Celebrity Supporters including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sheryl Crow, Gavin Rossdale, Kate Bosworth, Rosario Dawson and Neil Patrick Harris Joined Global Green to Celebrate and Support Green Schools

Global Green’s Annual Pre-Oscar® Party Launches National Green Schools Imitative; Green Schools Save Money for Cash Strapped School Districts, Improve Test Scores, Reduce Asthma Attacks, Increase Attendance, Create Green Jobs and Advance Smart Climate Solutions in Potentially Every Neighborhood in America

Global Green Calls Upon All Americans to Serve their Community and Fight Climate Change by Helping Green Schools Through Service Opportunities (e.g., tree planting, refurbishing with healthy paints, creating edible gardens, etc.) and Urging School Districts to Access Green School Funds in the Stimulus Package

Los Angeles, CA. (February 19, 2009) – Global Green USA launched its National Green School Initiative today with a star-studded pre-Oscar® party at the Avalon Hollywood to raise funds and awareness.  The event featured musical performances by Sheryl Crow and Gavin Rossdale.

“All Americans can do something about climate change, and protect our most precious natural resource – our children – by responding to the call to create green schools and healthy classrooms” said Matt Petersen, Global Green USA President and CEO.  “Over 20% of all Americans go to school every day and many of attend schools with poor air quality, high energy bills, and poor learning environments.”

“Sadly, schools in America pay more for energy bills than for textbooks and computers combined,” continued Petersen.  “Green schools put more money into our classrooms – green modernization or new sustainable school construction also create green jobs today, while educating and inspiring kids about the green jobs of tomorrow.”

Celebrity supporters in attendance at the event included: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Bosworth, Gwen Stefani, Bar Rafaeli, Black Cowboy, Kate Walsh, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Heather Graham, Kevin Connolly, Maggie Grace, Sharon Lawrence, James Cromwell, Zachary Quinto, Jamie King, Lisa Ling, Benjamin McKenzie, Dominic Monaghan, Josie Maran, Maria Menounos, Chris Pine, A.R. Rahman, Stephen Daldry, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Tia Carrere, Lady Victoria Hervey, Taylor Dane, Rosie Perez, Julie Benz, Marla Maples, Lynn Collins, Steven Strait, Alison Brie, Scott Porter, Rhona Mitra and more.

PHOTO GALLERY  

View More Photos

Celebrities attending the event were invited to sign a letter calling upon President Obama to make investment in green schools a national priority. The public can sign onto the letter, view the top 10 benefits of green schools, see a short video and learn more about other ways to help create green schools by visiting www.globalgreen.org,

Combining the power of entertainment, technology, media, and philanthropy, Causecast.org streamed live from this year's party.  In partnership with Myspace Impact and Stickam, viewers could watch the stream in real time, submit their questions to the carpet and even donate to Global Green while watching.

For News coverage of the event, click here.

Global Green USA’s Pre-Oscar® Party was made possible by lead sponsors Caroma, Audi, W Hollywood Residences, and Centropolis, as well as by Causecast, Auberge Resorts, Newton Vineyard, Physician's Formula, LivGrn, Zen Bunni, Mission Motors, 360 Vodka, Soda Club, BeGreenNow.com, and North Star Moving Company.

About Global Green USA’s Green Schools
For the past five years, Global Green has worked with the Los Angeles Unified School District to insure that the largest new school construction project in the country is built to healthy, green standards.  After Hurricane Katrina, Global Green opened an office in New Orleans to help spearhead the green rebuilding of the city.  Thanks to a grant from the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund, Global Green is demonstrating how to rebuild New Orleans’ schools green.

About Global Green USA
Global Green USA – the American arm of President Gorbachev’s Green Cross International – was founded by Diane Meyer Simon in 1993.  For the past six years, Global Green has collaborated with the Hollywood community to raise global awareness of Smart Climate Solutions -- from celebrities driving green cars to the Oscars to building green homes, buying green products and voting for green political leaders. Global Green is the only national environmental group headquartered in Southern California and has offices in New Orleans and Washington, DC.