By on

Avatar actress Zoe Saldana was the surprise presenter at the annual VERTE fundraiser to benefit Grades of Green, an environmental education nonprofit that empowers K–12 school communities, on June 6.

The event was held at the MBS Media Campus in Manhattan Beach, CA. Zaldana presented awards to Avatar and Titanic film producer Jon Landau for his commitment to making the upcoming Avatar films carbon neutral, and to co-founder of the MUSE school and environmental advocate Suzy Amis Cameron for her strong commitment to preserving our natural environment. The corporate award honoree went to Earth Friendly Products, a company that promotes and sells non-toxic products.

With a vision of making environmental protection “second nature” in young minds, Grades of Green began in 2008 at Grand View Elementary in Manhattan Beach, CA by four moms – Suzanne Kretschmer, Lisa Coppedge, Kimberly Lewand Martin, and Shaya Kirkpatrick – wanting a better world for their children. The program was so successful, the founders decided to start a non-profit so that other schools would have free and easy access to the tools and information needed to green schools.

Grades of Green is a recipient of the U.S. EPA’s coveted Environmental Award and has inspired and educated more than 150,000 students in 239 schools across 36 states and 5 countries. One of these elementary school students named Max boldly walked up on stage and proudly proclaimed, “I convinced Hermosa Beach to ban the use of Styrofoam cups.”

For more information, click here.

comments powered by Disqus

Latest news

Marlon Brando's Lifelong Advocacy Celebrated by Mercy For Animals and Celebrities

Marlon Brando's Lifelong Advocacy Celebrated by Mercy For Animals and Celebrities Apr 29, 2025

On April 3, 2024, the world celebrated the 100th birthday of Marlon Brando, one of Hollywood’s most legendary actors and a passionate advocate for human rights, animal welfare and environmental justice. More
More news