Go Organic! for Earth Day

Earth Day Network sweeps media coverage for Earth Day!

Chances are you saw, heard or read about Earth Day Network on Earth Day. During Earth Day week, EDN President Kathleen Rogers was featured in a live interview on CNN talking about Earth Day activities; we made ABC news; original Earth Day organizer Denis Hayes was featured in an interview on CBS News Up to the Minute, and also in Vanity Fair.com. Radio stations from around the globe including the BBC and Vatican radio interviewed our president and staff for Earth Day, and Earth Day on the National Mall in Washington, DC was covered by every network and the Washington Post. Even our Ecological Footprint got ample coverage on CNN!

In New York, our press conference in Times Square to unveil our plans for Earth Day 40 was featured on several New York television stations, and photos of the Times Square ball turned into an "Earth Ball" were featured in the Washington Post, New York Post and New York Daily news, plus a blog in the New York Times.

The ultimate toolkit to green your school, now available online!

After several years of hard work and over 300 pages of materials, Earth Day Network's Green Your School website debuted on Earth Day, April 22. With this new application, Earth Day Network's Education Department has collected the expertise and knowledge of hundreds of schools, teachers, students and administrators to provide teachers the ways and means to make their students' educational experience truly sustainable - from floor to roof, playground to school bus. These extensive, brand-new documents provide the background research, teacher lesson plans and student action plans for dozens of different school greening possibilities. What are you waiting for? Check it out now!

Go Organic! For Earth Day

Looking for an "Earth Day resolution"? Consider going organic. Through the end of April, grocers nationwide are making organics more affordable and accessible with Go Organic! for Earth Day, offering consumers major coupons and discounts, fresh details on the benefits of organic products and a chance to win a year's worth of organic groceries. To find a nearby participating grocer and to learn about the healthful and environmental benefits of organics, visit www.OrganicEarthDay.org.

Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau opens internationally for Earth Day

Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau is a two act, four character play that reflects a conversation between Thoreau and Emerson set during the final two days Thoreau spent in his cabin before leaving Walden Pond. Over 7,100 colleges and schools have already performed the play. On Earth Day, April 22, 2009, the play was broadcast nationwide on public TV, public radio, movie theaters and, not it's also available through Earth Day TV. Earth Day Network and the producers of the play have created lesson plans that make Walden a perfect educational tool.

Welcome to OrganicEarthDay.org!

History of Earth Day

By Charisse McAuliffe

The birth of the modern day environmental movement began on April 22, 1970 when a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin named Gaylord Nelson organized the first nationwide environmental protest. Little did he know at the time that for the next 39 years on April 22, environmentalists from around the world would come together to focus on Mother Earth as we celebrate Earth day.

In 1970 Americans, were using leaded gas in their sedans powered by V8 engines. Factories were exhausting absurd amounts of pollution into the air without any ramifications or even the fear of getting bad press, in fact air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity.

This was all about to change.

On that fateful day 39 years ago, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, on college campuses and in auditoriums to make their voices be heard that they wanted a healthier environment. In the past there were different groups that fought separately against things like oil spills and toxic dumps, loss of wilderness and extinction problems, but on this one day they all united and the light bulb turned on for them. Working together and in support of one another’s causes would be the key to making the level of change that was needed occur.

On that day a rare political alignment was achieved, both Republicans and Democrats were in support of the same issues. Business tycoons and labor unions agreed with one another, US citizens both rich and poor, city dwellers and farmers recognized the issues with the environment as being larger than their differences, and choose to work together. This led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and in turn the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts.

In the years to follow Senator Nelson would be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his role as the founder of Earth day.

It was in 1990 when a group of environmental leaders enlisted Denis Hayes, one of the original organizers of the 1970 protest, to take the Earth day mission to the global stage. April 22, 1990 resulted in a monumental shift for the world. On that day there were over 200 million people mobilized in 141 countries. People across the globe woke up to the realization that we all may battle in war and we may differ in religious views, and not speak the same languages, but we all have one crucial thing in common, we have but one planet we all call home. After that specific Earth day celebration in 1990, the concept of recycling became an activity that households and businesses around the world would come to do adopt and accept as status quo. This event also helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Ten years later and with the approach of the millennium, Hayes decided to spearhead the next monumental campaign. Earth Day 2000 would focus on global warming and clean energy. That April 22, the world awoke to festivities similar to the original Earth Day in 1970, combined with the international grass root effort of the 1990 event and now the power of the Internet to assist them in linking activist all over the planet. That year there were over 5,000 environmental groups around the world participating, reaching out to hundreds of millions of people throughout 184 countries.

Earth Day 2000 sent the message clearly to the powers that be, two things; global warming could no longer be ignored, and decisive action for clean energy would have to be pushed to the forefront.

Today the fight for a cleaner, more sustainable global environment continues. This is a battle that each of us wage every day. We are fighting it when we drag our filled recycling bins to our curbsides, and when we give our neighbors a ride to work. When we bring our own mug into the coffee shop, or we choose to pick up the piece of trash left behind on the sidewalk by someone before us. We have come a long way in the last 39 years, but yet there is still much work to be done.

On April 22nd, 2009, we took time to come together, celebrate what we have accomplished and educate about what still needs to be done. We must empower and motivate everyone from our next generations to rouge nations with the gift of consciousness and hope for the future.

GenGreenLife: History of Earth Day

Matava featured front page of Fiji Times - Matava - Fijis Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Matava Fiji’s Premier Eco-Adventure Resort was featured front page of Fiji Times on April 23rd 2009.

We recommend Foxit Reader for pdf reading.

“Our precious heritage has to be well managed and preserved for long term benefits with tourist increasingly looking for pristine destinations for their holidays.

“A very important product of our tourism industry is our environment. This is an emerging trend whereby many visitors give weight to environmental consideration when choosing a holiday.”

Those are the words of the Chairman of Tourism Fiji, Patrick Wong in congratulating Matava Fiji’s premier Eco-Adventure Resort, the official winner of Padi Asia Pacific Awards in the category Project Aware Marine Environment Award 2009.

Matava featured front page of Fiji Times - Matava - Fijis Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Green Your School Guide | Earth Day Network

Launch of the ULTIMATE Green Schools Website

Several years in the making and over 300 pages long, Earth Day Network's Green Your School website has arrived!!! With this new application, we have taken the expertise and knowledge of hundreds of schools, teachers, students and administrators to provide you with the ways and means to make your education truly sustainable - from floor to roof, playground to school bus. These extensive, new documents provide the background research, teacher lesson plans AND student action plans for dozens of different school greening possibilities. Start the movement at your school today at www.earthday.net/greenyourschool.

This work of several years wouldn't be possible without your continued support, and we would like to take this opportunity to ask you for a contribution that will allow us to keep providing educators with the quality resources to help green America's schools within a generation.

Your support will:

• Safeguard children's health and reduce energy consumption at K-12 schools with our Green Schools and Green reModel programs.
• Protect life around the globe by elevating the collective voices of individuals, communities, and local governments to push for action on Climate Change now.
• Reduce global warming pollution by promoting the use of green technologies to improve transportation options, create energy efficient buildings, and home appliances.

Click here to donate now!

Invest in our future - support The Green Generation™. Donate today and help us build an active, educated, greener America and global community!

Happy Earth Day!!

Sean Miller Education Director miller@earthday.net

Mike Beebe Green Schools Coordinator beebe@earthday.net

Brenna Holzhauer Education Coordinator holzhauer@earthday.net

Green Your School Guide | Earth Day Network

Guerrilla Toilet Paper

This one is just plain funny. I wish I would have seen this one in person, I can’t help but still laugh at toilet humor. The good thing about doing something in a restroom setting is that your message get the persons undivided attention for a longer period of time.

Non Profits are Kicking A$$ with Guerrilla Marketing - 4 Examples | Bootstrapping Guerrilla Marketing Blog

Matava wins Major Environmental Award at the PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards 2009

Matava has won the PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards 2009 in the category Project AWARE Marine Environmental Award 2009

KADAVU, FIJI ISLANDS - 15th April 2009 - Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco-Adventure Resort is proud to announce that it is the official 2009 winner of PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards 2009 in the Project AWARE Marine Environmental Award 2009.

The PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards were developed to better recognise the achievements of those PADI Dive Centres and Resorts who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of diving.

In competition with more than a thousand dive centres throughout the region, Matava was awarded the great honor of this award as a token of appreciation for all the efforts and initiatives put forward by the company in the last few years.

"At Matava, we are of course both happy and proud to receive this prestigious award. We find it even more important that the industry, by rewarding similar efforts, choose to take a stand for the environment we depend on. We also see it as an important signal to the community which at the same time can serve to inspire the numerous individuals and companies who have been doing so much, and continue to do even more in the field of environmental enlightenment and conservation. This award has highlighted Fiji's leading role and efforts in this regard especially." said Matava Director, Mr Richard Akhtar.

Mr Ian Cumming, PADI Regional Director for the Fiji Islands, said "I'd just like to send my congratulations to the Team at Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort who have taken out the Project AWARE Marine Environmental Award for 2009."

"Having visited the resort I know firsthand the mighty efforts everyone there have gone to to ensure the resort is very much the 'Eco Adventure' resort that has guests coming back time and again. Given the location of the resort, which adds greatly to its charm, it is a wonderful achievement that everyone involved in the resort should be very proud of!" Mr Cumming continued.

Project AWARE Foundation Chairman, Dr. Drew Richardson recognizes the importance of the scuba diving community taking its part in protection of global ecosystems. "This Award is about rewarding vision, excellence and pursuit of conservation. More importantly, this award ensures the enjoyment of underwater environments for future generations," states Richardson.

"Our Marine Environmental awards recognise dive operators making a positive impact on local communities and the environment, as well as providing great dive holidays! The number of outstanding environmental programs taking place is inspiring," said Joanna McNamara, Project AWARE Coordinator.

Joanne Marston, Manager of Project AWARE, said "Project AWARE Foundation is delighted that Matava's positive environmental actions have been recognized by PADI Asia Pacific. As a Project AWARE Go ECO Operator Matava show a dedication and commitment to conservation that goes above and beyond. Congratulations Matava."

Adopting a fresh new format that provides a system in which all PADI Members can participate, the PADI Member Awards programme was based on a system that ensured PADI Members compete with other PADI Members within their own geographical region for one of the five Awards. All PADI Dive Centres and Resorts were considered for nomination by a specially convened selection panel, who selected up to three finalists for each of the Awards.

A panel of PADI judges then considered all of the finalists and Matava is very pleased to be announced as the winner of the PADI Member Award 2009 in the category: Project AWARE Marine Environmental Award 2009.

Mr Akhtar went on to say that "This PADI Member Award gives us special recognition within the entire tourism industry and shows our customers that we are responsible and committed to reducing the environmental impacts of our business. After 6 years of hard work and commitment to our strict environmental policies, it is rewarding to be recognised again and this time by the world's largest international scuba certification agency, PADI.

"Our recent major resort upgrade in early 2008, and the addition of our new high-tech solar power plant solution for the Main Bure, kitchen and The Terrace restaurant area, we believe we are the leader in eco-sustainable resorts in the country."

Mr Akhtar finished by saying "Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco-Adventure Resort has proved that it is indeed among the leaders in environmentally sensitive resorts worldwide, and this latest award solidifies our position as an example of how resorts can operate AND help maintain and improve the surrounding environment."


PADI is the world's largest recreational dive training, certification and membership organization. PADI Members (dive centers, resorts, educational facilities, instructors, assistant instructors and divemasters) issue more than 1,000,000 certifications worldwide each year, making underwater exploration and adventure accessible to the public, while maintaining the highest industry standards for dive training, safety and customer service.

Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, is an eco adventure getaway offering you a fun and unique blend of cultural experiences and adventure activities in the environmentally pristine and remote island of Kadavu in the Fiji Islands. Matava - Fiji Premier Eco Adventure Resort is a PADI Dive Resort as well as a Project AWARE GoEco Operator. With more than 12 years experience in the Fiji Islands, Matava is recognized as a leading educational dive centre. Matava offers accommodation for up to 22 guests in lush tropical surroundings in traditional thatched Fijian 'bures' with hardwood polished floors, louvre windows and private decks offering privacy, comfort and superb ocean views

Mad Fish Dive Centre is our on-site PADI Dive Centre offering the best of diving in the South Pacific.

www.Matava.com www.Scuba-Diving-Fiji.com

# # #

Matava wins Major Environmental Award at the PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards 2009