Monterey is filling up with people who are visibly thrilled to be here. My plane from Denver last night, which carried TED founder Richard Saul Wurman, was abuzz with enthusiasm.

In the course of the two and a half hour flight, strangers became friends, or potentially future colleagues. Big problems in this world were weighed, debated, and with any luck, took one step closer to solution.

In front of me, the young entrepreneur pitched his business idea to the investor sitting next to him. Behind me, the two longtime TEDsters talked about how to best educate non-believers about the perils of global warming. Letting the country's passionate 14-year olds do the talking was one possible solution.

Once attendees make it through the registration process, they are rewarded with a gift bag that is like the do-gooder rival to that of the Oscars. TED is famous for its goodie bags--for die hard TEDsters, it's the equivalent of Oprah's Favorite Things show. It's a way for the makers of environmental and high-tech products and services to get into the hands of some of the most socially aware and influential people.

And this year's is no disappointment.

The bag itself is a computer bag made by Rickshaw Bagworks. The young company made 1,600 bags in 800 color combinations specially for this conference, and they are made entirely from post-consumer recycled beverage bottles. Thankfully, some smart TED employee decided not to include a bottle of water among its contents.

Contents include:

A Microsoft Zune
A gift certificate for eco-friendly sneakers from Keen
A coupon to save $1,000 on a brand new Lexus (yes, they evidently take coupons!)
A digital tire gauge from BMW
A 15 percent discount coupon for personal genome service from 23andMe
A noise-cancelling Bluetooth headset
A Discovery DVD box set, Planet Earth
One-year subscription to software training site Lynda.com
A U2 CD
Pangea organic soap
Surf's Up Blu-ray disc from Sony, and a 30 percent discount on a Blu-ray player and flat screen television
A 40 percent discount on Steelcase chair
The cutest stuffed polar bear from the World Wildlife Fund
Kaki King and Rufus Cappadocia CD
Vitamin tablets from Zenergize

And, of course, a t-shirt, a pen, and mints.

by Megan Barnett