Green Legal in the News

We were recently featured in an article by BestOfNewOrleans.com. The article discusses how the conference was originally conceived as being strictly a legal conference for lawyers to discuss the implementation of new environmental laws, regulations, etc. Then it morphed into something much broader. It’s now something for anyone looking to learn more about the green movement, including green building design, sustainable products design, how businesses are saving money by becoming more eco-friendly, and everything you can do to reduce your impact on the environment.

Another theme of the conference is how New Orleans can launch itself into the list of “green” cities and what benefits that would provide for its citizens and economy. Below is an excerpt from the article discussing how New Orleans is becoming more recognized in the green community:

The Washington D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council has set up an office here; there are green neighborhoods (the ReUse and the Green Light districts); and Lisa Jackson, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is a former Pontchartrain Park resident and St. Mary’s Dominican alum. Signs point to New Orleans possibly becoming a nationwide leader for green building — but not quite yet. Of the more than 75,000 people in the U.S. who have completed LEED certification programs, the green standard for building, few are attorneys. In Louisiana, there are only four.

And another excerpt talking about the agenda for the conference:

The first track of the conference, focusing on legal issues, looks at “the new normal,” as one seminar calls it. Debbie Belletto of the New Orleans Convention Company Inc., one of the convention’s co-organizers, says addressing “green” issues and taking them beyond a meaningless buzzword is one of the hurdles companies face with sustainability.   Other legal seminars at the conference address LEED certification, building codes, real estate development and liability — “Where Green Goes Wrong” explains, naturally, how do it right.

To read the full article, visit: http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/the-inaugural-green-matters-legal-conference-makes-a-case-for-green-law-in-new-orleans-new-green-economy/Content?oid=1342252

Scotland Going Green

Yesterday Reuters magazine reported that despite the climbing price of offshore and wind technology, Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, has declared that by 2020 80 percent of their electricity produced will be delivered by renewables alone. By 2025, their electricity source will be 100 percent green. United with wind, wave and tidal generation, First Minister Salmond plans to make Scotland an ample net exporter of electrical power.

Featured Speakers at Green Legal Matters Conference

Green Legal Matters is proud to announce our opening keynote speaker, Rex Miller. The esteemed author and futurist is the author of The Commercial Real Estate Revolution: Nine Transforming Keys to Lowering Costs, Cutting Waste & Driving Change in a Broken Industry and the winner of the 2009 CoreNet Global Innovator of the Year Award.Before the conference, learn more about Miller by visiting his website at rexmiller.net.

The Honorable Dwight Evans, the House Appropriations Chairman, will elaborate on the Fresh Food Financing Initiative, a program that provides funds to build and expand grocery stores in urban and rural communities. Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government has noted Evans’ FFFI as one of the top public policy initiatives in the country and First Lady, Michelle Obama, has incorporated the program into her “Let’s Move” campaign to combat childhood obesity. Evans is known for his dedication to providing quality food to underserved areas as well as enhancing education across Pennsylvania.

Avi Garbow will give an update on the United States Environmental Protection Agency at the conference. Appointed by President Obama to serve as the EPA’s Deputy General Counsel, Garbow has many years of environmental law experience in the private and public sectors. In the past, he served in the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and as a federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice Environmental Crimes Section. Within the EPA, Garbow focuses on significant legal issues in its media programs including air, water, waste and toxics.

Clean Air, Green Air

Going green and being socially responsible has captured the attention of many celebrities who realize and understand the importance of protecting our environment. Alec Baldwin, the Flaming Lips and many other celebrities approach the growing concern for green sustainability by concentrating on the Clean Air Act. Repower America made a new video to defend the Clean Air Act and promote awareness to the green community. Going green and staying green can start with you. Anyone can join the efforts to protect the planet. It’s so easy and there are so many ways to get involved. Watch the video below and see how America is getting involved and going green.

Green Matters: The Green Conference in New Orleans

Green Matters invites all individuals interested in green sustainability efforts to attend its first Conference in October. Anyone attending the Green Matters conference will be exposed to greening initiatives in terms of green building standards, green living, green consulting, as well as ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Protecting the environment and our planet by “going and learning green” benefits all individuals. Join others for the Green Matters Conference where you will learn the basic fundamentals of living a green life. Take the first step to protect yourselves and the planet by attending the conference! Listen to other individuals and why they are attending as well:

It’s Not Easy Being Green: Be a LEEDer

Come to the Green Event in New Orleans. The first Green Matters conference is in New Orleans October 13th-15th. It’s time to actually go green and learn from the green business, green living, and green-consulting experts. Learn how to create sustainable businesses, buildings and living for the future. Educate yourself on green energy, all that is green legal, LEED certifications, and reduce your carbon footprint. This conference couldn’t be timelier given the recent events in our Gulf. Watch the latest video discussing the conference: 

Green Matters Proposal to Improve New Orleans Landscape

Bloomberg News released an article, New Orleans Needs Scenic Canals, Not Grim Levees, featuring two of Green Matters Conference speakers, David Waggonner of Waggonner Ball Architects and Dale Morris of the Royal Netherlands Embassy. Morris and Diaz want to landscape waterways along New Orleans’ bayous and levee areas.

Waggonner believes New Orleans needs to “act like a delta city”. Ships sailed into the Bayou St. John from lake Pontchartrain over 100 years ago, and then into a wide canal that ran along the French Quarter. Waggoner wants to restore the canal that ran through New Orleans a long time ago to help with the water-storage system.

Waggonner  and Dave Morris will discuss their proposal for Scenic Canals at GREEN MATTERS Conference in October. To read the entire commentary, click on the following website: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-03/new-orleans-needs-scenic-canals-not-billions-in-levees-james-s-russell.html