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Points of Light's Civic Accelerator Invests in 10 Startups that Put People at Center of Change

Points of Light’s Civic Accelerator – the first national startup accelerator dedicated solely to investing in civic ventures – announced today the 10 nonprofit and for-profit start-ups selected to participate in its summer program. The ventures participating in the Civic Accelerator all mobilize people to create positive change.

While Points of Light has a 20-year history of engaging people in volunteer service, the launch of the Civic Accelerator marks the first time the organization is investing venture capital funds in social enterprises.

Ten teams, selected from 150 applicants, will gather on May 20 in Atlanta for the start of an intensive, 12-week boot camp which will include mentoring, entrepreneur education, peer support and networking.

Points of Light has offered each startup a $10,000 investment. Additionally, Points of Light will offer two of the most promising ventures – as determined by the entrepreneurs themselves –an additional $50,000 investment at the end of the summer.

The Civic Accelerator is run in partnership with Village Capital, which has launched 22 accelerator programs in the U.S. and emerging markets, serving over 300 enterprises directly addressing poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability and economic development. Founding support for the unique accelerator comes from PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. and Starbucks Foundation.

The 10 startups participating in the second cohort of the Civic Accelerator are:

 

 

 

EPIC empowers creative professionals to make social change happen.

 

 

 

GenX & Associates helps communities dashboard their social, economic, and environmental data online for local decision-making.

 

 

GraphAlchemist offers Graph as a Service (GaaS) to provide data driven solutions to complex problems.

 

 

 

Neighbor.ly is the funding platform for civic projects.

 

Open Curriculum is an online platform to create, access and share K-12 learning material.

 

 

 

 

Practice Makes Perfect works to narrow the achievement gap in low income U.S. neighborhoods through summer enrichment programs.

 

 

 

Public Lab is a community that develops and applies affordable, open-source environmental monitoring tools to empower citizen scientists.

 

 

 

 

The GREEN Program transforms experiential education around the world, and empowers leaders to break into and disrupt the hottest industries of our time.

 

 

 

 

Jubilee Project makes videos for a good cause that empower, enable, and inspire the next generation of change-makers.

 

 

 

Village Defense provides neighborhoods with a real-time communications system to keep neighbors safe and connected.

"Supporting innovation in the design of sustainable, scalable programs that drive social good is an important part of our giving philosophy," said Chris Simmons, president, PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. "We are pleased to congratulate the second class of 10 startups selected for the accelerator and look forward to seeing their impact in the areas of education and humanitarianism."

“Innovation is core to what we do at Starbucks, and we are inspired by the work of these entrepreneurs and innovators,” said Adam Brotman, chief digital officer at Starbucks. “We are honored to support this valuable program and are looking forward to witnessing the continued success of the teams as they make a positive impact on their communities.”

“We are excited about the new thinking and innovative models we are seeing – and investing in – across the country. The for-profit and nonprofit ventures, with their shared focus on customers and need for sustainable business models, have a great deal in common,” said Ayesha Khanna, president of the Civic Incubator at Points of Light. “We believe their success will engage people in solving critical social problems and strengthening communities.”

“Over the next three months, these enterprises will get the best support and the toughest criticism they’ve ever received from their peers,” said Ross Baird, executive director of Village Capital. “The program will focus on everything from customer validation to financials, and we expect that the collaboration of these amazingly talented people will be a force multiplier for their success.”

About Points of Light
Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages more than 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most. For more information, go to www.pointsoflight.org.

About Village Capital
Village Capital uses the power of peer review and support to shape enterprises making an impact, and to change the way investment in them is made.  Through tested educational programs worldwide, and through a unique peer-selected model, Village Capital provides innovative risk capital to the world’s highest-potential ventures while expanding the scope and infrastructure of the impact investing industry. For more information, go to www.vilcap.com.

About PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc.
The PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc., a section 501(c)(3) organization, makes charitable contributions to the people of PwC in times of financial hardship, and to nonprofit organizations that support and promote education and humanitarianism.

Nicor Volunteers Come Together to Give Back to 15 Northern Illinois Communities

Since 1997, Nicor employees have dedicated the third Saturday in May for Volunteer Day as their way of giving back to the local communities where they live and work.

On Saturday, May 18, hundreds of employees, family members, and friends will honor their commitment to volunteerism and one the company’s core values – generosity of spirit – by performing a variety of community service activities. From outdoor beautification, to constructing houses for low-income residents, to sorting food at local food pantries, 18 projects will be performed benefitting 15 cities and towns across northern Illinois.

Employees from Nicor Gas, a local natural gas distribution company, will be joined by employees from Nicor Home Solutions, an unregulated provider of appliance protection plans and other home related services and Nicor Enerchange, provider of natural gas to commercial and industrial customers in the Midwest primarily in the northern Illinois market, to complete the community enrichment projects, which are much more than painting fences and raking leaves. 

“Volunteer Day reflects the collective spirit of our Nicor companies,” said Beth Reese, president of Nicor Gas. “For the last 17 years, our employees have dedicated personal time on a Saturday to demonstrate their dedication to our communities and help make our world a better place for everyone.”

Volunteers will complete projects in the following communities:

• Volunteers will spruce up the Hesed House, a homeless shelter at 680 S. River Street, Aurora.
• Volunteers will help beautify the Mooseheart Child City and School in Batavia by planting flowers, cleaning up trails and painting a horse corral.
• A team will tackle energy-efficient renovations alongside McLean County Habitat for Humanity volunteers at a new renovation project in Bloomington.
• More than 50 volunteers will assist with landscaping outdoor spaces and painting marcfirst, group homes for individuals with mental and physical disabilities in Bloomington.
• DeKalb volunteers will return to the Salvation Army Food Pantry at 830 Grove Street to plant a community garden and perform outdoor cleanup.
• Benefiting Downers Grove area women’s shelter, volunteers will take on a painting project to freshen up the common areas. This project is sponsored by the AGL Resources women's group, Inspire.
•  At Connections for the Homeless in Evanston, volunteers will help prepare a home for a new family by performing weatherization tasks and painting.
• Geneva volunteers will sort and organize food at the Northern Illinois Food Bank at 273 Dearborn Court.
• Our volunteers will give a fresh coat of paint to and spruce up The Dixie House on Dixie Highway in Harvey for Restoration Ministries, a group that provides social and human services for underprivileged families and individuals.
• Joliet volunteers will tackle a little spring cleaning and will help organize the Morningstar Mission retail stores and warehouse at 350 E. Washington St.
• Volunteers will clean up the property at Cornerstone Group Home, a short-term, residential group home for boys, ages 13-17, in Lisle.
• Naperville volunteers will pitch in to plant and landscape the property around the 60-acre McDonald Farm run by the Naperville Conservation Foundation.
• At the DuPage Children’s Museum in Naperville, about 25 volunteers will mulch and trim bushes along the property, and plant flowers in large outdoor planters.
• Lending hands to Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry at 1871 High Grove Lane in Naperville volunteers will sort food collected during recent community food drives and distribute them to clients.
• Volunteers at Lake Katherine Nature Center in Palos Heights will plant native trees and plugs and spread prairie seeds harvested from Nicor Gas’ prairie and will help rehabilitate natural areas as part of the eco- and family-friendly project, which includes building an animal mound - a 35-foot long salamander.
• The Rock River Valley Food Pantry will welcome volunteer efforts to help sort food and clean up around the grounds at two locations in Rockford.
• Flowers and mulch will be planted at The Manor at Hearthstone Communities, rehabilitative and nursing care facilities at 920 N. Seminary Ave. in Woodstock.
• Yorkville volunteers will perform outdoor planting and indoor painting at the Kendall County Food Pantry.

To learn more about our community involvement, visit http://nicorgas.aglr.com/Universal/AboutUs/CommunityInvolvement.aspx

About Nicor Gas

Nicor Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of AGL Resources (NYSE: GAS), is a natural gas distribution company that serves more than 2 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, visit www.nicorgas.com.

About AGL Resources

AGL Resources (NYSE: GAS) is an Atlanta-based energy services holding company with operations in natural gas distribution, retail operations, wholesale services, midstream operations and cargo shipping. As the nation's largest natural gas-only distributor based on customer count, AGL Resources serves approximately 4.5 million utility customers through its regulated distribution subsidiaries in seven states. The company also serves approximately 600,000 retail energy customers and approximately 1.2 million customer service contracts through its SouthStar Energy Services joint venture and Nicor National, which market natural gas and related home services. Other non-utility businesses include asset management for natural gas wholesale customers through Sequent Energy Management, ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities, and ownership of Tropical Shipping, one of the largest containerized cargo carriers serving the Bahamas and Caribbean region. AGL Resources is a member of the S&P 500 Index. For more information, visit www.aglresources.com.

CVS Caremark 2012 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Novartis Wins GBCHealth Business Action on Health Award For Social Ventures Initiative

• GBCHealth recognizes Novartis Arogya Parivar (“Healthy Family”) initiative as one of the best corporate programs to address global health needs

• Arogya Parivar has improved access to medicine for 42 million patients across 33,000 villages in India

• This program is a Novartis social venture, building local, sustainable solutions to address healthcare challenges in emerging markets

Novartis is pleased to announce that GBCHealth, a coalition of more than 230 private sector companies working to improve global health, has awarded the company’s Arogya Parivar program the Business Action on Health Award for Application of Core Competence. Arogya Parivar is a sustainable business model that makes affordable, high-quality medicines accessible to underserved millions in India. The program also expands access to health education and consultations in remote villages.

“We are proud to be recognized by GBCHealth for our Arogya Parivar program," said Joe Jimenez, Novartis Chief Executive Officer. “Arogya Parivar is an important part of the work Novartis is doing around the world to develop sustainable solutions that address the unmet medical needs of people in developing nations. Through our social ventures programs, we’re making a difference by encouraging better health and at the same time driving local economic growth. We expect Arogya Parivar to have an enduring impact in India and look forward to extending the model to other developing economies.”

Arogya Parivar, meaning “Healthy Family” in Hindi, is a for-profit social business developed by Novartis that adapts a market-based approach to improve healthcare access for India’s rural poor. Novartis trains health educators, who teach communities about health and disease prevention, and sales supervisors, who increase local medicine access across several therapeutic areas by informing local pharmacists about products. Since launching Arogya Parivar in 2007, Novartis has trained more than 500 health educators and supervisors and improved access to healthcare for 42 million patients across 33,000 villages in India. As a result of the positive impact of Arogya Parivar, Novartis is working to further expand the social business model in 2014.

Arogya Parivar is one example of a Novartis “social venture” approach. Social ventures build local, sustainable solutions to address healthcare challenges in emerging markets. These programs go beyond medicine, donations, and price reductions, by tackling larger societal issues that impact access to healthcare: education, infrastructure and distribution. With each social venture, Novartis adapts its approach to meet diverse local health and cultural needs.

To learn more about Novartis Social Ventures, please visit http://www.novartis.com/corporate-responsibility/access-to-healthcare/our-key-initiatives/index.shtml.

Disclaimer

This press release contains expressed or implied forward-looking statements, including statements that can be identified by terminology such as “expect,” ”look forward to,” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Group regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such statements. These expectations could be affected by, among other things, risks and factors referred to in the Risk Factors section of Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update it in the future.

About Novartis

Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools, over-the-counter and animal health products. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2012, the Group achieved net sales of USD 56.7 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.3 billion (USD 9.1 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges). Novartis Group companies employ approximately 129,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis.

Novartis Media Relations

Central media line: +41 61 324 2200
Eric Althoff Novartis Global Media Relations +41 61 324 7999 (direct) +41 79 593 4202 (mobile) eric.althoff@novartis.com	Beth Calitri Novartis Global Media Relations +41 61 324 7973 (direct) +41 79 523 0198 (mobile) beth.calitri@novartis.com

For Novartis multimedia content, please visit www.thenewsmarket.com/Novartis
For questions about the site or required registration, please contact: journalisthelp@thenewsmarket.com.

Novartis Investor Relations

Central phone:	+41 61 324 7944
Samir Shah	+41 61 324 7944	North America:
Pierre-Michel Bringer	+41 61 324 1065	Stephen Rubino	+1 862 778 8301
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e-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com		e-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com

MGM Resorts Foundation Announces the 2013 Women's Leadership Conference

As part of its continuing effort to promote professional development and career advancement among women, MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and The MGM Resorts Foundation today announced the 2013 Women’s Leadership Conference on Aug. 8– 9, 2013 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Navigating Your Future features diverse and nationally recognized speakers and accomplished women role models, as well as provides forums for small-group dialogue and individual networking among highly motivated conference attendees.

“As more and more women ascend to leadership roles nationally and globally, in business, in elected office, in our communities and in all phases of our lives, empowerment of women is a surging phenomenon, now and into our future,” said Phyllis A. James, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of MGM Resorts International.  “Helping to prepare women to better meet the challenges of such roles is an important dimension of our commitment to diversity.”

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women are estimated to account for 51.2 percent of the increase in total labor force growth between 2008 and 2018.  In 2010, women comprised 46.8 percent of the total U.S. labor force.

The conference is open to women of all ethnicities, professions and social backgrounds, locally and nationally, and men who support them. The non-profit MGM Resorts Foundation is the conference’s presenting sponsor and – for the first time – will be partnering with the nationally renowned Women’s Food Service Forum (WFF). Proceeds of the conference after costs will be donated to one or more local nonprofit agencies devoted to the welfare and development of women and girls.

The early registration fee for conference participants is $250. Registration includes the full conference and all workshops and lectures, a networking reception, and continental breakfasts and lunches catered by MGM Grand.  Time is also allotted for attendees to build key professional relationships with other women attending while enjoying the hospitality and entertainment of MGM Grand and other resorts of MGM Resorts International.

Participating sponsorships are available to organizations or companies who share the vision and goals of this conference. Returning sponsors include Cox Communications and Greenspun Media Group.

For more information about the Women’s Leadership Conference, please visit www.mgmresorts.com/womensleadershipconference.

About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE:MGM) is one of the world’s leading global hospitality companies operating a peerless portfolio of destination resort brands, including MGM Grand Detroit, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company’s website at www.mgmresorts.com.

Best Organics Inc. is Now Recognized as a Certified B Corporation by B Lab

Leading organic gift basket provider Best Organics Inc., based here, is pleased to announce that it has achieved “B Corporation” certification for its focus on sustainability, social responsibility and business performance. Certified Benefit Corporations seek to integrate the “triple bottom line” of people, planet and profit into their business organization and culture, serving all the business’ stakeholders, including investors, employees, suppliers, customers and the communities in which the business operates.

B Corporations are certified by the non-profit B Lab, founded in 2006 by Andrew Kassoy, Jay Coen Gilbert and Bart Houlahan, veterans of private equity and footwear and apparel businesses. Through B Lab, the founders created a points-based certification system for forward-thinking entrepreneurs and businesses that wish to create and operate within a sustainable business framework. The movement is exceeding growth expectations, now with more than 700 companies in 60 business sectors across 24 countries, including industry leaders Ben & Jerry’s, Patagonia, Sambazon, Numi Tea, Bhakti Chai, Method, GoLite, and now Best Organics Inc.

“Increasingly there are businesses that want to create value for all their stakeholders, not just their shareholders,” said B Lab cofounder Andrew Kassoy. “These companies are competing not just to be best in the world, but best for the world. B Corp certification is like the Fair Trade label, but for the whole company, not just the bag of coffee. We are pleased that Best Organics has joined a unique group of more that 700 companies committed to making a big difference.”

“As a social mission driven company, joining the ranks of the B Corporation community provides support for our efforts to foster the health of people and the environment. Through the promotion of certified organic products that we offer in our America's Best Organics gift baskets, we support artisan producers and educate consumers that their purchases make a difference,” says Seleyn DeYarus, CEO of Best Organics Inc.

As the co-producer of the Boulder-based “At the Epicenter” speaker series, Best Organics recently invited Andrew Kassoy to speak to a Boulder business audience on the importance of the triple bottom line model in a world of pervasive green-washing.

Not only is Best Organics B Corp certified but several of the companies that are featured in the America's Best Organics gift basket collections are as well. The company curates products that are organic and/or fair trade certified but also seeks to create vendor partnerships with companies that are also Certified B Corporations. The company proudly offers Runa Tea, Fearless Chocolate and Numi Tea, all Certified B Corporations, as part of their fine product selections.

About Best Organics Inc.
Best Organics Inc. is a leading provider of organic and sustainable gift baskets, and a brand promotion and event production company. With roots in Boulder, Colorado, renowned as a center of natural, organic and sustainable business, Best Organics offers America’s Best Organics, an all organic gift basket-in-a-box filled with organic foods and snacks, personal care products and other eco-friendly items from local, artisan, regional and national brands made by social mission guided USA companies.

The company is the producer of At the Epicenter, a series of interactive CEO armchair interviews and networking events featuring nationally renowned business and thought leaders in the $300-billion LOHAS market as well as the Organic Alley Pavilion at the Boulder Green Streets annual ciclovia.

About B Corp
Certified B Corporations 1) meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance; 2) legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests; and 3) build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand. As of May 2012, there are over 530 Certified B Corporations from over 60 industries , representing a divers e multi-billion marketplace.

About B Lab
B Lab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Lab drives systemic change through three interrelated initiatives: 1) building a community of Certified B Corporations to make it easier for all of us to tell the difference between “good companies” and just good marketing; 2) accelerating the growth of the impact investing asset class through use of B Lab’s GIIRS impact rating system by institutional investors; and 3) promoting supportive public policies, including creation of a new corporate form and tax, procurement, and investment incentives for sustainable business.

Save the Date: EuroCharity Yearbook 2012/13 Presentations

EuroCharity will present the publication "EuroCharity Yearbook 2012/13 - Innovation for Excellence" at two special events in Brussels, Belgium and Athens, Greece.

• The presentation in Brussels will take place on June 26, 2013 (between 09:00-12:00 hours) at the European Parliament, Altiero Spinelli Building, A3G-2, Brussels.
• The presentation in Athens will take place on July 3, 2013 (between 19:00-22:00 hours) at PLOTO, Marina Flisvos, P. Faliro, Athens.

EuroCharity will invite all the 2012/13 Yearbook participants/contributors along with their stakeholders to present at and attend these two very important and timely events. For information regarding the Yearbook series, you may visit: www.eurocharity.eu/en/yearbook.

For participation please contact:
E-mail: ilektra.liberopoulou@eurocharity.org
Tel.: +30 210 927 1115

WESCO International Publishes First Sustainability Report

WESCO International (NYSE: WCC), a leading provider of electrical, industrial, and communications MRO and OEM products, construction materials, and advanced supply chain management and logistics services, released its first Corporate Sustainability Report outlining key programs and achievements across five areas of focus: Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Fleet Fuel Use, Waste and Recycling, and Green Buildings.

“The release of this report demonstrates WESCO’s commitment to consistently improve the sustainability of our operations, as well as those of our customers,” said John Engel, Chairman, President, and CEO, WESCO International. “We’re pleased to be able to outline our approach, share the progress we’ve made to date, and establish metrics to measure our progress.”

Over the past three years, WESCO has improved its energy efficiency, increased recycling, reduced waste generation, and reduced both greenhouse gas intensity and emissions. In 2012, WESCO surpassed its 2015 goals for greenhouse gas intensity, building energy consumption, and waste generation intensity.

“WESCO is well positioned to help our customers improve their energy efficiency and reduce costs in their operations,” John Engel continued. “WESCO’s Value Creation Search for Savings program identifies ways companies can make improvements in the areas of lighting, energy management, renewable energy, water and waste mitigation, and green procurement.”

Lighting upgrades are one of the most-effective ways to reduce energy consumption, and WESCO’s lighting team assists customers with the selection of energy-efficient technology and lighting control systems. WESCO’s Lighting and Sustainability Solutions Centers in Boston and Chicago showcase a wide range of lighting applications allowing customers to make the most-informed lighting decisions.

WESCO’s solar team educates customers about the benefits of using solar panels and other products for both commercial and residential applications. In Phoenix, WESCO installed its first integrated solar car port and electric vehicle charging station, a prototype for an integrated solar and EV solution the company now offers to customers. The Phoenix facility is also the hub for WESCO’s renewable energy training program for solar system installers.

WESCO’s Corporate Sustainability Report, as well as a summary document, can be downloaded at www.wesco.com/sustainability.

About WESCO
WESCO International, Inc. (NYSE: WCC), a publicly traded Fortune 500 holding company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading provider of electrical, industrial, and communications maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) products, construction materials, and advanced supply chain management and logistic services.  2012 annual sales were approximately $6.6 billion. The Company employs approximately 9,000 people, maintains relationships with over 18,000 suppliers, and serves over 65,000 active customers worldwide. Customers include commercial and industrial businesses, contractors, government agencies, institutions, telecommunications providers and utilities.  WESCO operates nine fully automated distribution centers and approximately 475 full-service branches in North America and international markets, providing a local presence for customers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and multi-national corporations.

PR News' Platinum PR Awards 2013 - Final Entry Deadline is this Friday, May 17

PR News’ Platinum PR Awards salute the year’s most outstanding communications initiatives and programs in the highly competitive and dynamic PR arena. The coveted awards set the industry benchmark for excellence across all areas of PR. The final entry deadline is this Friday, May 17, 2013 and winners along with honorable mentions will be recognized in October 2013.

For more information on the Platinum PR Awards, visit www.prnewsonline.com/awards/platinumpr2013.

The Platinum PR Awards are open to all individuals and teams worldwide at for-profit and non-profit organizations including: corporations, PR firms, public affairs and IR agencies, publicity firms, associations, government, and NGO teams, and sole practitioners. Vendors are also eligible to compete on behalf of clients.

The winners of the Platinum PR Awards are from corporations, agencies and nonprofits large and small who took chances, made tremendous strides and understand the power of public relations.

To enter online, visit www.prnewsonline.com/awards/platinumpr2013.

Winners and honorable mentions will be awarded in the following categories:

For more information, visit www.prnewsonline.com/awards/platinumpr2013.

PR News’ Platinum PR Awards is a great opportunity to get recognized for your hard work and to shine the spotlight on the people driving your organization’s success.

For questions regarding the Platinum PR Awards, contact PR News Marketing Manager Laura Snitkovskiy at laura@accessintel.com. For sponsorship and exhibit information, contact PR News Senior Vice President & Group Publisher Diane Schwartz at dschwartz@accessintel.com.

The PR News family of products also includes the weekly PR News publication, The Digital PR Summit, Media Relations Forum and PR Measurement Conference, PR Webinars and Workshops, PR Guidebooks, Platinum PR Awards, PR People Awards, Nonprofit Awards, 15-to-Watch and more. Visit PR News online at www.prnewsonline.com.

Third San Francisco Green Film Festival Announces Full Program

The third annual San Francisco Green Film Festival is pleased to present the San Francisco premieres of over 20 internationally acclaimed environmentally focused feature films. The highly anticipated festival will take place Thursday, May 30 through Wednesday, June 5, 2013 ending appropriately on United Nation’s World Environment Day. Festival tickets are on sale now at the festival website: sfgreenfilmfest.org. Tickets are $12 per screening or $200 for a full pass to the festival’s over 50 films and events.

The 2013 San Francisco Green Film Festival includes over 50 films from around the globe, with over 70 visiting filmmakers and guest speakers covering environmental topics surrounding clean energy, green chemistry, food, housing, trash, water, and art in the environment.

The festival’s main venue and headquarters is New People Cinema in Japantown. Other Festival Venues Include: Goldman Theater at the David Brower Center in Berkeley, Koret Auditorium at the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch, Superfrog Gallery in Japantown, and SPUR Urban Center. Lead sponsors of the 2013 event include Earthjustice and Recology.

For ticket information and festival updates please visit sfgreenfilmfest.org.

Festival Highlights

• Opening Night SF Premiere of Rebels With A Cause.
• SF Premiere of Bidder 70 with filmmakers Beth and George Gage and special guest Tim DeChristopher in attendance, following his release from prison on April 21, 2013. Discover DeChristopher’s extraordinary, ingenious and effective act of civil disobedience demanding government and industry accountability.
• SF Premiere of Dear Governor Cuomo with director Jon Bowermaster. Watch incredible acts of ‘fracktivism’ in the push for a ban on fracking in New York State. The film stars Mark Ruffalo, Melissa Leo, Joan Osborne, Citizen Cope, Medeski Martin and Wood and many more.
• SF Premiere of Mark Decena’s Watershed with special guest Jamie Redford in attendance.
• West Coast Premiere of Tiny – A Story About Living Small with filmmakers Merete Mueller and Christopher Smith. Learn about the tiny house movement in a special outdoor screening at SPUR Urban Center.
• Centerpiece screening and Northern California Premiere of More Than Honey, a dazzling in-depth look at honeybee colonies from Academy-Award nominated director Markus Imhoof.
• Spotlight of acclaimed documentary filmmaker Thomas Riedelsheimer (Rivers And Tides, 2001) with SF Premieres of two new feature films, Breathing Earth and Garden In The Sea.
• Kalyanee Mam’s A River Changes Course, World Cinema Grand Jury Prize Winner at Sundance 2013.
• Closing Night SF Premiere of Andrew Garrison’s Trash Dance on UN World Environment Day, June 5.

Festival Feature Films

Wednesday, May 22
Tiny follows one couple's attempt to build a Tiny House from scratch with no building experience, and profiles other families who have downsized their lives into houses smaller than the average parking space. Fresh off its premiere at SXSW 2013, Tiny will feel perfectly sized for an outdoor screening in the street-turned-pedestrian plaza atmosphere of Annie Alley. With short film Eskimal. This sneak peek of the 2013 San Francisco Green Film Festival will be followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers, on Wednesday, May 22 at 7:00pm at Spur Urban Center.

Thursday, May 30
Rebels with a Cause officially opens the SF Green Film Festival on Thursday, May 30th. Bay Area filmmakers Nancy Kelly and Kenji Yamamoto will attend this SF Premiere. The film celebrates the compelling and epic story of those who fought to save the Marin County coast. Shows Thursday May 30, 7 PM at New People Cinema. Opening Night Party to follow at 9:00 PM.

Friday, May 31
Watershed, directed by Bay Area’s Mark Decena, premieres in SF premiere on Friday, May 31st at 6:00 PM. Watershed is co-produced by Jamie Redford and explores the dramatic changes that the Colorado River has undergone and inspires viewers to make more sustainable water choices. Mark Decena and Jamie Redford in attendance.

Dear Governor Cuomo, directed by Jon Bowermaster premieres in SF on Friday, May 31st at 8:00 PM. The film documents a music concert that was urgently produced by environmental activists in an effort to ban hydraulic-fracturing in New York. Jon Bowermaster will attend the screening and the film will be followed by a panel discussion hosted by Climate One (Commonwealth Club) on fracking in California. 

Saturday, June 1
Garden in the Sea (Jardin en el Mar), directed by internationally acclaimed director and cinematographer Thomas Riedelsheimer is a visually stunning documentary about art, landscape and environmental conservation. The story follows Spanish artist Cristina Iglesias as she creates a commissioned underwater installation in the Sea of Cortez. Shows at 12:00 noon on Saturday, June 1st.

Terra Blight, directed by Isaac Brown will premiere in SF at 2:15 PM on Saturday, June 1st. and followed by panel discussion Cradle-to-Cradle. The film exposes the life cycle of computers, from the US gamers who play en masse, to the young Ghanaians who mine toxic waste dumps to salvage metal for their school tuition.

Shored Up, directed by Ben Kalina looks at the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and lessons learned from continually rising sea levels. Shows at 4:00 PM on Saturday, June 1st.

Powerless, directed by Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar examines the power struggle in Kanpur, India because the balance of supply and demand for electrical power is disrupted. The conflict highlights the effects on paying customers, impoverished Indians who splice power lines for their power and the power companies. This sneak preview is at 6:30 PM on Saturday, June 1st.

A River Changes Course, directed by Kalyanee Mam follows three Cambodians who struggle to support themselves and their families as the environment rapidly changes. This will show at the David Brower Center in Berkeley at 7:00 PM on Saturday, June 1st.

La Source, directed by Patrick Shen documents Josue Lajeunesse’s return to his native Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. He leaves Princeton New Jersey to help a rural community create a viaduct to access clean water. Shows at 8:45 PM on Saturday, June 1st. Patrick Shen in attendance.

Sunday, June 2
Vanishing Point , directed by Stephen A. Smith and Julia Szucs premieres in SF at 11:00 AM on Sunday, June 2nd. This film is about Polar Eskimo’s “finding the way in a shifting world”. With the intrusion of technology and climate change, Vanishing Point looks at the effects on the tradition and lives of the fewer than 1000 Polar Eskimos still living in the northwest region of Greenland and Baffin Island, Canada.

Because I Live Longer than You, directed by Henriette Bornkamm and Carl Fechner, premieres in the USA at 1:00 PM on Sunday, June 2nd with English subtitles. Starting when he was 9 years old, Felix Finkbeiner has collaborated with youth internationally to address both environmental and social issues. Whether he challenges politicians regarding environmental policy, works with a 15 year old Nairobi girl to fight against female genital mutilation in her slum, or campaigns with a 13 year old Iraqi boy against child abuse, Felix is inspiring and inspired whose passion gives hope for the future.

Unacceptable Levels, directed by Edward Brown will premiere in SF at 3:00 PM on Sunday, June 2nd. “It tells the story of toxic chemicals in just about every aspect of our lives, and the egregious lack of regulation. Our ability to protect our families is at stake." - Joan Blades. Followed by panel discussion with the filmmakers and leading experts.

Trashed, directed by Candice Brady will show at 5:30 PM on Sunday, June 2nd. Jeremy Irons takes us through the landscape of trash worldwide that result from over-consumption and wastefulness. The film profiles San Francisco’s adoption of the Zero Waste recycling and explores solutions to this urgent problem. The score for Trashed was composed by Academy Award winner Vangelis.

More Than Honey, directed by Markus Imhoof, is the Festival Centerpiece and shows at 8:00 PM on Sunday, June 2nd. This is the bee movie to end all bee movies. We discover the world from the perspective of the bees. Markus Imhoof will be in attendance at this Centerpiece screening.

Monday, June 3
Bidder 70, directed by Beth Gage and George Gage, premieres in San Francisco just weeks after the film’s protagonist, Tim DeChrstopher was released from prison after serving a sentence for an act of nonviolent civil disobedience. Shows at 5:30 PM on Monday, June 3rd and will be attended by Tim DeChrostopher and Beth and George Gage.

Switch, directed by Harry Lynch is showing at 8:00 PM on Monday June, 3rd. The film explores the vast landscape of energy generation from coal mines to oil rigs, granted access to a hydro facility and see world’s energy sources and consumption through the metrics and understanding of a trained geologist, Scott Tinker.

Tuesday, June 4
Plastic Paradise, directed by Angela Sun will show at SF Public Library Main Branch at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, June 4th in the Festival’s free youth program. An island of garbage stars in this film as Angela Sun discovers the Pacific’s mysterious Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

In Organic We Trust, directed by Kip Pastor, the film shows at 5:45 on Tuesday, June 4th and investigates the meaning of “certified organic”.

Breathing Earth, director Thomas Riedelsheimer’s second film in this year’s festival, will premiere in California at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, June 4th. Following Japanese sculptor Susumu Shingu as he creates art that come to life interacting with the natural elements, specifically, the wind.

Big Boys Gone Bananas!*, directed by Fredrik Gertten will show at 8:15 PM on Tuesday, June 4th. As a muckraker, Gertten took on the Dole Food Company in 2009 and has since experienced the PR and legal battles that inevitably followed. A discussion on media censorship follows the screening.

Wednesday, June 5
Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth, directed by Frauke Sandig and Eric Black, premieres in SF on UN World Earth Day at 5:30 PM on Wednesday, June 5th. Following six indigenous Maya in Guatemala and Chiapas through their daily and sacred ceremonial lives, the film provided an alternative vision of the world.

Trash Dance, directed by Andrew Garrison, is an uplifting and inspirational film for SFGFF closing night. Premieres in SF at 8:00 PM on Wednesday, June 5th. This film has won audiences over at various festivals and the showing coincides with UN World Environment Day. Andrew Garrison in attendance.

About the San Francisco Green Film Festival
The San Francisco Green Film Festival (SFGFF) is the West Coast’s leading destination for groundbreaking and compelling films on the urgent environmental issues of our time. Our mission is to educate and connect communities through forward-thinking programs of environmental films and discussions. Launched in 2011, SFGFF presents an annual film festival each spring, along with year-round community screenings and events in the San Francisco Bay Area. SFGFF brings critical and contemporary environmental issues to local audiences and highlights the vital work of our many partners, including local businesses, schools, and non-profit organizations. Since 2011, we’ve partnered with over 30 community organizations, presented over 150 programs, and inspired over 5,000 attendees.

For ticket information, and the full Festival Program please visit: sfgreenfilmfest.org.