Sept. 19, 2018, San Jose, CA. — On Saturday, Nov. 3, The Tech Museum of Innovation will honor author and activist Paul Hawken with the 2018 James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award, presented by Applied Materials, Inc., at the second annual Tech for Global Good celebration. That night, The Tech will also unveil the newest version of its annual exhibition that tells the stories of five organizations using technology to make the world a better place. This year, the five organizations — called Tech for Global Good laureates – are working on environmental sustainability.
“Students and visitors are drawn to challenges for issues they care about,” said Gretchen Walker, vice president of learning at The Tech. “The environment is a defining issue for the next generation. The Tech for Global Good program will inspire young people with technology solutions for how we get around, how we get the things we eat and how everyday products are made.”
Paul Hawken is an author and activist who has founded successful ecologically conscious businesses and consulted with heads of state and CEOs on economic development, industrial ecology and environmental policy. He is the executive director of Project Drawdown, an organization that maps, measures and models solutions to global warming.
The James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award recognizes individuals whose vision and leadership are focused on solving global problems. Last year, author Khaled Hosseini received the award for his leadership in refugee causes. Previous recipients include Bill Gates, Al Gore and Queen Rania Al Abdullah. The award is named after Jim Morgan, Chairman Emeritus of Applied Materials and a recipient of the National Medal of Technology.
“Paul Hawken believes in humanity’s power to solve the greatest problems facing our planet,” said Joe Pon, corporate vice president at Applied Materials. “With his lifelong dedication to environmental sustainability and to guiding business to be more ecologically conscience, Paul is a worthy recipient of the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award.”
The Tech for Global Good program is an expansion of The Tech Awards, founded in 2001 to recognize innovators using technology to benefit humanity. This year’s class of five laureates has created innovative technology benefiting our environment and addressing the threat of climate change. An exhibition on the Upper Level of The Tech will feature the story of each organization and its founders. Their work is also being incorporated into educational materials available on field trips to The Tech and made available to teachers online.
Tech for Global Good 2018-19 laureates
Freight Farms
Founded in 2010
Mission: Grow food anywhere
What they do: Build the Leafy Green Machine, a recycled shipping container that has been transformed into a vertical, hydroponic farming system. The space can grow 2 to 4 tons of produce a year for less than 5 gallons of water a day, in temperatures ranging from -40 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Opus 12
Founded in 2015
Mission: A profitable solution to carbon emissions
What they do: Opus 12 invented a device that recycles CO2 into chemicals and fuels using only water and electricity. This could provide an incentive to reduce overall carbon emissions for heavy polluters in the form of a new revenue stream.
Proterra
Founded in 2004
Mission: Safe, clean transportation
What they do: Make 100% electric buses for the United States. San Jose will be adding five Proterra buses to its fleet as part of a state-wide goal for all public transit fleets to consist only of zero emission vehicles by the year 2040.
Rainforest Connection
Founded in 2012
Mission: Saving the rainforest to stop climate change
What they do: Provide real-time monitoring and data to partners to protect the rainforest. Using a network of cell phones, Rainforest Connection listens in to the canopy of at-risk rainforests. If unusual activity (like a chainsaw) is heard, an alert is sent to authorities.
SmartParks
Founded in 2013
Mission: Use technology to improve conservation
What they do: Create solutions for parks that protect endangered species. For example, the company made highly durable, solar-powered sensors that track rhinos in a park in Rwanda. The devices work indefinitely and can’t be detected by poachers, allowing parks to keep tabs on their most at-risk animals.
For more information visit www.thetechforglobalgood.org.
Past James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award recipients
Khaled Hosseini (2017)
John and Tashia Morgridge (2015)
Ted Turner (2014)
Dean Kamen (2013)
R. Narayana Murthy (2012)
Jeff Skoll (2011)
Queen Rania Al Abdullah (2010)
Al Gore (2009)
Muhammad Yunus (2008)
Gordon Moore (2007)
Bill Gates (2006)
Kristine Pearson (2005)
James C. Morgan (2004)
The Tech for Global Good supporters include: The Swanson Family; Mozilla; Qatalyst, Applied Materials, Inc.; PayPal; Adobe; eBay; Nasdaq; Accenture; Delta Air Lines; EY; GoDaddy; KPMG; Charmaine and Daniel Warmenhoven; Xilinx; Deedee and Burton McMurtry; Hyatt Place; and J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.
Media Contact: Jeff Gire jgire@thetech.org 1-408-802-3397.
About The Tech Museum of Innovation
The Tech is a hands-on technology and science center for people of all ages and backgrounds. Located in the capital of Silicon Valley, The Tech is a non-profit experiential learning resource established to engage people in exploring and experiencing applied technologies affecting their lives. The Tech’s mission is to inspire the innovator in everyone.
