REDFORD CENTER GRANTS PROGRAM TO FUND IMPACTFUL FILMMAKING

THE REDFORD CENTER ESTABLISHES REDFORD CENTER GRANTS PROGRAM TO FUND IMPACTFUL FILMMAKING

Development grants awarded to select teams for feature-length film projects focusing on environmental topics

(Press Release)

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (June 22, 2016) – Today The Redford Center announced the launch of Redford Center Grants, a program that will provide grant funds, mentorship opportunities, and networking support to filmmakers who understand the power of a well-told, well-timed story as a means to inspire positive change in the world.

Funded by The New York Community Trust, the Redford Center Grants pilot program will support feature-length film projects in early development that are focused on driving awareness, education and tangible action on a variety of environmental topics.

“New ideas and information must become stories that touch the human heart in order to change things,” said Jamie Redford, Co-Founder of The Redford Center. “It’s in these early stages of the filmmaking process when funds are often most difficult to secure, and when these teams of storytellers can benefit most from mentorship, story support, and making the right connections.”  

Five filmmaking teams will be chosen to participate in the pilot program in which each team will receive:

Ø  A $15,000 development grant to produce a written film treatment and a short proof-of-concept film over a 3-month timeframe

Ø  Mentorship from issue experts and industry leaders to refine project narratives and impact goals

Ø  A GoPro Hero 4 Black camera to support filmmaking

Ø  Film distribution as part of The Redford Center Grants programs’ series of shorts

Ø  A travel and lodging grant to attend a Story Development Summit at the Sundance Mountain Resort

Ø  An opportunity to be considered for co-production with The Redford Center, and/or to receive an additional production grant

"Some of the most moving and inspirational environmental stories are the ones that highlight what people are doing every day to ensure the health of our planet for generations to come,” said Robert Redford, Co-Founder of The Redford Center. "I’m pleased that Redford Center Grants will enable us to support the development of films that showcase solutions and demonstrate what’s possible.”

@Paige_Donner

PaigeDonner.info

REDFORD CENTER GRANTS PROGRAM TO FUND IMPACTFUL FILMMAKING

R20 Regions of Climate Action and Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Partner to Accelerate Climate Change Solutions

Supports Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's call to increase investment in climate projects

 

 

GENEVA and LOS ANGELES - 26 May, 2016 - Following the April signing of the Paris Agreement, R20 Regions of Climate Action "R20" and Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation "LDF" announced the formation of a new partnership to rapidly identify and fund projects that address the urgency of climate change.

 

Financially supported by LDF under a new $650,000 grant, this partnership allows R20 to rapidly identify renewable energy, energy efficiency and waste management initiatives that have the potential to bring positive environmental and social benefits to communities across the globe, and ultimately reduce carbon emissions. Under this framework, R20 will develop and construct these projects, as well as measure and report on their impact.

 

Together, R20 and LDF are following the mission of the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance"CCFLA," which was launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2014 to encourage investment in low-emission, climate resilient infrastructure in cities, and to close the investment gap in climate friendly projects in urban areas over 15 years.

 

"I commend LDF and R20 for supporting the goals of the CCFLA. Partnerships like this one strengthen the effort to unlock billions of dollars of private investment in projects that will urgently address climate change," said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. "I thank them for their commitment to our environment, and to the future of humanity."

 

"The Paris Agreement was an important first step for reducing global carbon emissions, but there is more that must be done to accomplish this important goal. Our partnership with R20 is a signal that it is also the responsibility of private organizations to take up the charge of accelerating the adoption of climate-saving technologies, worldwide," said Leonardo DiCaprio, Chairman of Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. "We call on others to follow our lead because our planet is quickly running out of time."

 

R20 was founded to support governments and communities in the identification, preparation and financing of green projects to lower greenhouse gas emissions and help the world transition to a green economy.

 

"R20 and LDF share an unwavering commitment to taking bold action on climate change by supporting proven solutions that will impact real change for our planet," said Christophe Nuttall, Executive Director of R20. "With the support of our partners at LDF, we will help set a model for CCFLA members, governments and organizations to take action to develop their own climate solutions in all parts of the globe."

 

 

R20 was named the Secretariat for the CCFLA in partnership with World Fund for Cities (FMDV), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in January 2016.

 

# # #

 

About R20 Regions of Climate Action

 

R20 Regions of Climate Action is a non-profit organization founded in 2010 by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other global leaders in cooperation with the United Nations.

 

R20 is a coalition of partners led by regional governments that work to promote and implement projects that are designed to produce local economic and environmental benefits in the form of reduced energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions; strong local economies; improved public health; and new green jobs. These local actions can help the world achieve our shared global environmental and economic goals.

 

For more information visit www.regions20.org 

 

About Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation

 

Since 1998, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation ("LDF") has been on a mission to protect the Earth's last wild places, implementing solutions that restore balance to threatened ecosystems, and ensure the long-term health and wellbeing of all its inhabitants.

 

Through grant making, public campaigns and media initiatives, LDF brings attention and needed funding to three areas: protecting biodiversity, ocean & forest conservation, and climate change. The Foundation works in close collaboration with a broad network of environmental leaders and experts, effective organizations, and committed philanthropists to identify and support innovative, results-driven projects in the world's most wild and threatened ecosystems. Currently LDF supports over 70 high-impact projects in more than 40 countries around the world. 

For more information visit: www.leonardodicaprio.org.  

 

The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation is a component fund of the California Community Foundation.

@Paige_donner

R20 Regions of Climate Action and Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Partner to Accelerate Climate Change Solutions

Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) World Congress

(posted from press release)

Climate-KIC will be present at the Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) World Congress on 8 April in Seoul, Republic of Korea, to officially launch the Low Carbon City Lab programme and discuss new partnerships with cities and organisations from around the world.

Greenhouse gas emissions in cities originate from a host of different sources, such as electricity production, transportation, commercial and residential buildings, as well as industry and waste. Reducing urban emissions is a shared effort by a large panel of city stakeholders.
The new programme is part of a range of Climate-KIC programmes designed to help cities reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create new jobs for their low carbon economies. Climate-KIC is the European Union’s main climate innovation initiative and supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). 

Low Carbon City Lab 

Cities account for 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities
PARIS, FRANCE, 31 March 2015 – With all eyes on a global deal to reduce greenhouse gasses at the UN’s COP21 conference in Paris later this year, EU initiative Climate-KIC will launch a new programme to help cities around the world unlock their emission reduction potential at a major global event in Seoul on 8 April 2015.
Cities account for 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities. According to the United Nations agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development, 75 per cent of the world population will be living in urban environments by 2050. The annual increase of the total world population is 1 per cent, while in the urban areas it is 1.8 per cent, almost twice as much.  Cities will continue to be the key nexus for climate action for years to come.
Leveraging a diverse grouping of companies, research centers, technology experts, city networks and cities, Climate-KIC’s new Low Carbon City Lab programme will aim to unlock the greenhouse gas emission reduction potential of cities, and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 1 gigatonne per year.





Strategies to reduce urban greenhouse gas emissions 

Thanh-Tam Lê, Director of Climate-KIC’s centre in France, said “Our Low Carbon City Lab is an exciting example of how public-private partnerships can tackle climate change through both a market-led and an impact driven approach.”

The programme provides a series of tools, consulting and services to develop urban climate mitigation strategies:

• 3D software to visualise greenhouse gas emissions in cities. We also help cities bring together the data from sources across their urban areas.
• Experts to verify greenhouse gas inventories according to the recently launched Greenhouse Gas Protocol standard and to prioritise actions.  
• Help to boost cities’ business generation activities including support for start-ups  
• Tools enabling the monitoring of emissions from the transport sector.  
• Services including training and summer schools, with courses focusing on climate finance for cities and the latest developments in greenhouse gas monitoring approaches for cities.  
• Contribution to the definition of climate finance frameworks for cities (NAMAs, VNAMAs) 

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Path To Paris - Environment California Says, Bonjour!

(posted by Paige Donner)

SAVE THE DATE!
Environment California's 11th Annual Spring Event: Path to Paris

Saturday, May 16th, noon to 2:00 pm
at the lovely Brentwood home of actor Donna Mills

RSVP: EnvironmentCalifornia.org/SpringEvent

Please join Environment California for lunch, drinks and stimulating conversation to help elevate California's global warming solutions leading up to the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris.

Special guest speaker: Sen. Fran Pavley, climate solutions leader and author of California's game-changing Global Warming Solutions Act, AB 32

The Path To Paris

Global warming is the most critical issue of our time. With the U.N. Climate Change Conference to be held in Paris this December, there is a sense that if the world can unite around solving global warming, we can stave off the worst impacts.

In the lead-up to Paris, Gov. Brown and the leaders of the California legislature have outlined an aggressive path by which California can continue its leadership with these statewide goals:

• Increase the amount of electricity from renewable sources to 50 percent;
• Reduce the amount of petroleum used by our vehicles by 50 percent; and
• Increase the energy efficiency of existing buildings by 50 percent—all by 2030.

But the oil companies and the utilities are fighting every step of the way. Environment California is working this year to build the public support needed to pass legislation to turn these critical climate goals into reality — for our health and our future. Join us for a provocative conversation on how we can lead the way!

Sponsorship Opportunties

Ambassador to Paris $15,000 (Includes 10 event & 10 VIP reception tickets)
Partner $10,000 (Includes 8 event & 8 VIP reception tickets)
Friend $5,000 (Includes 6 event & 6 VIP reception tickets)
Supporter $2,500 (Includes 5 event & 5 VIP reception tickets)
Host $1,250 (Includes 5 event tickets)
Individual Ticket $200

HOST COMMITTEE (in formation) Join the hosts of the 2015 Spring Event and other friends of Environment California.
Ed Asner Ed Begley, Jr. Barbara Bosson Peter Coyote Chayse Dacoda Glen Dake, Renee Dake Wilson & Brian Wilson Rosario Dawson Fran Diamond Frances Fisher David Freeman Catherine Geanuracos Anna Getty Tom Hayden & Barbara Williams Marshall Herskovitz Peter Horton Wendy James Katharine King Sharon Lawrence	Rachelle Lefevre Mia Lehrer Debbie Levin Wendie Malick Wally Marks Sara Nichols Chris Paine Douglas H. Phelps John Quigley Akasha Richmond & Alan Schulman Jamie Rosenthal Wolf, David Wolf, Rick Rosenthal & Nancy Stephens & the The Rosenthal Family Foundation Kyra Sedgwick Amy Smart & Carter Oosterhouse Barbra Streisand Margery Tabankin & Earl Katz Tom & Janet Unterman Wendy Wendlandt & Cliff Latimer Roger & Nori Wolfson
Environment California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(4) environmental advocacy organization dedicated to protecting California's air, water and open spaces. Contributions or gifts to Environment California, Inc. are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Donations may be used for political purposes such as supporting or opposing candidates. No funds will be earmarked or reserved for any political purpose. More information about Environment California, Inc. may be obtained by contacting the organization at: 3435 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 385, Los Angeles, CA 90010.

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Above The Surface: Our Trash Satellites

By Liz Nelson/ Guest Blogger

Above the Surface: Our Trash Satellites

We live in a world where we purposely load tons of discarded trash into the planet's crust as a method of getting rid of what we don't want or have no method of reusing. As humans look for additional places on Earth to store various forms of waste, have you ever stopped to think about that which is orbiting our planet? According to NASA, there are over 21,000 pieces of trash that measure approximately four-inches in diameter floating above our heads at this very moment - which is only a small portion of the whole.

Although most of these pieces of trash are simply metal components from various remnants of space launches, they can pose as much of a treat to humankind as the trash here on Earth. One of the more disturbing facts is that the debris is estimated to triple in density by 2030. What does this mean for the future of humanity?
1. Telecommunications - A vast majority of our communications come from a satellite network in space. Although the density of orbiting trash isn't enough to disrupt signals that are broadcast yet, these bits of trash pose a threat as projectiles that can damage sensitive equipment. If one of these satellites is damaged to the point of rendering it inoperable, we simply send another one to replace it - increasing the amount of debris yet again.
2. Astronaut Safety - If you figure in that there are roughly half a million pieces of debris that are floating around Earth in various sizes all traveling at 17,500 miles per hour, the threat to human life while in orbit is amazingly high. For example, the Winchester .223 Super Short Magnum bullet can travel at speeds surpassing 4000 feet per second. These bullets deliver a deadly amount of force from the sheer velocity alone. Now take into consideration that these pieces of debris in space are traveling at 25,700 feet per second. The force delivered on impact wouldn't be anything short of devastating regardless of the size of the debris. An astronaut performing operations in space would have very little chance of survival if struck by one of these pieces.
3. Future Endeavors - With the amount of deadly metal trash circling our planet, future projects may be far more difficult to accomplish as time goes on. Every time we send a new satellite or shuttle into space, more debris is left behind in low orbit. As the shuttle needs to approach speeds of more than 17,000 miles per hour, it is already traveling at amazing speeds in order to achieve an orbital position. What if one of these four-inch diameter pieces of debris flies into the shuttle's window as it is achieving those speeds? It may be like the shuttle hitting a solid surface at more than 25,000 miles per hour.
4. Earth Bound - Unlike the trash that is buried in landfills here on Earth, space debris can cause a great deal of immediate damage should it be pulled in by the planet's gravitational pull. Various places around the globe have experienced close encounters of the trash kind. Sometimes, the debris that lands in the United States doesn't even belong to the country. In March of 2011, a tank from a Russian Zenit-3 rocket made an impact crater in the hills of Colorado. 

Yes, even American trash can make an unexpected re-entry. In 1997, a 580-pound US Delta II rocket fuel tank nearly impacted an occupied farmhouse. If it's expected that the trash in orbit is to triple, the threat to life on the planet will triple as well. Without warning, one of these larger pieces of debris could re-enter the atmosphere and cause a great deal of damage on impact. Although the only report of space debris actually hitting someone only "brushed" her shoulder, an inch in the wrong direction could possibly have torn her arm out of its socket.

While it's imperative that we monitor our waste materials here on the planet's surface, we need to also pay attention to that which is over our heads. While much of the debris can burn up in the atmosphere, large pieces have no problem barreling towards the surface of Earth at incredible speeds. If we want to enjoy the technological nuances of today's society, effort needs to be put into cleaning up our planet both on and off of its surface.

Author Bio:

This is a guest post by Liz Nelson from WhiteFence.com. She is a freelance writer and blogger from Houston.

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'GMO OMG' - Documentary Film

"GMO OMG"

A Documentary by Jeremy Seifert

Submarine Deluxe Will Release Theatrically on September 13th, 2013

** OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2013 BERLIN FILM FESTIVAL **

GMO OMG made its world premiere at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival.  Screen Daily called the film "powerfully provocative" and "a subject that needs to be focused on." 

Today in the United States, by the simple acts of feeding ourselves, we are unwittingly participating in the largest experiment ever conducted on human beings. Each of us unknowingly consumes genetically engineered food on a daily basis. The risks and effects to our health and the environment are largely unknown. Yet more and more studies are being conducted around the world, which only provide even more reason for concern. We are the oblivious guinea pigs for wide-scale experimentation of modern biotechnology. 

GMO OMG follows one family's struggle to live and eat without participating in an unhealthy, unjust, and destructive food system. Has the global food system been irrevocably hijacked or is there still time to heal the planet, feed the world, and save ourselves? 

GMO OMG also takes a critical look at the corporations who control what we eat. Last year, Monsanto and other food industry leaders spent $45 million to defeat a ballot in California that would require GMO labeling. And more recently, in an effort to combat labeling on food packaging, a conglomerate of biotech companies put up an informational website to disseminate their point of view on GMOs and try to make people feel safe about what they are eating.

*****

'GMO OMG' - Documentary Film

Greening Beauty Gift Giving In The Age of Organic

The challenge of holiday gift giving is a. to be unique and b. to be not so unique that your gifts go unappreciated.

For the ladies (and men!) on your list this holiday season 2012, organic beauty products are some of the best choices because they not only fulfill everyday needs and are useful products that most of us ritually use, they are also the healthier version of those personal care products we tend to use every day.

Marie Veronique Organics falls squarely into this product category of Good For Your Skin and Good For The Planet, Too. Marie Nadeau is a former chemistry teacher based in Berkeley, California who decided to create a simple skin care product line-beauty regime with the help of her physicist daughter, Dr. Jay Nadeau.  As a mature woman going into this business venture, Marie’s emphasis was on anti-aging through the use of intelligent sunscreens and skincare ...”the most important being safe and effective sunscreens made with intelligent ingredients.”

Just what are “intelligent ingredients” you may be wondering?  Well, for the MVOrganics Moisturizing Face Screen / Everyday Sheer Coverage which protects against UVA rays with its non-nano zinc oxide, think red raspberry for healing and moisturizing, sea buckthorn and emu oils for their anti-premature aging reinforcements all topped off with a rich dose of anti-oxidants. 

The sheer tinted coverage comes in SPF30 and SPF20 (with green tea and coffee berry extract) and both are hits over at the EWG. Tip: only those with porcelain skin tones can get away with wearing the Everyday Sheer Coverage SPF30; the SPF20 is good for most other skin tones. In fact, the product offers such complete skin tone even-ing coverage that when it was first marketed as simply a sunscreen, ladies started wearing it out in the evening as a light foundation and loving the matte effect it gives to the facial skin.

Not to miss - and this goes for you guys, as well - are the MVOrganics Anti-Aging mist and Anti-Aging Oil+. The mist is slightly fragrant with hints of geranium essence while the Anti-aging Oil that you gently massage into your neck, chest and face while the skin is still moist contains over 20 different kinds of oils like kiwi seed oil, meadowfoam oil and tamanu oil which results in a soothing essence reminiscent of that last great Swedish massage you had.

Packaging for the products is recyclable and the ingredients are all bio-degradable. “We don’t use toxins, petroleum-based products, nanoparticles, or anything else that’s potentially harmful,” states the founder, Marie Veronique. Check their website for prices and more product information.

mvorganics.com

@GreeningBeauty

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Greening Beauty Gift Giving In The Age of Organic

The Hulk Mark Ruffalo Hosts Party for Renewable Energy in Africa

by Nadine Weil

[This guest post is by Nadine Weil, Founder Heart of Green. 

All photos are by Drew Altizer]

The eco-glitterati came together on Thursday evening June 21 to bask in the glow of Empowered By Light’s second annual Light Up The Night party, a sold out affair in San Francisco. Fresh off his movie premiere of “The Avengers,” Oscar-nominated actor 

Mark Ruffalo flexed his celebrity muscle and co-hosted the party held at Roe to bring 

renewable energy to rural Zambia.

A beloved advocate for the environment, Ruffalo told the cheering crowd that it is time 

to move beyond fossil fuels and harness the power of sunlight. “I support Empowered 

by Light because they are bringing light and renewable energy to those who don’t yet 

have it. They are teaching whole nations that we don’t need fossil fuels to be modern,” 

exclaimed Ruffalo. The actor is a green superhero (The Hulk) not just on the big screen 

but also in real life, where he has a solar array on his New York home and spends many 

weekends battling the practice of natural gas drilling or “fracking.”

Guests at the party enjoyed organic bites from Roe and sipped on eco-friendly cocktails 

from VeeV Acai Spirit, sustainable varietals from eco.love Wines, and organic yerba 

mate beer from MateVeza. VIP partygoers received gifts of stylish Lifefactory glass 

bottles and RunRunRun bags made, coincidentally, from recycled water bottles.

Empowered By Light was founded last year by Marco Krapels, Moira Hanes and

Gianluca Signorelli to improve lives through clean, renewable technology. With their

Solar: Zambia project, they are delivering thousands of solar-powered LED lights and

cell phone charger kits to rural African families and schools.

A recent trip to Zambia in May showed that the LED lights are not only eliminating

the hazards and pollution of open-flame kerosene lamps but also helping the children

improve their performance in school. The Ministry of Education in Zambia informed

Empowered by Light that school children using the organization’s lights improved their

test scores by as much as 236 percent.

“During our last deployment, we saw first-hand the incredible impact our lights are

having,” said Krapels. “It’s richly rewarding to think that tonight, 8,000 children in rural

Zambia are reading because of our efforts, where previously they would have been in

total darkness.”

Krapels also announced the organization’s plans, in partnership with Suntech America, 

to install a sun-powered, micro grid system for Sioma High School in Zambia.

As a highlight of the event, Andrew Birch, the dashing CEO of solar company

Sungevity, presented Empowered By Light with a $40,000 donation to support the new

grid. “There is a universal need for electricity but a fundamental lack of access,” said

Birch. “Empowered by Light is making a difference in rural Zambia, and we are proud to 

be making a difference with them.”

The festivities were sponsored by environmental heavyweights Rabobank, Clif Bar,

Suntech, Lemnis Lighting, Heart of Green, and SHFT. Overall, it was a blockbuster,

star-studded evening where guests left feeling on cloud nine about their ability to make 

the world a lighter and greener place. For more scoop on the organization, please visit 

www.empoweredbylight.org

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The Hulk Mark Ruffalo Hosts Party for Renewable Energy in Africa

A-List Celebrities With Green Businesses

by Eliza Morgan

Not all celebrities are about Hollywood glamour, fast cars, and making money only. In fact, some of the most successful celebrities are about quite the opposite: saving the environment. Celebrities who have been in the business for some time are now opting to use their influence to create environmental programs and business solutions. Here is a sampling of some of the world’s most famous people today, working to create a better world for tomorrow through business:

1. Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner was the perfect personal defender in Bodyguard, and now he is defending the planet as well. His environmental protection business Ocean Therapy Solutions has spent over fifteen years designing a new centrifuge that can clean up about 2,000 barrels of oil out of seawater every day. After the BP oil spill, the company used Ocean Therapy Solutions to clean much of the coastal spill.

2. Cameron Diaz

While Cameron may be known for her goofy roles in some of the most beloved modern

comedies, this funny girl sees nothing to joke about when it comes to environmental

preservation. She has recently launched a new show on MTV, Trippin, where she heads around the world to experience first-hand some of the most dire environmental needs.

3. Rachael McAdams

Best known for her roles in The Notebook and Mean Girls Rachel McAdams is one of the top talents in young Hollywood. She is also an avid environmentalist who prefers to unplug, ride her bike, and recycle everything possible. She has also started her own site Green is Sexy to show others how to do the same.

4. Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is not only a legendary country singer, he has also always had a fondness for the open road. It’s no surprise that he co-founded a biodiesel fuel company that produces a soybean and vegetable fuel named Bio Willie in an effort to reduce the United States’ dependence of foreign oil and minimize the threat to the environment. The fuel is currently sold by Earth Biodiesel Inc.

5. Daryl Hannah

Daryl Hannah is a beauty icon and talented actress who is also very environmentally active. She owns her own online store Love Life Goods where she sells sustainable, recycled and organic lifestyle products. From beauty treats, to clothing, to composters, this site covers it.

6. Ed Begley, Jr.

Ed Begley, Jr. has been a longtime A-list celeb and many people know he has also been a longtime proponent of environmentally friendly lifestyles. Once he rejected a limo to drive him to the Academy Awards, preferring to show up right on time on his bicycle. He currently owns a company that manufactures and sells a line of green cleaning products, Begley’s Best. They are made from completely natural, but effective, ingredients and are guaranteed to be non-harmful for the environment, for animals, and for humans.

This guest post is by Eliza Morgan, a full time freelance writer and blogger. She specializes in writing about business credit cards and other business related topics. 

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A-List Celebrities With Green Businesses

Sustainable Building Apprenticeship Program For Women

10-Week Women’s Earthbag Dome Building Apprenticeship in Canada  Lillooet, British Columbia, July 28-October 6, 2012 Kleiwerks International’s Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is hosting a 10-week, hands-on natural building apprenticeship that brings together a group of women apprentices with an experienced team of earthbag builders and native St’at’imc community members. Their project is to construct a Healing & Cultural Arts Centre near Lillooet, BC. This training immersion provides participants with the opportunity to learn construction while building a dome from start to finish, develop leadership skills through facilitating local groups, work side-by-side with a community that is creating culturally appropriate local solutions, and document the story to share with wider audiences. Ideal participants are women who have follow-up projects, intend to share what they learn, want to work in the natural building trades and be part of the growing natural building movement. “This apprenticeship is a unique opportunity for participants to delve into earthbag construction while building the envisioned creative cultural community commons with the people of T’it’qet and Lillooet who are engaged in proactively creating a vibrant future by combining traditional St’at’imc culture and values with refined sustainable and ecological solutions,” says Susannah Tedesco, local Program Coordinator. Today’s building industry uses half of our planet’s resources, yet healthy, time-tested, affordable and soulful construction alternatives exist. These alternatives are based on reclaiming and refining the use of local and recycled materials. Coupled with indigenous knowledge and Permaculture design systems, natural building plays a profound role in creating a way of life that is good for people and the planet.  Instructors Fox McBride and Chloe Wolsey are teaming up for the first time, combining their extensive and global earthbag dome construction backgrounds. WASI Delegate Christine Jack is a Nlaka’pamux First Nations leader who resides in St’atimc Territory near Lillooet, BC. Guest Instructors, The Mudgirls are a network of natural builders from BC. WASI Coordinator, Susannah Tedesco, is devoted to rural grassroots initiatives that empower communities to create viable local living solutions.  Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is an alliance of women leaders who construct, educate, organize, and advocate for strong and empowered communities through ecological design-build practices with the aim of creating a socially and ecologically resilient world. For details or to apply visit: http://www.kleiwerks.org/wasi-canada-earthbagdome-apprenticeship-2012/. There are 12 seats available. The fee is $3,600, including tuition, meals, lodging and field trips. Photos:

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Sustainable Building Apprenticeship Program For Women

Premiere of Harmony at Sundance London Inspired by HRH The Prince of Wales

GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST SET TO SHINE IN WORLD PREMIERE OF HARMONY, INSPIRED BY HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES Filmed at King Pacific Lodge, environmental film debuts at inaugural Sundance London Film and Music festival NORTH VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, April 26, 2012 – Inspired by HRH The Prince of Wales (Prince Charles), Harmony, A New Way of Looking at Our World will make its world premiere on April 28th during the inaugural Sundance London Film and Music Festival. Harmony grows out of three decades of work by Prince Charles to find innovative solutions to the global environmental crisis, with the goal of creating a more sustainable, spiritual and harmonious relationship with the planet. The project, which filmed at King Pacific Lodge, a Rosewood Resort, features environmentalists, entrepreneurs, farmers, as well as business and government leaders who are working collectively to restore the balance between man and nature. While at King Pacific Lodge, producers captured spectacular images of the pristine wilderness along British Columbia’s coastline, and learned more about the lodge’s efforts as a leader in modern conservation and sustainable tourism. As a floating luxury wilderness lodge operating in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, King Pacific Lodge works hard to seamlessly blend sustainable philosophies and unparalleled luxury travel experiences, believing that fish counts are as important as thread counts. For more than a decade, the lodge has been at the forefront of creating a new model for sustainable tourism, one that embraces a triple bottom-line business philosophy equally concerned for social equity, environmental conservation, and creating both memorable and benevolent travel experiences for guests. King Pacific Lodge has made great strides in demonstrating this commitment; first by being the initial private tourism operator to forge a working partnership in 2001 with the Gitga’at First Nation in Hartley Bay, thereby recognizing their rights and title to their traditional territory, and by being the first resort in North America to offset its own carbon footprint as well as that of its guests. Additionally, Condé Nast Traveler has rated the lodge as the number one resort in Canada for four consecutive years. Harmony is produced and directed by Julie Bergman Sender and Stuart Sender, whose work has received Oscar nominations and a Director’s Guild nomination for best documentary feature. To view the trailer for Harmony, A New Way of Looking at Our World, visit www.TheHarmonyMovie.com.

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Premiere of Harmony at Sundance London Inspired by HRH The Prince of Wales

Think Like A Man Thinks Green

In time for Earth Day 2012, Sony Pictures RELEASES FIRST-EVER INDUSTRY PRODUCTION USING COMPLETELY ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHTING

Culver City, CA (April 19, 2012) - As an industry leader in environmental innovation, Sony Pictures has long experimented with energy-efficient light sources and technologies for use in its productions. But for the Screen Gems feature Think Like a Man, Sony Pictures took its efforts a step further and reached an industry first by using 100 percent energy-efficient (LED) lighting sources on the production.

“Sony Pictures is committed to making great content with a smaller and smaller energy footprint, and Think Like A Man is a great example of Screen Gems’ continuing tradition of actively reducing the impact and waste of a major feature film production,” says Gary Martin, President, Production Administration, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Conventional lighting for a motion picture requires a significant amount of energy to run and generates a lot of heat on set. This, in turn, must be cooled using air conditioning, requiring additional control equipment. Compared to a conventional incandescent bulb, however, LED lighting can generate over four times the amount of light with the same amount of energy (over four times the lumens per watt), and is also able to maneuver into tighter spaces and be transported more efficiently.

“Lighting is a crucial component in the visual art of filmmaking and brings to life the emotions of a story. LED and other energy-efficient types of lighting, when designed well, can be more efficient, easier to set up, versatile and longer lasting while still providing the visual aesthetic necessary for film production,” says Glenn Gainor, Senior Vice President, Physical Production, Screen Gems.

“Although not perfect, energy-efficient lighting is making great strides. We were excited to incorporate this industry-first in lighting into our production, and look forward to continuing to work with manufacturers to test and improve the technology,” says Mason McConnell, Executive Director of Set Lighting for Sony Pictures.

In addition to many other efforts, Think Like a Man further greened the filming by shooting the entire production in locations near the studio lot, cutting both transportation requirements as well as the need to construct sets. It also used many environmentally-friendly products and processes in the daily administration of the film.

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Think Like A Man Thinks Green

March 31st 8:30 pm - The Lights Go Off!

Earth Hour Global Slideshow - Click HERE

More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour last year alone, sending a powerful message for action on climate change. It also ushered in a new era with members going Beyond the Hour to commit to lasting action for the planet. Without a doubt, it’s shown how great things can be achieved when people come together for a common cause.

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March 31st 8:30 pm - The Lights Go Off!

Academy Awards Red Carpet Inspires Eco-Fashion For Designers And Movie Stars

by Jemima Lopez

[This guest post is by Jemima Lopez. You can read more about her on the website: Zen College Life]

The carpet may have been red at the 84th Academy Awards, but if fashion designers have anything to do with it, future star-stilted award ceremonies will soon be filled with a lot more green in the coming months— Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, Gucci, and Yves Saint Laurent are just some of the few designers who are rumored to have been inspired by the stunning eco-friendly dresses seen at last Sunday's award ceremony.

Hundreds of professional and aspiring fashion designers submitted gowns made of sustainable products earlier this year to compete in the third annual Red Carpet Green Dress Contest. This contest, which was initiated in 2009 by environmental advocate and wife of Director James Cameron, Suzy Amis Cameron, was created in the hopes of significantly reducing the environmental footprint fashion can have on the planet. Contest winners had the opportunity of seeing their gowns worn by some of the hottest Hollywood stars at the Oscars, including Best Actress winner Meryl Steep, on Feb 26. That said, below are some of the winners as well as the Hollywood stars who rocked the dresses.

 

Designer: Valentino
Star: Livia Firth
Italian movie producer and environmental advocate Livia Firth wore this lavish, bright red custom-made couture Valentino gown, which according to the "fashion police" was beautiful enough to dub her as one of the best dressed. What many didn't know however was that the fabric was a hybrid of polyester derived from recycled plastic bottles and Valentino's house silk. She also wore diamond earrings from Celleija, a sustainable jeweler. Hubby Colin Firth did his part to sustain the planet too—he recycled the Tom Ford suit he wore to the Academy Awards the year before.

Designer: Valentina Delfino
Star: Missi Pyle
Latina fashion design student Valentina Delfino created this gown for Missi Pyle, star of the silent film and Best Picture winner The Artist. The carillion, off-the-shoulder gown is made of silk "peace" chiffon, a cruelty-free fabric that does not kill worms when retrieving the silk. The silk chiffon was also dyed with a natural mineral dye, which is OSHA approved. Delfino also chose to line the gown with recycled polyester and used a sustainable zipper.

 
Designer: Jeanne Lanvin
Star: Meryl Streep
Who would've known that Streep's lovely full-length gold gown would foreshadow the Oscar she'd win only a few short hours later? The statuesque gown was actually comprised of Eco Certified Fabric sourced with help from the GCC. It marked the first eco custom-made gown created from Lanvin's team.

Designer: Ermenegildo Zegna
Stars: Kenneth Branagh and Demian Bichir

Women weren't the only ones who were gung-ho about sustaining the environment. Italian fashion designer Ermenegildo Zegna designed two custom-made tuxedos—one for Best Actor nominee Demian

Bichir (A Better Life) and one for Best Supporting Actor nominee Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn ). Both suits were made of eco-friendly, non-mulesed merino wool.

Jemima Lopez is a freelance blogger and writer who writes for Zen College Life, the directory of higher education, distance learning, and best online colleges. 

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Academy Awards Red Carpet Inspires Eco-Fashion For Designers And Movie Stars