Global Green

Sebastian Copeland presents his new book of photography about Antarctica

Join Global Green USA Board Member and internationally renowned photographer Sebastian Copeland this Wednesday, November 19th at Barnes and Noble on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica as he presents his latest book of photography Antarctica: A Call to Action. A portion of the proceeds from the book support Global Green's initiatives.

Copeland’s awe-inspiring images of the frozen continent capture the beauty of the glaciers, biodiversity, and wild wide seas of the Drake Passage.Along with exceptional new photographs, Antarctica: A Call To Action is a concise and visually compelling discussion about global warming with a hopeful and helpful new take: each of us can make a positive difference through small changes. With insightful commentary, the purity of undoctored photographs and "takeaways" provide readers with simple lifestyle changes to help preserve Antarctica’s fragile ecosystem.

Global Green CEO speaks on sustainability

The Daily Evergreen. Oct 30, 2008. By Mike Brambley.

The environmental costs of global warming are a threat to the livelihood and survival of the human race, said Matt Petersen, president and CEO of Global Green USA.

Petersen spoke to students about the environmental benefits of green building and sustainable development Tuesday in the CUB Ballroom. The speech was the concluding event of Global Green Week, which occurred Oct. 20-24.

“Now is the time to invest in green jobs,” he said. “Now is the time to invest in the future of energy supplies like wind and solar power.” Petersen’s company, Global Green USA, works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating sustainable building and city designs.

Global Green USA arrived early in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. He said the company set the standard for green development in the effort to rebuild homes destroyed by the hurricane.

“We got there early and made a commitment,” Petersen said. “It has had a ripple effect.” Most of the homes constructed in New Orleans are designed to be energy efficient since reconstruction began, he said.

Petersen encouraged students to consider careers in environmental protection, even if their majors are not related to environmental sciences.

He said global warming and other world environmental problems are the greatest challenges facing humanity in today’s world.

“The planet can survive without us, but we cannot survive without a healthy planet,” he said.

Full Daily Evergreen Article

Matt Petersen presents at Bioneers

Global Green President Matt Petersen is participating in this years Bioneers Conference. Founded in 1990, Bioneers promotes practical environmental solutions and innovative social strategies for restoring Earth’s imperiled ecosystems and healing our human communities. 

Founder Kenny Ausubel coined the term Bioneers in 1990 to describe an emerging culture. Bioneers are social and scientific innovators from all walks of life and disciplines who have peered deep into the heart of living systems to understand how nature operates, and to mimic "nature's operating instructions" to serve human ends without harming the web of life. Nature's principles—kinship, cooperation, diversity, symbiosis and cycles of continuous creation absent of waste—can also serve as metaphoric guideposts for organizing an equitable, compassionate and democratic society

On Friday afternoon, Matt Petersen will be moderating a panel: Leveraging Business Innovations for Environmental Breakthroughs. The panel includes Ray Anderson; Erin Meezan, Interface’s director of sustainable development; and Jack Hidary, brilliant entrepreneur and innovation maven, first funder of the Automotive XPrize, and founder and chairman of the Freedom Prizes.

Find our more about Bioneers here.

Global Green participates in Solar Power International

A number of Global Green staff will be speaking on panels at Solar Power International 08, which takes place Oct 13-16 in San Diego, CA. Solar Power International is the largest solar conference and expo in the US, currently by a factor of more than 5, and attracts the widest range of professional attendees. The event also educates consumers through a one-night public opening of the expo hall.

Global Green in Texas as part of “Greening the Tax Credits” Campaign

Global Green Policy and Legislative Affairs Director Mary Luevano travels to Austin, Texas September 24th to make a presentation to staff at the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs about the benefits of green affordable housing. This trip and a previous one in July are part of Global Green’s “Greening the Tax Credits” Campaign an effort to get states to incorporate green building criteria in their low income housing tax credit programs, the most competitive source of financing for low income housing developments nationwide. Global Green has been successful in encouraging the adoption of green building criteria in CA, LA, NY (state and City) and has influenced practices in several other states.

Global Green participates in Park(ing) Day LA

Friday, September 19th is Park(ing) Day LA, an event which encourages groups to transform parking spaces & parking lots located throughout LA into ephemeral parks for the day. By occupying a parking spot, volunteers enhance the streets with sustainably designed pocket-parks.