For Immediate Release:
November 18, 2008
Contact:
Brenda Timm (212) 979-3198 / btimm@audubon.org
Sean Miller (202) 425-2836 / miller@earthday.net
Washington, DC Conservationist Awarded for Environmental Leadership Honoree Receives Audubon/Toyota TogetherGreen Fellowship
New York, NY, November 18, 2008— Washington, DC-based Sean S. Miller is the recipient of a new national fellowship designed to advance the work of individuals with outstanding potential to help shape a brighter environmental future.
Sean Miller is one of only 40 people selected from competitors nationwide for the TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership Program, part of a new conservation initiative of the National Audubon Society with support from Toyota. Fellows receive a $10,000 stipend, specialized training in conservation planning and execution, the chance to work with gifted conservation professionals, and assistance with outreach and evaluation. Each Fellow will also receive funding for a community-focused project to engage local residents in conserving land, water and energy, and contribute to greater environmental health.
For his fellowship, Miller will focus his efforts on combining green building and education by installing photovoltaic solar panels at a low-income school in Washington, DC. Students, in addition to local community members, will have the opportunity to witness and learn from the professional installation process. Teachers will use the solar panels to help students learn about a variety of conservation themes, including green jobs, energy consumption and conservation, and solar energy systems. Not only will the project teach the students about energy savings, but it will also encourage them to learn about their environment and what they can do to help protect it, now and in the future.
Involved in conservation efforts for over 5 years, Miller is currently the Director of Education for Earth Day Network. Miller has proven himself to be a dedicated and innovative environmental educator. He successfully brought a photovoltaic solar panel system similar to the one described above to schools in Denver and Chicago. Miller is Earth Day Network’s representative to the Energy Action Coalition, where he helped to develop and facilitate the education track of 6,000-plus-person Power Shift conference, the largest youth climate change summit in history. He also helped to lead the 3,000-person Congressional testimony and subsequent lobby effort on climate change.
“Sean is the kind of person who can make a real difference in the health of our environment and the quality of our future,” said Audubon President John Flicker. “Each of our TogetherGreen Fellows demonstrates exceptional environmental understanding and commitment, combined with tremendous potential to inspire and lead others. Together, they represent the talented and diverse leadership the environmental community will need to tackle the huge challenges and opportunities confronting us now and in the years to come.”
“I am very honored to be part of this program and have the opportunity to further my understanding of conservation issues,” said Miller. “This fellowship will allow me to implement change in my local community and provide hundreds of students with valuable knowledge and experience that I hope will inspire them to take the baton of environmental stewardship.”
Miller has worked with Earth Day Network since 2006. Half of the TogetherGreen fellows come from within Audubon’s far-reaching national network; half channel their environmental efforts through other organizations.
He received his BA in both Psychology and Philosophy from The College of William and Mary, and earned two Master’s Degrees in International Peace and Conflict Resolution (MA) and Education (Secondary Social Studies concentration, MAT) from American University. His work has been highlighted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Chicago Tribune.
“Toyota believes in the power of grassroots efforts to develop the environmental leaders of tomorrow,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, Group Vice President, Toyota Motor North America. “These 40 TogetherGreen Fellows will receive invaluable training for the future while immediately making a difference today with on-the-ground community projects.”
A complete list of the 2008 TogetherGreen fellows can be found at www.TogetherGreen.org/fellows.
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About Earth Day Network
Earth Day Network, www.earthday.net, seeks to grow and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable planet. It pursues these goals through education, politics, and consumer activism. Earth Day Network has a global reach with a network of more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. More than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the world.
About TogetherGreen
Audubon and Toyota launched the five-year TogetherGreen initiative in spring, 2008 to fund conservation projects, train environmental leaders, and offer volunteer and individual action opportunities that significantly benefit the environment. As of October, volunteer days have begun in 40, tallying in excess of 11,000 volunteer hours. Funding totaling $1.4 million was recently awarded to innovative conservation projects nationwide, while www.TogetherGreen.org helps users take individual conservation action and share and celebrate success stories. The TogetherGreen initiative and grants programs are funded by a $20 million Toyota gift to Audubon, the largest in the conservation group’s long history.
About Audubon
Now in its second century, Audubon connects people with birds, nature and the environment that supports us all. Our national network of community-based nature centers, chapters, scientific, education, and advocacy programs engages millions of people from all walks of life in conservation action to protect and restore the natural world. Visit Audubon online at www.audubon.org.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants, with another under construction in Mississippi. Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Through its corporate initiatives, manufacturing operations and philanthropy, Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. In 2007, Toyota contributed more than $56 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S. For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.
