Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira (UTP) hosted the Fifth Environmental Festival inviting more than 300 students from public schools to discover the university campus eco-resources. Among the experiential activities, drawing contests, and tree plantings, it included several guided eco-tours through one of the most beautiful botanical gardens of the region that belongs to the campus.

Each participant used the first published Mapa Verde of Colombia, project leaded by the Green Mapmaker Harold Hernandez, Environmental Research Institute, Environmental Sciences Faculty and UTP. The botanical garden eco-tour guides have been using these maps as local sustainability guides to promote environmental awareness to different levels.read more »

United States Department of State Certificate of Appreciation was bestowed on Wendy Brawer for her contribution to the success of its International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) by sharing her time and professional expertise. The emphasis of the program is to increase mutual understanding through communication at the personal and professional levels.

Each year, almost five thousand individuals are invited by U.S. Embassies to the United States to meet American counterparts and to become acquainted with this country. Green Map System's Founding-Director and its diverse staff based in New York City are among the organizations who have welcomed geographically and professionally diverse groups of leaders in government and private sectors.

Green Map® Icons, the heart of the Green Map movement, have been awarded an honorable mention from Eyebeam's Eco-Vis Challenge under the Eco-Icons category.

Eyebeam received 140 applications from all of the world, and awarded one winner and two honorable mentions in the two categories of the challenge (Eco-Icons and Eco-Visualizations). Green Map System award is inclusion in two upcoming exhibitions.

The jurors made their decision based on clarity of thought, design, concept,and execution. The award winners' submitted proposals will be on display January 5-26 (opening reception January 5, 6-8pm) and the fully realized projects will be included in our exhibition opening March 13, 6-8pm.read more »

The Youth Green Map project in Pereira, Colombia is sharing with us their final products after a year of collaboration between GMS, the Latin American Hub and Fundación Geovida, the local organization leading this unique effort. We would like to thank the support of Captain Planet Foundation.

El proyecto Juvenil de Mapa Verde en Pereira, Colombia están compartiendo con nosotros sus productos finales después de un año de colaboración entre GMS, el Nodo Latinoamericano y la Fundación Geovida, la cual es la organización local que lidera este esfuerzo único. Deseamos agradecer el apoyo de la Fundación Capitán Planeta.read more »

On Monday October 15, about 60 people, including Mapmakers and Green Map users, new and long-time supporters, staff and visitors from several countries, organizations and backgrounds came to share their views in the first-ever public Green Map Icon Open Studio at Green Map HQ in New York. And, over the last week, nearly 1,000 have come to the digital Open Studio, too! Both the live exhibit and the online Icon Open Studio are awaiting your participation! Please make an appointment to comment in person (click Contact below to email or call to arrange) and/org click here to find more about the online process. Thanks so much!read more »

During the week of September 24th, Pereira's Young Mapmakers launched to their communities the 'Mobile Green Maps'. On these days, the team leaders from Fundación Geovida, teachers and students celebrated together with music, cultural activities and Green Map Tours.

Youth from low-income communities are becoming engaged in issues related to cartography; food security, waste management; social responsibility and critical assessment; design and communications; arts and painting; etc.

The young leaders shared with their peers and neighbors their findings. This project is supported by Captain Planet Foundation. Now they are planning a local meeting in a public university to gather the three k-12 schools involved in this initiative.read more »

At this time of the year we appreciate having extra hands with volunteers and interns. We are welcoming Courtney Wolf, Yelena Zolotorevskaya and Hsiao-ping Huang to our team, shown here with Wendy Brawer, Risa Isahikawa and myself, Carlos Martinez. There'a a diversity of skills from design to fundraising to tool development, complementing the needs of the global program.

Currently, on the local front, we're finalizing the 6 "Energy and Environmental Exploration" K-12 Modules (beta edition)- and preparing to test in New York - GreenAppleMap.org/page/2008 has an introduction. The Green Apple Map project is updating its Compost Map, too, and preparing to overhaul its website,... Globally, the Green Map Icon (Version 3) final discussion is soon to open to the public, and this week, check out all the Green Maps created in Taiwan being added to this website.read more »

Public schools in Pereira, Colombia, are developing “mobile Green Map murals” and are planning to distribute 5,000 printed copies of their campuses and surrounding neighborhoods. Green Maps, the tangible products of this process will be a long-lasting contribution and a message of inspiration in different levels: the government and policy makers are paying attention to the youth demands, the Mapmakers involved in this project are youth mentors passing on their knowledge and methodologies locally, and other communities around the planet have been motivated to develop and replicate more projects like this.read more »

The Botanical Garden of the Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira in Colombia, was distinguished as "Environmental Project 2006" by the local government.

The City Council of Pereira recognized this important project for its contribution to the environmental education.

This biodiverse garden was included in the UTP's Green Map, a university campus project located in the traditional coffee growing ecoregion of Colombia.

Visit the profile here.

El Jardín Botánico de la Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira en Colombia fue distinguido como "Proyecto Ambiental 2006" por el gobierno local.read more »