Billy Parish

Billy Parish is widely known as an innovative youth organizer, social entrepreneur and champion of the emerging green economy. In 2002, Parish dropped out of Yale University to co-found the Energy Action Coalition and grew it into the largest youth advocacy organization in the world working on the climate crisis. Energy Action Coalition's recent Power Shift '09 conference brought nearly 13,000 youth to Washington D.C. for trainings, networking sessions and to lobby Congress and the new Administration.

A serial social entrepreneur, Parish has helped launch dozens of youth, climate and green jobs related organizations and initiatives, including Green Owl Records, a green music label affiliated with Warner Music Group; ItsGettingHotInHere.org, the largest youth issues blog and second largest climate change blog in the world; The Navajo Green Economy Coalition, which recently passed groundbreaking green jobs legislation on the Navajo Nation; and the Clean Energy Corps, a proposal based on the Civilian Conservation Corps designed to rebuild the U.S. and create millions of new jobs and opportunities for community service, parts of which became law in 2009.

Parish serves on numerous non-profit and clean-tech boards from The Clinton Global Initiative to Motor Excellence to the Alliance for Climate Protection, and has been honoured as a 2005 Rolling Stone magazine "Climate Hero," 2006 Mother Jones "Student Activist of the Year", one of Salon.com's 2007 "Sexiest Men Living", and as an Utne Reader "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World" in 2008. In 2007, he was elected as a Fellow by Ashoka, the global association of the world's leading social entrepreneurs.

By turning ideas and passion into action, Parish is one of the most dedicated and innovative leaders in the fight against climate change and environmental devastation. By mobilizing youth, encouraging participation in government initiatives and creating green employment, Parish is making a difference.

1. Make Money & Change the World

    The last generation made its money destroying the world, today's generation is going to make its money putting it back together through social entrepreneurship, green business and innovative non-profits. Billy breaks down the strategies, stories and tangible steps he has learned from the last two years of researching the emerging Green Economy, and shares some of the key insights that will be featured in his upcoming book, co-authored with Dev Aujla.

1. Engaging & Inspiring Youth

    Drawing on lessons from running the Energy Action Coalition and the most recent polling and market research on youth attitudes, Billy explains what young people care about and how to get them involved.

1. The Future of the Environmental Movement

    The climate crisis is unlike any issue the world has ever faced. The transition to a green economy will require a rapid and vast mobilization of resources from the public, private and civic sectors, which will in turn require a set of strategies and a level of ambition that are still not widely discussed. Billy summarizes the latest science, explores the political and movement landscape, and lays out the kinds of strategies that will lead to the emissions reductions our planet needs.