Save The Dates

We may be experiencing a small break in eco parties, but don’t worry, they are coming back even better and greener than before.  Celebrities will be sparkling and composting bins will be overflowing.  Get those calendars and iPhones out because here are a few of the must save-the-date parties for the planet in the Bay Area.  Look forward to seeing you there!

 

West Coast Green
September 24 – 27, 2008
San Jose Convention Center
The amazing conference on green building & design
www.westcoastgreen.com

California Academy of Sciences
Opening Gala
Thursday, September 25, 2008

Public Opening
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Golden Gate Park
The night we have all been waiting for!
www.calacademy.org

 

ForestEthics
100 Million Trees Party
Stopping Junk Mail from the Trunk
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
CLIFT Hotel Spanish Suite
San Francisco
www.forestethics.org

  
Brower Youth Awards
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Herbst Theatre & Green Room
San Francisco
The top environmental prize for young people in North America
www.broweryouthawards.org

Amazon Watch Celebration Luncheon
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Green Room at the War Memorial
401 Van Ness Avenue, Second Floor
San Francisco
www.amazonwatch.org

   

Global Green
Gorgeous & Green
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Bently Reserve
San Francisco
The glamorous green party is back and better than ever
www.globalgreen.org

 

Why events?
On a personal note, why do I participate in so many events?  I often get asked this question. I believe that an event can be a wonderful and unparalleled catalyst to learn about a cause, an organization, an issue, a person, a solution and more that can help to save the planet. It is rare to fall out of bed in the morning and say, “Hmm, I think I will learn about the Amazon rainforest today.”  It just doesn’t happen. Life is too busy. Or maybe you do, but you are, um, different. An event is an opportunity to bring people together for a fun celebration.  Did I mention it has to be fun?  There have to be several wow factors that delight the crowd and make the party a worthwhile alternative to watching Planet Green at home.

I fell into the environmental event world by chance. When I first decided to give the cubicle the boot and replace the gray office with the gray whale, my question was “What do I care most about?” The answer at the time was tigers. Endangered tigers and lions. So I called WildAid and asked, “What can I do?”  They needed a launch party thrown in San Francisco, and the rest is history in the making as they say.

I like doing events that are complimentary. Free is always the right price!  Movie screenings and premieres are some of my favorite events because (almost) nothing surpasses the experience of watching a great film. Sometimes events are fundraisers and have a ticket price benefiting a charity.  I have a hard time asking for money. Between asking someone for funds or donating something myself, I will often do the latter much to the horror of my financial advisor who is always telling me to “pull back.”  Why should I when the planet needs help now?  If I wait until I am 80 to start trying to protect the forests for example, they might be all gone. I would rather help now. That is just my personal choice. It absolutely doesn’t have to be anyone else’s.

Over time, I have learned that many people actually want to donate money to causes they care about.  A shocking discovery I know!  Not everyone is passionate about every cause, and that is a good thing.  If everyone were passionate about the oceans above all else, then who would put education, global health, or climate change as their No. 1?   We need to divide and conquer. The oceans are probably a bad example because they need more champions. They are easy to forget about because they seem fine at the surface. 70% of our planet is remarkably covered by oceans. Anyway, when people become connected with opportunities to make a difference in areas they care deeply about, that is party nirvana. And it doesn’t have to be about money. There are so many ways to make a positive impact such as volunteering, writing a blog post, and spreading the word. Even just being aware and caring is huge.

Occasionally, I get to attend a party with absolutely no purpose where I have no role except to have fun. My friend and I overdosed on frosting at the last one.  Correction:  I OD’ed on frosting and she OD’ed on cake. If there is a dance floor and excellent music involved, I am the happiest guest there.  A green girl can let her hair down from time to time, but only when the planet isn’t looking.