Reconnecting Humanity to the Environment

AIA Baltimore Brings Matt Petersen, CEO of Global Green, USA, to the American Visionary Art Museum

Tuesday, November 13, 2007
exhibit and reception 5 p.m., program 6 p.m.

To purchase tickets click here or call 410.625.2585. For student tickets or bulk discounts (10 or more tickets), email aianovprog@yahoo.com.

Armed with the mission of fostering a global value shift toward a sustainable future, Matt Petersen has helped build Global Green USA into an emerging force for the environment in the U.S. He has helped develop and guide the organization’s mission of eliminating weapons of mass destruction, fighting climate change, promoting green building and renewable energy, and ensuring access to clean water for all of humanity.

Petersen started the organization’s work with green building through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity in 1995. In the aftermath of the Gulf Coast hurricanes, Petersen and Global Green mobilized resources to create the "Healthy Homes and Smart Neighborhoods" initiative. A resulting project was the New Orleans Sustainable Design Competition with Jury Chair Brad Pitt. The chosen neighborhood, Holy Cross, is being rebuilt based on a winning design selected from among 125 concepts created by the top designers and architects from around the world. Other related initiatives include the NOLA Green Schools Initiative funded by the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund, and various projects with Habitat for Humanity throughout the Gulf Coast to create more energy efficient housing.

In June 2007, Global Green delivered the California Energy Commission’s first Zero Energy Affordable Housing project, SOLARA, developed by San Diego-based non-profit developer Community HousingWorks. SOLARA is the first apartment community in California to be fully powered by the sun.

"We designed SOLARA to be totally green from the inside out," said Sue Reynolds, President and CEO of Community HousingWorks, “The fact that SOLARA is also an affordable housing project proves that 'green' is not just for high-end homes."

In addition, Global Green has assisted the Los Angeles Unified School District with developing 21 new schools verified as green schools which provide 23,600 children with improved learning environments. The cumulative benefits to the environment are equivalent to planting 116,338 trees annually or removing 6,463 cars from the road each year.

Matt Petersen is an advisor to the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and a Member of the Pacific Council on International Policy. He serves on the Institute for Market Transformation toward Sustainability’s board of directors, the Environmental Media Association (EMA) advisory board and the Automotive X Prize Advisory Board. Previously, Petersen has served as a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and as Executive Director of Americans for a Safe Future, where he helped lead a successful campaign for alternative radioactive waste policies. Before leading environmental organizations, Petersen worked as a political campaign manager for candidates at the local, state, and federal levels.

Matt Petersen will speak Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at the American Visionary Art Museum in the Jim Rouse Visionary Center. An exhibit and reception will start at 5 p.m., with the program following at 6 p.m. A question and answer session will conclude the session. Tickets are $15/person, $10/students, associates and seniors. Tickets should be pre-purchased, but may also be purchased at the door as space permits. Please send all payments to AIABaltimore, 11 ½ W. Chase Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. For more information about Matt Petersen and Global Green, visit www.globalgreen.org.

1.5 AIA/CES credits with registration.

If you would like to help sponsor the Matt Petersen lecture in November at either the $500 or $1000 level, please contact Ken Dill, 443.846.2200 or kdill@kci.com with questions, or send your labeled check directly to AIABaltimore, 11 ½ W. Chase St., Baltimore, MD 21201.