ÔA new America emerging out of chaos'
Gala offers green solutions for environment, economy
Atlanta, Ga. Ð October 9, 2008
The convulsions in our economy and the stress on our environment have their roots in the same place Ð the oil and petroleum products that we have used to power our world. The extraction and burning of oil, which is also a finite resource, contributes to the pollution of our environment and is currently placing severe stress on families and the economy. The current crisis presents us with a wake-up call which makes the transition to a renewable-energy economy mandatory, requiring a national effort on the scale of the Apollo Mission that enabled America to put the first man on the moon.
So says Jerome Ringo, who will be the Keynote Speaker at the Fourth Annual ÒKeeping It WildÓ Gala in Atlanta October 25, at the Mason Murer Fine Art Gallery, 199 Armour Drive NE, Atlanta, 7-9 p.m. Mr. Ringo, a delegate to the Kyoto Climate Negotiations and one of the most prominent environmentalists in the country, is President of the Apollo Alliance, a national organization which lays out the policies and initiatives needed to speed investment in clean energy technology and energy efficiency and put millions of Americans to work in a new generation of well-paid, green collar jobs. Mr. Ringo, who is also Immediate Past President of the National Wildlife Federation, will address the topic, ÒEnergy, Environment and a Green Economy.Ó
For the past four years, the KIW Gala has brought prominent African American environmentalists to Atlanta to provide a national perspective on the environment. Mr. Ringo is exceptionally suited for this year as he brings an inspiring message that the current crises might actually represent a transition to a cleaner, more just and sustainable future.
The Gala also spotlights the wide diversity of people and organizations working locally to publicize the opportunities in our publicly-owned lands, to protect our environment and to implement solutions to the problems of global warming and climate change. It will also spotlight successful local green businesses and initiatives.
The ÒKeeping It WildÓ program represents a collaboration between major national environmental groups such as The Wilderness Society, the Conservation Fund and the National Wildlife Federation; regional groups including The Georgia Conservancy and Georgia ForestWatch; and local groups such as Trees Atlanta, The Edge of Night Camping Club and Earthwise Productions, Inc. Academic partners include Morehouse and Spelman Colleges and Emory University.
For more information, please call Audrey Peterman, (404)-875-1375. www.keepingitwild.org .
Keeping It Wild, The Wilderness Society, 112 Krog St., # 23, Atlanta, GA 30307