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10 Big Reasons
Van Jones and Bill Nye: CEC Environmental Heroes
Earth Day is our favorite time of year here at Rivanna. We’re fortunate to provide awards for a wide range of events celebrating environmental activism, and we’re always thrilled to learn about the recipients and their contributions to our planet. This year, we worked with the Community Environmental Council to provide their Environmental Hero Awards, awarded this weekend at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival. The event honored two well-known pioneers in the environmental movement: Van Jones and Bill Nye.
Van Jones is well known for his environmental work. His 2009 bestseller, The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems, discusses how our economy and planet are inextricably linked, and provides intelligent, practical solutions for improving the state of both. Jones is the founder of Green for All, a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of green jobs and opportunities for those who most need them. This mission is close to our hearts at Rivanna, and has been at the center of our company’s values since we started creating green jobs for refugees in 2001. Jones is also a tireless advocate for social justice, and is the founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and Color of Change. We’ve been honored to make many awards for Van Jones over the years, and couldn’t be happier to see his commitment recognized yet again by CEC this year.
This year’s second Environmental Hero Award recipient is Bill Nye (fondly known as “Bill Nye the Science Guy” by many of us who grew up watching his television show by the same name - insert catchy theme song here). While his fame has come largely from his contagious enthusiasm for all things science, Nye also hosts a TV show on Planet Green called Stuff Happens, which educates consumers on how to make environmentally responsible choices in their household and daily life. He has used his position in the media to speak out as a firm supporter of the proof of manmade climate change. We’re especially inspired to learn about Nye’s informal rivalry with fellow environmental edutainment personality Ed Begley Jr, another frequent recipient of Rivanna awards. Nye and Begley are neighbors and engage in a friendly competition to see whose home can save the most energy. The two personalities are strong supporters of each other’s work and recognize the importance of each’s contributions to the environmental movement.
Both Environmental Hero award recipients are working to create a shift in attitudes and actions at the grassroots level. As president and co-founder of Rebuild the Dream, Jones mobilizes the public to revolutionize our economy, and Nye educates consumers to make green choices and do their part to reduce their carbon footprint. Their combined efforts have made huge strides in the global environmental movement and serve as a model for everyone working to do their part to save our planet. We’re honored to help recognize them this Earth Day!
