Tom Cotter
Tom Cotter is a renewable energy evangelist, social entrepreneur, ordained minister and trained presenter for the Climate Reality Project.
Tom is Sales Manager of Central California at Real Goods Solar. Real Goods Solar is a leading national residential and commercial solar energy provider. With 34 years of experience in solar, beginning with selling the first retail solar electric panels in the United States in 1978, they have helped thousands of homeowners, businesses, churches and farmers go solar. http://facebook.com/RealGoodsSolar
Tom is President of the International Green Industry Hall of Fame (IGIHOF), whichpromotes ecological sustainability worldwide through recognizing individuals and organizations for outstanding achievement(s) in the Green Industry and provides an educational forum for the international public. Nominate your favorite green business or hero at http://gogreenhall.org.
In 2012, Tom was personally trained by Climate Reality Project Chairman and former Vice President Al Gore to deliver a multimedia slide show featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth. The slide show is continually updated with the latest scientific data and research to convey the scope and urgency of the climate challenge.
Tom is also frequently invited to speak with the media or groups about solar power, green jobs, creation care, circular economy, electric cars, postmodern culture, microcredit, and social media for good.
Tom has started or is involved in a number of projects, events, non-profits and entrepreneurial ventures, including:
• Co-creator of http://JustPickItApp.com, a mobile app that allows users to find free and pay-for items posted by people they follow based on zip code or categories. Users can give away things they don't need by taking a photo, categorizing it, then posting. Anyone who's interested would bid for it and the user could choose who will pick it up.
• Producer of the documentary film, The Forest for the Trees, the incredible, true story of Jadab Payeng, who decided to start planting things to combat the erosion of his island. Over the past 34 years, he has planted an astonishing 1,400 acres of forest on this island in the country if India. This new forest, dubbed Molai's Woods is now home to many animals including rhinos, tigers, and elephants. Filming is taking place in the summer of 2012 and will be screened in the Fall of 2012.
• Organizer and curator of the Fresno Solar Tour, part of the National Solar Tour, the largest annual grassroots solar event in history. Each spring attendees tour homes and buildings to see how their neighbors are using solar energy to reduce their cost for electricity. Learn more about this educational tour at http://FresnoSolarTour.org.
• Co-founder and community manager at Green Fresno, a free social platform and information portal for exploring ecologically intelligent, commercially beneficial and socially productive living in the Fresno metro area. Join the conversation at http://GreenFresno.org.
• Founder and Coordinator of Fresno Green Drinks, an informal monthly gathering of environmental field professionals, educators, public servants, activists, and locals wanting to learn and inspire each other towards broader ecological stewardship in the Fresno metro area. Meeting information can be found at http://meetup.com/FresnoGreenDrinks.
• Co-chair and an organizer of Fresno Earth Day, purposed to inspire and mobilize individuals and organizations to demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection and sustainability. Get involved at http://FresnoEarthDay.org.
• Board of Directors at the Solar Living Institute, whose mission is to to promote sustainable living through inspirational environmental education. The Institute manages the Solar Living Center, a 12-acre renewable energy and sustainable living demonstration site that is visited by 200,000 people annually. Find out about our latest courses at http://solarliving.org/.
• Board of Directors at Restore Hetch Hetchy, whose mission is to return the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park to its natural splendor ─ while continuing to meet the water and power needs of all communities that depend on the Tuolumne River. In order for this to occur, the City of San Francisco must agree to drain the Hetch Hetchy reservoir and return the valley to the control of the National Park Service. Find out more about this little-understood place at http://hetchhetchy.org.
• Mentor at Edison High School's Green Energy and Technology Academy. Learn about this wonderful program at http://tinyurl.com/7hbnzkq.
• Previously, adjunct professor of environmental ethics at Fresno Pacific University.
Tom is a member of the Fresno Cycling Club, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Rainforest Alliance, World Vision, Compassion International, California Business Alliance for a Green Economy, American Solar Energy Society, United States Green Building Council, Build It Green and Kiva.
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Tom Cotter on Climate Reality Project
