Category: World Team project (Page 3 of 4)

World Team Now Bestows Inaugural ‘Pioneer for the Planet’ Award To Ocean Conservationist Fabien Cousteau

July 18, 2017 / Suzanne Maxx / 1 Comment

NEWS RELEASE:
July 19, 2017

World Team Now Bestows Inaugural ‘Pioneer for the Planet’ Award
To Ocean Conservationist Fabien Cousteau

NEW YORK and MALIBU, CA – World Team Now, a non-profit organization devoted to the sustainability of human development and of Planet Earth, announced today that it has bestowed its first “Pioneer for the Planet” award to Aquanaut and ocean conservationist Fabien Cousteau, founder of the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center (New York City, NY).

The award was presented at a recent gathering in New York for a current project “Sustainable Solutions: Ocean Opportunities & Small Island States (SOS-IS),” a United Nations (UN) – afforded multi-stakeholder partnership made possible by the Paris Agreements on Sustainable Development Goals. SOS-IS was first registered at the UN Ocean Conference in June 2017 and comprises Fabien Cousteau’s Ocean Learning Center, The Hydrogen House, Renewables 100 Policy Institute and World Team Now which are all teaming on behalf of small islands and ocean projects – representing direct action from peoples and organizations in the United States.

“Fabien’s work for community engagement and education regarding ocean protection, and its projects such as those protecting and restoring corals, sharks, mangroves and sea turtle populations – as means for protecting humanity and the planet – is tireless,” said World Team Now Founder Suzanne Maxx, who noted Cousteau launched the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center in 2016, and most recently at World Oceans Day (June 8, 2017) in conjunction with the UN Oceans Conference.

“Oceans and the health of hydrogen ecosystems are essential for the survival of our species on planet Earth – they breathe in carbon and breathe out oxygen — and 193 nations of the United Nations have just agreed to recognize, in the face of climate change, how integral ocean diversity and protection is to human life,” Maxx said. “Fabien’s work underscores not just the spirit and legacy of his grandfather’s and family’s namesake [Jacques-Yves Cousteau] but also embraces immediate action to rally public support for positive change. We can and must take remedial actions to heal our oceans – and we need such actions to achieve sustainability in all its forms – planetary, social and economic. Fabien exemplifies this fortitude, courage, leadership, and bias to act.”

In 2014, Fabien Cousteau set a world record for 31 days underwater, inspired by his grandfather, whose oceanographic work Fabien continues to carry to new frontiers – which also underscores his pioneering efforts, Maxx said.

The World Team Now first “Pioneer for the Planet” Award is launched to recognize visionaries and leaders who prompt action to effect restorative conservation efforts in pursuit of sustainability for a renewable future. These pioneers of new frontiers, new systems — have the experience with exploring new territory, going beyond perceived boundaries; in the ocean, on land, or up into space. These Aquanauts, astronauts, and explorers may pioneer scientific research, alternative transportation, or even technological innovation. [Editor’s Note: A complete biography of Fabien Cousteau is available here.]

“It is a privilege to be recognized as a Pioneer for the Planet by World Team Now,” Fabien Cousteau said, “and an honor to be a World Team member. We have a significant obligation toward future generations as we are living in challenging times.”

Fabien quoted his grandfather, Jacques-Yves Cousteau: “People protect what they love, they love what they understand.

The award was presented June 9 at Grand Banks, Pier 25, in New York City, where World Team Now provided donors and guests an overview of its initial SOS-IS projects, including its work in Fiji, and its launch in the Pacific Island Region, to build renewable energy micro-grids toward energy independence, clean water and power, biodiversity protection, and demonstration of leading technologies in sustainability for a renewed future – particularly as small island states grapple with rising oceans. Attendees dined on sustainably sourced seafood there, aboard the wooden schooner Sherman Zwicker. The event also was made possible with the support of Earthx – an annual Dallas, TX Earth Day event organized by Trammell S. Crow.

World Team Now 2017 Gala June 9th 2017

About World Team Now

World Team Now is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization World Team is a multi-media project with a platform launching in 2017 supported by people, like you, who realize that they are citizens of the world. We are committed to discovering ways to unite people beyond country, culture, religion, politics, or economic status and awaken the common commitment to living in balance with our natural resources and embrace global environmental and social issues of consequence. We intend to show people what it is like to create a big vision one person at a time, one resource at a time… and to share the journey with the world. www.WorldTeamNow.org

World Team Now Gala photo album link is https://photos.app.goo.gl/qpJX4rtfC9PKTaj03

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World Team Now’s Gala Event June 9th

June 7, 2017 / Suzanne Maxx / 1 Comment

Join our non-profit World Team Now for an exclusive event to celebrate the launching of the World Team project’s SOS-IS multi stakeholder partnership and surprise announcements of members of the World Team. The event includes open bar, oyster tasting, amuse-bouche, soft shell crab, sea scallops, ricotta toast, tomato and watermelon, and french fries. The event is being held at Grand Banks, a celebrated oyster bar aboard the historic wooden schooner, Sherman Zwicker located on Pier 25 in Manhattan on the Hudson River. See http://www.grandbanks.org/ take in how special this event will be. You might have noticed the .org – Grand Banks is famous for its leadership in the sustainable seafood movement and is a partner in The Billion Oyster Project and generates funds to support maritime conservation, education, and preservation.

The gala is sponsored by EARTHx http://www.earthx.org. Our deep appreciation goes to EARTHx

More details on our Gala will be updated here and on our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/worldteamnow/ and Twitter feed WorldTeam1.

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Grand Banks
Pier 25 @ N. Moore St. and West St
Hudson River Park
New York, NY 10013
http://www.grandbanks.org/

There is an Icon parking garage on Greenwich St. just south of N. Moore, and limited street parking on the northbound lane of West St. There is also street parking on streets in neighborhood of Grand Banks,Tribeca

“Groundhog Day All Over Again”

February 2, 2016 / Suzanne Maxx / 0 Comments

It’s Groundhog Day! Today the Groundhog has not seen his shadow, so we can “SPRING” past winter! This is according to Punxsutawney Phil, and a team of other Groundhogs, in different locations.

Today, the energy sector mirrors the Groundhog Day’s dynamic, not seeing the shadow, overcome by light! Fossil fuel drops further, till #100%RenewableEnergy is global. This is the kind of global Groundhog Day that deserves repeating!

“The energy sector reflects #GroundhogDay dynamic, shadow-fossil fuel shares drop, light #100%RenewableEnergy grows!” WorldTeam1 wrote on Twitter. Does it sounds like we said this before? Well, “Yes.”–it’s Groundhog Day, and we will repeat! May this reality repeat.

The iconic movie, “Groundhog Day” is one of our favorite comedies- forever, and we are not alone. Today, this must see comedy too deserves repeating, and if you have never seen it before, it is a “must see” film.

“Groundhog Day” lives now not just as a weather, or community ritual to predict when the winter ends and spring comes. Groundhog Day has grown into a collective expression. The expression “Groundhog Day” refers to a situation that repeats until it changes.

We reflect on the core stages of awareness with the movie Groundhog Day. Each time when the situation repeats, there is growth. When the situation stops repeating altogether, then there is total transformation, and freedom from the past. Sound familiar? Watch to see hedonism transcended or uncover many religious, moral and ethical principles through Groundhog Day’s stages of awareness that reflect upon life’s spiritual journey. Dig deeper and you’ll see hints of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ principles on death and dying–All played out in a comedic way in the movie Groundhog Day.

May this Groundhog Day dynamic repeat until we have reached 100% renewable energy globally. Power to the People shows, we can participate in renewable energy power generation. Our energy’s source of power can be in balance with our resources. Let’s do it, and REPEAT! “Groundhog Day” is true for us too, “Living Into A World Team”! Let’s play to transform ourselves and our world.

Bird’s Eye View of the Climate Movement ©

December 23, 2015 / Suzanne Maxx / 0 Comments

By Suzanne Maxx

A Message of Freedom and 100% Renewable Energy from Paris. Hundreds from around the world unite in a giant message of freedom, standing with the people of Paris and calling for 100% renewable energy, during the United Nations COP21 Climate Summit. Can you spot us? We from World Team Now made up the rays on the left side of the image. Photo by Yann Arthus-Bertrand / Spectral Q

COP21’s victory signals to the world that global transformation is in the works with adoption of the Paris Agreement by the United Nations. It’s historical to have almost 200 nations agree to take action, “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” a UN goal.

COP21 Convention Space at Le Bourget.

Those of us breathing inside of the global climate movement over the years know this moment is a win— a valuable step and an important place to start. At Le Bourget, the French Foreign Affairs Minister, Laurent Fabius brought his green gravel down to tears of joy and applause for the agreement exclaiming, “It’s a small gavel, but I think it has a big impact!” With the perspective getting diverse entities consisting of countries from different regions of the world to agree on anything is significant. We at least have set a course and direction together. Many of the outcomes we considered in our prior blog post were covered in this agreement. Here is the text of the Paris Agreement. Here it is made simple to digest. Here are some more of our favorite articles and speeches, that break this historic time of the Paris Agreement down to understand:

Within the global environmental movement, there are many people that have been on the journey for decades— each of us has a piece of this puzzle— that are core to who we are, and it lives outside the boundaries of a location, as it is for our earth, and all of humanity. This consciousness is now becoming contagious, thankfully— as it will take teams of people, industries and many sectors of society for the transformation to take root.

The stage is set for our World Team project, and next year 2016, we plan to be public facing with our World Team platform. World Team will be an interactive tool to entertain us while playfully engaged in transformative projects achieving the realization of our most ambitious and collective goals for humanity, and our planet earth. It is not only technology, innovation, policy and funding that will change the global game of our changing climate. The game starts to change when all people are aware of the power of human capability of choice. Change will occur when we choose to prioritize how we use both our internal and external energy. When we prioritize living in better balance with our resources, we will then play the game to transform ourselves and our world.

The co-located Climate Generations Areas, open to all, was a first for the COP meetings. In prior COPs, Civil Society had open side events that were distant from the UN negotiations.

Even in celebration there is caution that clouds this historical time, which finally acknowledges humanity’s role in climate change, and sets forward a plan of action. If we can’t get to 1.5 degrees, stop destroying our forests, heating and acidifying our oceans and eliminate burning fossil fuel today we are writing ourselves a death sentence. The framework is now in place to start the journey to arrive there tomorrow— it was a successful negotiation. As Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon said, “This a time when we need all hands on deck”. Multiple sectors are taking active roles in also setting targets, and here is the key; team work, over time, with ALL of us in action. This thread was there at the events happening at COP21 during this time in Paris.

Akapusi Tuifagalele Director National Disaster Management of Fiji, a SIDS

Akapusi Tuifagalele, Director National Disaster Management of Fiji (SIDS), with Suzanne Maxx & Albert Boulanger of the World Team project.

It’s exciting when leaders of countries agree to take a stand, and actually strive for targets and a framework for an agreement. Can we move to a firm 1.5 degrees quickly enough to reverse the damage of climate change? When we will phase out fossil fuel? Our oceans and forests, all species together in balance— how soon can we achieve rapid change? Will there be justice for the indigenous people, and those of small island developing states (SIDS) in the long run? Now we have some agreed upon goals. Can we overcome the antiquated categorization of defining a country by developed, developing, and least developed? Will each country begin to support the other with sustainable development based on what they are able to contribute, as the reality takes hold of cliché, “we are all in this together”?

The seeds of reaching the answer to these questions in reality are planted. How quickly we can reach these targets, and more will be the long term success of the Paris Agreement. All is not there in the Paris agreement yet, but it starts with the will— we celebrate these milestones even though the real work has just begun.

Ban Ki-moon preparing to talk at the Earth to Paris Conference during COP21

Now to have all countries ratify the Paris Agreement so it becomes legal structure— whether that be a Treaty, Accord or Protocol. The opportunity for world leaders to sign, and ratify the Paris Accord begins in New York on Earth Day April 22^nd, 2016. All leaders will have one year to endorse it, but early participation is being encouraged. The plan looks to not just meet the deadline, but also to indeed demonstrate the will and understanding of urgency for all of us to keep the work moving fast forward. The Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, is charged to organize the activities around the signing on Earth Day.

We will need more action over time, the government sector with public policy is needed, but the real change will require many other sectors, to jump into the action—and we will. It will be the collective cumulative action that matters most over time. World Team plans to officially announce our first team in 2016 and we
plan to officially begin our media platform.

There was a thread to all events happening at COP21 during this time in Paris. It’s exciting when leaders of countries agree to take a stand, and actually strive for targets and a framework for an agreement.

For decades we dreamed of this day when countries might all agree on action for our future. It is a collective starting point to a commitment of an aligned global direction for humanity. The Paris Agreement will need work but much of the direction we are going collectively has seeds that aligns with the vision that many of us hold in our hearts for a sustainable future. We are now challenged to follow the Golden Rule Principle too, as Pope Francis encouraged in his UNGA and USA Congress speeches. Now to unpack many of the principles of how we will realize the change for our common home, and integrate them throughout our policy, and ways of life— this is the challenge. The challenge of not only of the Paris Agreement, but for humanity at this time on earth.

These “Trees of Hope” outside COP21 produce renewable energy by their leaves turning to generate sustainable wind energy turbines.

December 23, 2015 / Suzanne Maxx / 2 Comments

By Suzanne Maxx

At the coming of age with the United Nation’s COP21, there was a climax from the collaboration, of not only nations, but also, with civil society. The power of the people to deliver the messages creatively captured the true spirit of the renowned artistic and cultural mecca Paris, France.

The Paris terrorist attacks happened literally the day the plans for the people’s climate march and other NGO activities’ press releases were set to hit the global media. All activities planned for this period of time in Paris were then colored by the darkness of fear. Initially there was concern about what could actually take place under this “climate”. Most of the outside public events for people, with venues in the streets were canceled, understandably with the security concerns of safety. Security was heighten and restrictions were imposed.

Suzanne Maxx rolls on a plane to Paris

The initial activities that World Team Now planned, with our goal to launch “World Team” during this time, became impossible. Quite frankly we, like many others, did not know we would be able to make it to Paris for COP21 at all, our efforts seemed thwarted, until it was all actually happening. After finally making a plane to Paris, I was pleased to be able to board with my roller skates on, the most efficient way to travel through these long international airport terminals, demonstrating human powered renewable human energy for sustainable transportation.

We’re all getting used to rolling forward regardless of external circumstances of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. We were not alone—this was a common challenge to many others who have the understanding of what is at stake for our planet and humanity breathing through the core of their being.

The sunshine rays in the aerial art piece below. World team members were in one of them. The photo was shot by Suzanne in one ray viewing other rays and the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop and part of the aerial art design.

There are moments in life that live outside of time, which cut to the core and encapsulates a spirit. With our bodies on the ground, sitting on the yellow strip of cloth on the sand to emulate a ray of sunshine, we became the font of the aerial art image captured in this photo which has become an icon of COP21 Paris.

Raising World Team’s hands in celebration of the Paris Climate Agreement at Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile

One of the more engaging conversations at the Earth to Paris Conference was with Andrian Grenler, Actor, Entrepreneur & Dell Social Good Advocate, Paul Bunje, Lead Energy and Environment XPrize , and John Wollard, VP of Energy Google

In many ways it was more than a reunion for many of us that began this journey in Rio de Janeiro for the Earth Summit/Global Forum in 1992, where the seeds of the UNFCC’s Conventions began. Paris COP21 was the opportunity to complete this long term collective goal. Back in 1992 at the first Earth Summit/ Global Forum, I don’t think any of us thought it would take this long to get an agreement for humanity and our environment, and after COP15 in Copenhagen many of us wondered about the possibility of the United Nations to agree on what matters most. Many of us were traumatized, as we headed home for the holidays confronted and bewildered with unmet expectations— this was a common theme over the 21 years, if not longer for some of us. Back then, it was a relatively small team of us that journeyed, not because it was our job in a convention sense, but because the future of how humanity lives in balance with our resources was a central precept to each of us, at the core of our beings.

Secretary of State John Kerry was also one that attended the Earth Summit Global Forum in 1992

The first time I journeyed to a United Nation’s conference with the hope of global policy was for the Earth Summit Global Forum in 1992, where I stepped into an incredible opportunity to join presidential candidate Jerry Brown’s entourage. Powerful people who were leader were all part of our group. Many of these people have gone on to become not only world leaders, but also leaders of what is referred to now as the global climate movement. Some of those people that have been around the global climate movement and part of the personal journey with World Team which made it all more meaningful for us at Paris.

Earth to Paris, UNESCO’s Afternoon with Robert Redford

Meeting of indigenous people at one of the many side event in the Climate Generations Areas

Meeting of indigenous people at one of the many Civil Society side events in a Climate Generations Area

A mosaic of the people’s movement from Earth to Paris , UNESCO’s Afternoon with Robert Redford, and other civil society events helped to augment the action demonstrating the power of the people. Many groups, like the International New York Times produced events like their Energy for Tomorrow. Many individuals and groups found ways to join together and creatively express their voices. With the world watching these events from many diverse sectors and groups of people succeeded.

Suzanne Maxx outside the COP21 Convention Space at Le Bourget.

What is truly remarkable is the capability of the human spirit to preserve and endure. While celebrating, the climate movement, I can personally attest that while we are now climbing to these heights of possibility, it was not easy-and we still have a long way to go to touch down to the ground. We have had some success in Paris with our casting initiative and look forward to being in action in 2016/

Finally, French authorities allowed a peaceful gathering of Climate Justice activists towards the end of COP21

Category: World Team project (Page 3 of 4)

World Team Now Bestows Inaugural ‘Pioneer for the Planet’ Award To Ocean Conservationist Fabien Cousteau

World Team Now’s Gala Event June 9th

“Groundhog Day All Over Again”

Bird’s Eye View of the Climate Movement ©

Our Energy on Earth: People of Power @ COP21 Paris Stepping Out Beyond Boundaries ©

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