News 2006 - 2007
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November 24, 2007 - Dream in Green Expands Green Schools Challenge Program Outreach Through the Fairchild Challenge
Dream in Green is pleased to announce that it has expanded the reach of the Green Schools Challenge program through a partnership with the Fairchild Challenge, a popular educational program of Fairchild Botanical Gardens. Schools participating in the Fairchild Challenge may opt for two projects related to Dream in Green's innovative Green Schools Challege program, which is currently implemented at fifteen K-12 schools in Miam-Dade County. Dream in Green is pleased to offer resources for both middle and high school student projects. -
October 20, 2007 – Dream in Green Hosts the First Annual "Green is Glam" Event
Dream in Green hosted the first annual Green is Glam event on October 20, 2007 at the Setai Hotel on Miami Beach. The event was a resounding success as hundreds gathered to celebrate the expansion of the Green Schools Challenge and to help Dream in Green honor two of South Florida’s leading green innovators, namely City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts and longtime climate change activist Harvey Ruvin. Each of the honorees was in attendance and made remarks to event attendees upon receiving their awards. Event attendees included Miami-Dade County Public School Board Members Mrs. Perla Hantman and Mrs. Evelyn Greer, not to mention numerous teachers, administrators and local government officials. Near the end of the celebration, the organization held a drawing to raise funds for the Green Schools Challenge. Drawing prizes included a stay at the Goblin Hill Villa in Port Antonio, Jamaica, a limited edition, signed print of Xavier Cortada’s Mangroves on Blue, a Caroma dual flush toilet and Ecoist hand bags made from recycled candy wrappers. The event was sponsored by media partner Travel + Leisure, the Setai Hotel, Bombay Sapphire, Alterna Corp. and many others.
View the photos of the event. View the invitation.
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July 25, 2007 - Dream in Green Partners with World City to Make “Connections” Event Carbon Neutral
Dream in Green has partnered with World City to help eliminate the carbon dioxide footrprint of its most recent Connections event, which took place at the Hotel Sofitel and featured a panel entitled "Green as Gold: A New Gilded Age of E-Biz." World City is a media company based in Miami that serves, informs and connects more than 1,300 multinationals in South Florida. The "Green as Gold" panel was moderated by World City Publisher Ian McCluskey and focused on the future of environmental entrepreneurship and the Green movement. The panel featured three local business leaders, including Dream in Green's Co-founder and Chairman Nick Gunia. Panel attendees raised enough funds to purchase 10 megawatt hours of 100% wind energy credits, which will offset nearly 14,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. Please contact Dream in Greeen to learn how to make your next event carbon neutral. -
July 12-13, 2007 - Governor Crist Hosts Climate Change Summit at Hotel Intercontinental
Governor Charlie Crist welcomed participants to the Serve to Preserve Florida Summit on Global Climate Change, held at the Intercontinental Miami Hotel, July 12-13, 2007. Governor Crist encouraged the more than 600 participants and 200 members of the media registered for the two-day conference to actively engage in the global climate change discussion and understand the need to address climate change. Speakers at the conference included Robert Kennedy Jr., Theodore Roosevelt IV, Vinod Khosla, and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Jane Gilbert, Dream in Green’s Consulting Executive Director, attended the conference and was pleased to find that greenhouse gas reduction has become a mainstream effort for cities and states across the nation. -
May 23, 2007 - Dream in Green Honors Pioneering Schools and Educators
Dream in Green Foundation held its First Annual Green Schools Challenge Awards Ceremony, sponsored by the Miami law firm of Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A., a Foundation partner. The well-attended event recognized the stellar achievements of the Green Schools Challenge pioneering schools, MAST Academy, Ransom Everglades, and Miami Palmetto Senior High, and the extensive accomplishments of the educators who form the backbone of their respective environmental and energy sustainability programs. City of Miami and Miami-Dade County Public Schools officials were also on hand to honor these great schools and educators. Together, the pioneering schools involved 123 students in conducting carbon footprint audits of their schools and/or homes and over 1,300 students in implementing energy efficiency behaviors, recycling and tree planting.In recognition of the schools’ individual successes, Dream in Green, in cooperation with its Founding Sponsor, BankUnited, awarded each school 17 Megawatts of 100 percent wind energy credits to contribute to the tremendous strides their students have made in offsetting carbon emissions. Dream in Green also awarded Dr. Wafa Khalil of MAST, Jay Calkins of Ransom, and Pamela Shlachtman of Palmetto, each with a plaque, honoring their dedication to their students and sustainability initiatives. View photos from the event via the slide show.
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April 30, 2007 - Comcast Produces and Broadcasts Dream in Green's Earth Month Public Service Announcement
Dream in Green would like to thank Comcast for its generosity and commitment to public service, which it recently demonstrated by producing and broadcasting our Earth Month public service announcement. The half-minute spot focused on the Green Schools Challenge, a key element of our response to global warming and the dangerous dependence on fossil fuels. The public service announcement was broadcast in South Florida between March 29th and April 20th in honor of Earth Month. It appeared approximately 750 times on a wide range of cable television networks, including CNN, MSNBC, FOX, Headline News, the Weather Channel and the Discovery Channel. Watch the announcement and learn how we challenge young people to dream in green. Help us in our mission. -
April 22, 2007 - Dream in Green Celebrates Earth Day at Miami EarthFest
Director Amy Rosenberg Behind MAST Academy's Solar Panels Dream in Green celebrated Earth Day at Miami's EarthFest 2007: WaterFest Gone Green, which was held at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. Thousands of South Floridians were on hand to enjoy the day's events and to learn about ways to live in a more environmentally sustainable manner.
The event's organizers granted Dream in Green a scholarship for an educational booth, which focused on the goals and accomplishments of the Green Schools Challenge. The booth was staffed by our team, including Jane Gilbert, Carlos Canino, Amy Rosenberg, Eric Wenke and Nick Gunia. We would like to thank all those who visited our booth and who showed interest in supporting our mission in South Florida and beyond. -
February 26, 2007 - DIG Receives Grant from Dade Community Foundation
February 26, 2007 - Dream in Green has received a generous grant from Dade Community Foundation that will help support the implementation and further development of the Green Schools Challenge. Established in 1967, Dade Community Foundation is Greater Miami's permanent philanthropic endowment for enchancing the quality of life of all Miami-Dade County residents. The Foundation provides nonprofit organizations with funding support and technical assistance for programs which benefit the community. For its many donors, the Foundation provides and effictive vehicle for charitable giving and grantmaking expertise about quality programs across a broad spectrum of community issues and needs. Dream in Green sincerely thanks Dade Community Foundation for supporting our mission in Miami-Dade County. Learn more about Dade Community Foundation. -
February 20, 2007 - The Dream in Green Foundation Marks Its First Anniversary
The Dream in Green Foundation proudly marked its first anniversary on February 20, 2007. During the past year, the organization has established itself as a leader in South Florida's push towards environmental and energy sustainability. As best reflected by the successful launch of our Green Schools Challenge, which is currently underway at four schools in South Florida, we are raising awareness about energy issues and empowering locals to mitigate their environmental footprint. In the upcoming year, we endeavor to build on our past success by expanding and improving the Green Schools Challenge and by continuing to assist the public and private sectors in the response to environmental and energy challenges. We are sincerely grateful to all those who have supported our mission, including the Miami-Dade County Public School Board, the City of Miami and our generous sponsors. -
January 23-24, 2007 - National Football League's Environmental Program Director Presents at Green Schools Challenge Partner Schools
On January 23rd and 24th, Mr. Jack Groh, the National Football League's Environmental Program Director, presented at Dream in Green's Green Schools Challenge partner schools, which are helping to launch the NFL's Super School Tree Nursery Project. The Super Schools Tree Nursery Project is a new component of the NFL's strategy for eliminating the roughly 1,000,000 pound carbon dioxide footprint of Super Bowl XLI, which will be hosted in South Florida on February 4th. In an effort to educate and inspire students at partner schools, Mr. Groh outlined the mission of the NFL's Environmental Program, which is to incorporate environmental principles into the management of special events in accordance with sound business practices. He also informed students about the NFL's various environmental projects, including solid waste management and recycling, material recovery and donation, and tree planting projects, which helped to offset the carbon footprints of Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, FL and Super Bowl XL in Detroit, MI. After concluding his presentation, Mr. Groh took questions from the student audience at each of the schools he visited, which included MAST Academy, Palmetto Senior High School and Ransom Everglades Upper and Middle Schools. Mr. Groh has been a member of the NFL's Environmental Program staff since its inception 14 years ago. In 2003, Mr. Groh became the Environmental Program's Director. As Director, he is responsible for all aspects of project management, including project design, implementation, budgeting and results analysis. -
December 6, 2006 - Dream in Green has Partnered with the NFL and the City of Miami to Help Launch the Super School Tree Nursery Project
Dream in Green and our Green Schools Challenge partner schools have teamed up with the National Football League (NFL), the City of Miami and other local organizations to help launch the Super School Tree Nursery Project, a new component of the NFL's strategy for eliminating the carbon dioxide footprint of Super Bowl XLI, which will be in South Florida in 2007. The Super School Project is the brainchild of Mr. Jack Groh, the NFL's Environmental Director, who is organizing the planting of hundreds of native trees and seedlings in South Florida to offset carbon dioxide emissions generated from the Super Bowl. Through the NFL's efforts, each of the Green Schools Challenge partner schools, namely MAST Academy, Palmetto Senior High School and the Ransom Everglades School, will receive native seedlings and technical support for planting on their respective campuses. These schools will be among several other schools in South Florida that will be planting seedlings under the Super School Project. Through the NFL's generosity, some of the seedlings that will be donated to the Challenge parters will count towards offsetting their own carbon dioxide footprints, while the balance will contribute to the overall carbon mitigation strategy for Super Bowl XLI. All of the trees planted will be registered with the Billion Tree Campaign, a program coordinated by the United Nations Environment Program and backed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Professor Wangari Maathai. Dream in Green will work with TREEmendous Miami, a local non-profit, and other organizations to help coordinate the Super School Project at Green Schools Challenge partner schools. -
November 21, 2006 - The Miami-Dade County Public School Board Unanimously Approves Expansion of Our Green Schools Challenge
The Miami-Dade County Public School Board unanimously approved board item B-7, directing the Superintendent to support and expand the Green Schools Challenge at a senior high school in each of the District's six Regional Centers. The Greens Schools Challenge, which involves students in efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, has already been launched in two Regional Centers, namely at MAST Academy and Palmetto Senior High School. District representatives will select four additional senior high schools for expansion of the program in Miami-Dade County, the nation's fourth largest public school district. The board item was proposed by Mrs. Perla Tabares Hantman, who has served on the School Board for 10 years, including as Chairwoman and Vice Chairwoman, and who has been a strong supporter of making schools more efficient. Dream in Green's Co-founder and Executive Director, Nick Gunia, and Green Schools Committee member, Ben Wolkov, attended the School Board meeting and spoke in favor of expanding the Green Schools Challenge. The pilot program will be implemented by Dream in Green in partnership with the City of Miami at no cost to the District. -
November 13, 2006 - DIG Launches Green Schools Challenge at Ransom Everglades Upper School
Dream in Green officially launched the Green Schools Challenge at Ransom Everglades Upper School, which was founded by Paul Ransom in 1903 as the nation's first migratory boarding school. Before a gathering of over 500 students, teachers and adminstrators, Mrs. Ellen Moceri, Ransom's Head of School, kicked-off the event by emphasizing the need for action on the part of all students to help end the nation's dependence on fossil fuels. During her inspiring address, Mrs. Moceri identifed global warming as the greatest threat of the 21st Century. Following Mrs. Moceri, Dr. Jay Calkins, Ransom's Science Department Chair, introduced Nick Gunia, Dream in Green's Co-founder and Executive Director, who explained how students can become part of the solution by conserving electricity, planting trees and recycling, to name a few of the options for reducing Ransom's carbon dioxide footprint. Mr. Gunia was accompanied by Director Andy Louis Charles and Green Schools Committee member Ben Wolkov, who will be anchoring the Green Schools Challenge at Ransom. Special thanks to Dr. Calkins, who has agreed to serve on Dream in Green's Advisory Board. -
November 3, 2006 - DIG Executive Director Presents at Green Building Conference Held at Florida International University
Dream in Green's Executive Director, Nick Gunia, was a panelist at a green building conference at the Koven Center of Florida International University's (FIU) Biscayne Campus. The conference, entitled "Green Building and Sustainable Construction: A Roadmap for the Future," was organized by FIU's Institute for Technology Innovation and sponsored by the Canadian Government. During his presentation, Nick explained methods for calculating a building's carbon dioxide footprint and identified practical steps for reducing it. Other speakers included Harvey Ruvin, Miami-Dade County Clerk, Nils Larsson, Executive Director of the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment, and Carolyn Mitchell, the Founding President of the South Florida Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. Podcasts for the entire conference should be available at the Institute's website soon. -
November 2, 2006 - MAST Academy Students Unveil Energy Conservation Strategy for Green Schools Challenge
The MAST Academy Student Energy Management Team (the "Power Rangers") presented their conservation strategy for the Green Schools Challenge launched earlieer this school year. The Power Rangers set an ambitious goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 40%, which they propose to meet through various measures, including conservation and renewable energy projects on campus. Students estimate that these measures would save $45,000 per year by lowering electricity consumption from the local grid. The Power Rangers stated that this is just the beginning and, while implementing initial measures, they will continue to research additional strategies, such as solar water heaters and wind turbines, for next year and into the future. The event was attended by numerous DIG Directors and volunteers, representatives from the Miami-Dade County Public School District and local media, including Comcast, which graciously videotaped the event for future use as an educational tool. View photos from the event via the slide show. -
October 27, 2006 - DIG Launches the Green Schools Challenge at Ransom Middle School
Dream in Green officially launched the Green Schools Challenge at Ransom Everglades Middle School, one of Miami's oldest educational institutions with over 100 years of academic excellence. Nick Gunia, Dream in Green's Co-founder and Executive Director, addressed a gathering of the school's faculty, as well as students from the Ecology Club. Mr. Gunia was accompanied by Green Schools Committee members Ben Wolkov and Sari Mass, who will be anchoring the Green Schools Challenge at Ransom. As Mr. Gunia remarked after the kick-off, "It was only fitting for Ransom to have accepted our Challenge given the school's founder's belief in being one with the environment." Dream in Green will be launching the Green Schools Challenge at Ransom Everglades Upper School on Monday, November 13, 2006. -
October 24, 2006 - IRS Confirms Our 501(c)(3) Tax Exempt Status
We are very pleased to announce that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has confirmed that Dream in Green is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to Dream in Green are now tax deductible under section 170 of the Code. Please see the IRS's confirmation letter. -
September 29, 2006 - Inaugural Celebration; Miami's First Carbon Neutral Event
Dream in Greensm hosted Miami's first carbon neutral event at Karu and Y to celebrate the launch of the Green Schools Challenge, which was developed in partnership with the City of Miami to enlist K-12 students in efforts to conserve electricity, reduce waste and increase the use of renewable energy. At the event, we offset nearly 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide by purchasing 7,000 kilowatt hours of 100% solar power credits generated right here in Florida. Attendees included City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, who gave the keynote address, as well as representatives from the Miami-Dade County Public School District and the Miami Dade Commission. View photos from the event via the slide show and read the full press release. -
June 2, 2006 - DIG joins Miami Green Commission
Dream in Green has accepted City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz's invitation to join the Green Commission for the City of Miami, a citizens panel, which will be chaired by Commissioner Joe Sanchez and which was formed for the purpose of reducing waste, conserving energy and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. The Commission's goal is to place Miami at the forefront of environmental stewardship by implementing policies that promote conservation, the use of renewable energy and green building practices, tree planting and solid waste reduction, to name a few areas of focus.
Read the invitation sent form the Mayor's office. -
May 29, 2006 - Our Logo was Finalized
Although it was an extremely difficult decision, the visual appeal of the final logo allowed us to reach consensus on our logo design. The typeface is scriptive, yet clean to give it a sophisticated, urban look. The interconnection among the letters symbolizes the interconnectivity found in nature, as well as our mission to create more harmony between nature and everyday life.
The interconnection among the letters also reflects the cooperation and partnership we hope to engender among different groups in society. The leaf is a universal symbol for nature and the environment and sits in the center, as nature should be in all of our thoughts and actions.We placed the "in" inside the leaf to emphasize the fact that it is cool, hip, and in, to be and think green. The actual name "Dream in Green" was chosen because it serves as a challenge and also embodies our mission to both envision a green society and provide concrete steps toward realizing this future. Indeed, the work of the organization is the realization of the green dreams of its founders.
We greatly appreciate the help of ZIXODA Design for translating our philosophy and vision into reality by producing a logo that so artfully captures the essence of our organization.
Nicholas Gunia, Chairman & Co-Founder of Dream in Green
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