WMEAC gears up for 40th Anniversary gala

The West Michigan Environmental Action Council will celebrate its 40th year on Thursday, Dec. 4, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the new, LEED-Certified, Grand Rapids Art Museum. Over the past 40 years, the council has been responsible for many of the state’s most significant environmental actions.

Not only has it played a key role in shaping environmental policy regionally and abroad, WMEAC has also launched many of the grassroots organizations currently functioning in West Michigan today, including Local First, the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum, the local chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, Green Drinks and others.

The celebration will feature the performance, “A Sense of Wonder” and the First Annual ‘Triple Top Line Awards’.

“A Sense of Wonder” a one woman show performed by Kaiulani Lee and based on the life of Rachel Carson. Rachel Carson has been called ‘the patron saint of the environmental movement.’ She was a marine biologist and zoologist best known for her book Silent Spring, which alerted the world to the dangers of chemical pesticides and launched the modern environmental movement. “A Sense of Wonder” is the story of one woman’s love for the natural world and her fight to defend it.”

Rachel Carson’s life was directly connected to WMEAC’s first action, filing suit to ban the use of DDT in the United States.

WMEAC’s First Annual Triple Top Line Awards will highlight the best West Michigan innovations that balance environmental protection, economic success and social equality. To download a ‘Triple Top Line’ award nomination form, go to www.wmeac.org and click ‘read more’ under the event listing. Forms are due no later than November 16, 2008.

The event is sponsored by the Wege Foundation. Tapas will be provided by San Chez Restaurant. Local beer and wine will be available with a cash bar. Make your reservation and purchase tickets by contacting WMEAC at rsvp@wmeac.org or 616.451.3051 x 33. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.wmeac.org.