Trip Launch Press Release

PHILADELPHIA COUPLE TO DOCUMENT GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS AS THEY TRAVEL THE GLOBE FOR THE NEXT YEAR

- With the quickly changing and ever evolving sustainability efforts going on around the globe, Keith and Amy Sutter will document the latest developments while traveling the world over the next year. -

Philadelphia, PA September 8, 2009 – www.GreenAroundTheGlobe.com

Sometimes you have to see it to truly understand.  This is the driving force behind the decision Keith and Amy Sutter made to take a 1-year sabbatical from their respective careers in Marketing at Johnson & Johnson and Real Estate at the law firm Ballard Spahr. They believe that on-the-ground research is required to fully comprehend what is happening at the leading edge of the global sustainability movement.  They will do this by interviewing key sustainability leaders and publishing case studies on their efforts.  Importantly, they will be documenting the impact of the global recession on the ability to maintain a commitment to these critical projects.  They will be investigating various aspects of sustainability including the impact of climate change, access to basic resources such as clean drinking water and emerging voluntary rating mechanisms such as the Green Star system for buildings in Australia.  Keith and Amy will be documenting it all through regular updates at http://www.greenaroundtheglobe.com.

“I saw a clear shift occurring here in the U.S. with consumers demanding more sustainable products and services.   This includes everything from personal photovoltaic arrays to car-share memberships. These innovations enable consumers to take control over rising energy costs as well as lowering their environmental footprint,” Keith said. “I am looking to determine if consumers around the globe are also moving in this direction, and what businesses are doing to deliver against these needs.  Talking directly to global green-collar entrepreneurs and their consumers will help to document this global consumer shift.”

“Being one of the first LEED AP real estate attorneys in the US, over the last few years I have seen increased interest in sustainable development and LEED-rated buildings.   This shift is for many reasons, including improved energy efficiency, lower operating costs and improved marketability to tenants. Seeing how other counties are tackling the challenges of creating systems to certify buildings as sustainable is something I am looking forward to documenting,” Amy said.

Be sure to follow Keith and Amy’s progress and see what insights they have gathered at www.GreenAroundTheGlobe.com.

About Amy Sutter, Esq., LEED AP

Amy most recently was a 4^th year real estate associate in the Philadelphia office of Ballard Spahr.  Amy’s passion for green building led her to become one of the first LEED-accredited attorneys in the United States.  Amy’s legal practice has focused on counseling clients on green construction issues and how to navigate the changing legislative landscape for green building and sustainable development. Amy is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley (B.A., high honors, Phi Beta Kappa, 2001) and Harvard University (J.D. 2005), where she was the outreach editor of the Harvard Negotiation Law Review.  For additional information or interviews please contact Amy at amy@greenaroundtheglobe.com.

About Keith Sutter

Keith most recently was a Product Director at Johnson & Johnson, leading growth and innovation on brands including BAND-AID®, LACTAID® and SUN CRYSTALS®, among others. Keith’s passion for sustainability was sparked as he led the SUN CRYSYALS® Brand to be the first brand at Johnson & Johnson to secure national distribution at WHOLE FOODS® as well as a 1% of sales commitment towards solar energy.  Keith is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School (B.S. 2001), where he was also captain of the Heavyweight Crew team.  For additional information or interviews please contact Keith at keith@greenaroundtheglobe.com.

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