The Latest News
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Dream in Green Wins the First Annual Sustainable South Florida Award for Green Education
On October 29, 2009, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce held the first annual Sustainable South Florida Awards at the Sofitel Hotel.
Dream in Green won this prestigious and highly coveted award in the category of Green Education and Outreach. Other award winners and categories included City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz for Green Visionary and the Spinnaker Group for Green Building. Dream in Green Co-founder and Chairman, Nick Gunia, accepted the award alongside the Board of Directors and Executive Director, Kristen Hebert. Nick dedicated the award to the hardworking teachers and students who have participated in the Green Schools Challenge, which is currently in its fourth year in Miami-Dade County.
Pictured: Dream in Green Board Members, Carlos Canino and Ben Wolkov; Chairman, Nick Gunia; Executive Director, Kristin Maria Hebert; Board Member, Jenny May; former City of Miami Mayor, Manny Diaz (Green Visionary Award Winner); and Board Member, Eric Wenke (Award Recipient on behalf of Baptist Health for Green Practices).
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October 29, 2009 - Dream in Green Honored
Dream in Green honored at Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Sustainable South Florida Award Luncheon as winner in the Green Education and Outreach category.
Dream in Green was honored for raising awareness and understanding of the environmental and energy issues confronting local and global communities.
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October 24, 2009 - Dream in Green holds Home Energy Saver Training
Dream in Green, in partnership with the City of Miami, Home Depot and EarthAid, held the Home Energy Saver Challenge training, the first part in a program aimed at helping residents save money on their utility bills and protect the environment by lowering their energy and water consumption. Each participant received a two-hour training along with a $150 Home Depot voucher to purchase energy saving products. Home energy usage will be tracked using EarthAid and prizes will be given for the top energy improvements.
NOTE: A second training for City of Miami residents will be held in January. -
May 28, 2009 - Congratulations to the 2008/09 GSC Schools!
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, David Lawrence Champion teachers, Laurie Futterman and Nick Liu, and DIG Board Chair, Nick Gunia and students. The collective efforts of the 43 participating GSC schools saved (from September 2008 to March 2009) over $414,000 in energy costs, which translates to approximately 9,800,000 kWh of electricity. The schools also recycled over 375,000 pounds of paper, plastic, and aluminum, mitigating over 14,000,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.
Dream in Green celebrated the winners at the May 28, 2009 End of the Year Awards Ceremony. David Lawrence Jr. K-8 won first place this year by reducing their electricity by almost 42% and saving $76,625 in energy costs.
To read more about the GSC, or to view GSC school greenometers.Read about how individual schools went about reaching their reductions in this comprehensive Success Booklet that was recently published.
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April & May, 2009 - Miami Gardens Power Up Program
In April and May, Dream in Green partnered with the City of Miami Gardens to deliverenergy efficiency workshops for over 300 Miami Gardens homeowners. Following the workshop, participants received a $250 voucher to purchase energy efficient products at Lowe’s.
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April 8, 2009 - Gateway to Green Brings Together More than 600 Professionals
Dream in Green partnered with the City of Miami on Gateway to Green, held April 8, 2009. The expo brought together over 600 professionals to learn about sustainable building products and services, hear from green industry experts, and interact with leaders in environmental policy and technology. “Several years ago I called for the greening of Miami, to create an environmentally-friendly city that could serve as a model for others to follow. The private industry answered the call,” said Mayor Diaz. “The Gateway to Green demonstrates our commitment to green building and to creating green jobs in Miami.”
Keynote speaker Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chairman of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), addressed participants during the event’s morning session. Two additional sessions addressed the topics of selling green and access to green. With these educational presentations, more than 50 exhibitors and a unique matchmaking opportunity, Gateway to Green is part of what makes Miami a leader in the green building movement.
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January & February 2009 - Green Schools Challenge Mid-Year MeetingsIn late January and early February 2009, Green Schools Challenge participants met to discuss the ongoing GSC and share success stories. Click here to read more about their successes this year. Thanks to Miami Country Day School, Kendale Elementary and Ransom Everglades for hosting the mid-year meetings.
December 18, 2008 - DIG honors 2008 "Green Innovators"
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Katy Sorenson receiving "Green Innovator" Award from Harvey Ruvin (MDC Clerk of the Courts) and Nick Gunia (DIG Board Chair). On December 18, 2008, Dream in Green hosted its second annual fundraising event, Eco Drive, at 500 Brickell. Hundreds gathered to support the Green Schools Challenge and honor three of South Florida's leading green innovators: Miami-Dade County Commissioner Katy Sorenson; Jim Torrens, Facilities Director with Miami-Dade County Public Schools; and Olga Alvarez, President of the US Green Building Council South Florida Chapter. Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Courts, Harvey Ruvin, hosted the awards ceremony. Visit Dream in Green on Facebook for more photos from Eco Drive.
The event was sponsored by 500 Brickell, Bombay Sapphire, Pizza Fusion, Beyond Organics Catering, Baby Bon Appetit, Sweet Touch Specialty Cakes by Hilda, Alterna Corp, Earth Saver, and Adrienne Langford Photography.
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September 27, 2008 - DIG launches 2008/09 Green Schools Challenge with training for over 70 teachers
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On September 27, 2008, Dream in Green launched the 2008/09 Green Schools Challenge with a training attended by over seventy Miami-Dade County teachers. The seven-hour training was held at Ransom Everglades Upper School and included an introduction to the GSC program as well as training on energy and climate change issues. Teachers left with the tools and knowledge to carry out the program and reduce the carbon footprint of their school.
DIG Executive Director, Edith McClintock, reviewing GSC with Teacher Champions. Thanks to first and second year GSC teachers for leading many of the sessions:
Dr. Wafa Khalil, MAST Academy; Pamela Schlactman, Palmetto Senior High School; Dr. Jay Calkins, Ransom Everglades; Bertha Vazquez, George Washington Carver Middle; and Kathleen Cattie, Fienberg Fisher K-8 Center. Especially, thanks to Ransom Everglades for hosting the training and providing the teachers with breakfast and lunch! -
July 12, 2008
DIG Executive Director guest on nationally broadcast town hall forum. [READ]
June 20 – 24 - Greening the 76th Annual US Conference of Mayors
Thanks to a generous donation from the Home Depot Foundation, Dream in Green partnered with the City of Miami, the Hotel Intercontinental, and the US Conference of Mayors to green the 76th Annual Conference of Mayors meeting held in Miami in late June. The annual meeting is a gathering of Mayors from across the country to discuss issues and vote on policy recommendations to forward to Congress and the new Administration . . .read more.
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May 15, 2008 - DIG receives donation from Staples, Inc.
Dream in Green received a generous donation of $2,500 from Staples, Inc. during the opening of Miami's first green retail building registered with the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The store is expected to receive its LEED certification within the next couple of months. The ceremony, which included a speech by Mayor Manny Diaz, took place at the Staples green store located at 2121 Biscayne Boulevard.
May 29, 2008 - Dream in Green Honors 2007-2008 "Green Schools Challenge" Participants at 2nd Annual Awards Ceremony
(L-R) Ben Wolkov, Carlos Canino, Lissette Gonzalez,
Jane Gilbert, Nich Gunia, Eric Wenke.Dream in Green hosted its second annual Green Schools Challenge Awards Ceremony at the Miami, Florida office of Stearns Weaver Miller, et al. on May 29, 2008. At the event, administrators, principals, teachers, and students from all across Miami-Dade County, celebrated their accomplishments during the 2007-2008 Green Schools Challenge, the flagship program of Dream in Green. This exciting event was hosted by Miami's own Lissette Gonzalez, the Morning Weather Anchor for CBS4 and My33, and attended by community leaders, including Miami-Dade County Commissioner Katy Sorenson and Robert Ruano, the Director of the Office of Sustainable Initiatives for the City of Miami, and Jim Torrens, the Facilities Director for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
During the 2007-2008 Green Schools Challenge, fifteen elementary, middle and high schools throughout South Florida integrated learning about climate change and environmental sustainability into their curriculum. The students translated that learning into hands-on action at their schools, homes and the community. In total, these schools saved over $150,000 by conserving roughly 650,000 kilowatt hours in electricity, recycled approximately 87,000 pounds of paper and planted 540 native trees. Alterna Corp., a Green Schools Challenge sponsor, donated an additional 10,000 kilowatt-hours in renewable energy credits to each of the fifteen schools participating in the program. Together, this grassroots effort reduced, sequestered or offset nearly 1.2 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. These impressive accomplishments are reflected on each school's Greenometer dashboard, which measures each school's progress towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
View photos from the event via this slide show. -
Dream in Green and Mayor of Miami Join to Promote Earth Hour.
On March 24, 2008, Dream in Green, the Mayor of Miami, Florida, USA, and Miami’s Downtown Development Authority gathered to promote Earth Hour 2008, happening on March 29.
Over 300 guests packed the Sky Terrace at the landmark Bank of America Tower to watch as Mayor Manny Diaz and his daughter, Elisa, turned off the multiple lights of the distinctive, 47-story Tower to encourage Miami’s residents to participate in the upcoming Earth Hour.
The event’s attendees also took a pledge to join millions worldwide who will shut off their lights from 8 to 9 p.m. on March 29 for the Earth Hour event.
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February 13, 2008 - Listen to "Maybe Just Maybe" by Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts Harvey Ruvin
Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts Harvey Ruvin introduced his inspirational rap on global warming, "Maybe Just Maybe," at Dream in Green's first annual Green is Glam event on October 20, 2007 at the Setai Hotel on Miami Beach. Mr. Ruvin was given the "Green Innovators" award that evening along with City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz. Ruvin's rap is currently energizing students participating in the 2007-2008 Green Schools Challenge.Click on song name list item on the left to start listening. Download a zipped MP3 file for your own use. (Un-zip after downloaded to your computer)
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February 4, 2008 - Dream in Green and Green Partners Launch Version 2.0 of the GreenometerSMDashboard at Greenometer.org
The Dream in Green Foundation, in cooperation with Green Partners, LLC, has launched version 2.0 of the GreenometerSM Certification System and Dasboard at Greenometer.org. The GreenometerSM Dashboard allows our Green Schools Challenge participants to easily measure reductions in their electricity consumption and carbon emissions, not to mention dollars saved. You can now view the GreenometerSM Dashboard for each of the fifteen schools participating in the Green Schools Challenge at Greenometer.org. Learn how to read the GreenometerSM Dashboard and find out how it works here! -
February 2, 2008 - Dream in Green Chairman Nick Gunia Speaks at Leadership Miami Environmental Focus Session
On Saturday, February 2nd, Dream in Green Chairman, Nick Gunia, spoke at a Leadership Miami Focus Session on the environment. Leadership Miami is an innovative leadership development program sponsored by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. The Focus Session, which was held at Homestead High School, featured talks by local environmental leaders and activists, including renown artist, Xavier Cortada, who along with Alex Montalvo of Citizens for a Better South Florida spoke about their Native Flags Project, which is planting trees in South Florida and reclaiming land for nature. Nick Gunia, a 2004-2005 Leadership Miami program graduate, spoke about how the program impacted him and emboldened him, and two of his Leadership Miami classmates, Carlos Canino and Amy Rosenberg, to co-found Dream in Green in order to tackle environmental and energy challenges facing the community. Learn more about the Leadership Miami program. -
January 30-31, 2008 - DIG Holds Mid-Year Year Meetings for Green Schools Challenge Teachers and Administrators
Dream in Green Holds Mid-Year Training Meetings for Green Schools Challenge Participants
On January 30th and 31st, Dream in Green held mid-year training meetings for the teacher and administrator teams at the fifteen schools participating in the 2007-2008 Green Schools Challenge. The training meetings were led by Jane Gilbert, Dream in Green's consulting Executive Director and attended by 32 teachers and administrators for 13 schools. At the meetings, the teacher and administrator teams discussed their efforts and best practices, evaluated their progress and challenges, and made plans for implementing the program in the second half of the school year. -
January 12, 2008 - Dream in Green Holds 2nd Anniversary Fundraiser at SET on Miami Beach
Hundreds gathered on Saturday, January 12th, at SET Nightclub on Miami Beach to celebrate the second birthday of Dream in Green and to raise funds for the 2007-2008 Green Schools Challenge. The Green Schools Challenge currently serves over 18,000 students, teachers and administrators at fifteen K-12 schools throughout Miami-Dade County. Dream in Green is grateful to SET, which donated $500 to the organization and provided the venue and complimentary cocktails for attendees.
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