was, that program with the cow and the manure and the chicken. >> It's just all the circle of life, my friend. >> The circle of life. Well, if you'll understand that you'll appreciate SXSW Eco. So, until next time, I'm Gene. >> And I'm Dave. >> And we're The Gene and Dave Show. So long, folks. ^M00:39:27 [ Music ] ^E00:39:48