So Many Crushes, So Little Time

Paul Robbins is one of the granddaddies of the Austin green scene and a persistent environmental spokesman before the City Council dais. He edits, writes, and produces The Austin Environmental Directory, a user-friendly guide for all things environmental, including products, issues, and organizations. www.environmentaldirectory.info/
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Max Elliott has a green thumb for cultivating young minds with Urban Roots, a program in which kids grow food on an organic farm to feed East Austin residents who are in need. www.youthlaunch.org/programs/seeds.php.

Robin Rather, the much-lauded sustainability advocate with a business background, is currently CEO and owner of consulting firm Collective Strength, where she uses her mad market-research skills to help businesses get environmentally conscious. www.collectivestrength.com.

Dick Pierce and Selwyn Polit really know their compost. They conduct courses and public lectures on permaculture, the movement to develop self-sufficient communities with nature-inspired agricultural systems. www.permie.us.

Jeremy Walther, a biologist who has conducted wildlife surveys for the city, co-owns BioGardener, which offers reduced-emissions lawn care and organic landscaping for environmentally conscious homeowners and businesses. www.bio-gardener.com.

Armed with a laptop and several gigs of idealism, Jon Lebkowsky is an author, blogger, Web consultant, techie, and the ultimate green geek (and we mean that in a good way). See his Screens feature, "The Serious Play in Saving the World." www.weblogsky.com, www.worldchanging.com.

Neal Turley's company, Sustainable Waves, has delivered pollution-free concerts for Lollapalooza and South by Southwest. How? Solar-powered stages and sound systems that don't use any power from the city and totally rock! www.sustainablewaves.com.

Gillan Taddune shrinks carbon footprints as chief environmental officer for Green Mountain Energy Co., provider of carbon offsets (that is, positive contributions to the environment to compensate for CO2 damage) and clean energy solutions. www.greenmountainenergy.com.

Kenny Grigar, a superhero who can harness the sun's energy for power, is founder of Armadillo Solar Outfitters, a nationwide installer of solar energy systems. www.armadillosolar.net.