Charles "Champ" Walker, Jr.'s Green Economy Diversity Initiative, Goes the Green Mile...

Charles "Champ" Walker is one of those childhood friends that I knew I would always reconnect with somewhere along the journey of my adult life. As teenagers in Augusta, Ga. Charles and I have always had "the world is bigger than our hood mentality".

Champ is the Chairman of GEDI Green Economy Diversity Initiative
GEDI is........ Going the Green Mile...a Grassroots Community Engagement Campaign is make great efforts to provide under served communities access to sustainability in the form of green information education and employment/business opportunities.

The Green Economy Diversity Initiative (GEDI), the nation’s leading green disadvantaged business advocacy organization is the official partner of the Going the Green Mile (GTGM) Pledge and Campaign. Joining green organizations, governments and citizens in working together on an eco-egoless platform to REPOWER America and create an inclusion Green economy- where everyone has a stake in and benefit from …Going the Green Mile

GEDI will partner with your organization and launch one of the most progressive grassroots sustainable campaigns in America, and eventually the nation. The GTGM campaign will engage local governments, corporations, small businesses and citizens to make a pledge in .....Going the Green Mile. As a partner, your organization will become a founding member of the GTGM Campaign as the grassroots effort expands across regions.

Going the Green Mile is the pathway to a sustainable future that is designed for those that want to go green, but have been disillusioned by the complex definitions and myths about the cost of going green.

Going the Green Mile is a grassroots sustainable approach to educating the masses by providing practical and simple ‘Green’ education that would reduce their carbon footprint in their homes, businesses and communities. The community will be asked to..... Go the Green Mile and implement GTGM Eco-principles- simple green practices in the following areas:

1) Energy Reduction- implementation of GTGM energy reduction strategies that we reduce energy consumption

2) Water Conservation- implementation of GTGM water conservation practices that will reduce water

GEDI has deployed the following programs, policies and platforms within the last ten months:

Going the Green Mile Events
GEDI Partnered with Urban E-Life to promote a Month long environmental awareness campaign for Earth Day. GEDI developed a Going the Green Mile Campaign and Pledge and entered into an exclusive licensing contract with GTGM founder to administer and develop GTGM brand.

GTGM E-EXPO Millennium Gates
GTGM Pre-Press Announcement (Atlantic Station)
GTGM Green Networking event honoring Cooper Atlanta (Title Sponsor)
GTGM Legislative Day at the Georgia State Capital

Signing of Executive Order 13415- GEDI worked with the White House Council on Environmental Quality to develop language for an executive order that would include green preference contracting for socioeconomic vendors. On October 5, 2009 President Obama signed the order under section 2 and 13.

NWF Climate Change Fly-in- GEDI participated as part leadership team as part of the national fly-in think tank to discus policies impacting poor and underserved communities and lobby members of Congress.
Climate Change Radio campaign- As a result of the NWF Fly-in GEDI developed relationships with some of the foremost leaders in Environmental Justice and the green movement. The Green Opportunities and Environmental Justice Act (GOEJA) was created to create an Olive economy- the color of the economy when people of color and the green economy meet.
Grassroots Community Engagement Campaign: Going the Green Mile- GEDI has exclusive rights to market develop a grassroots engagement campaign and pledge that is designed to motivate citizens and businesses to become environmental steward. The simplicity of the campaign is the key inspiring the masses to Go the Green Mile.
Green America Private Public Partnership (GAPPP)- GEDI partnered with GAPPP and conducted a webinar for black elected officials around the country

Develop Radio One Campaign- GEDI has designed a We A re Green Campaign that will be supported by Radio One- the largest urban radio concern in the US.
Paine College- Center for Sustainability (PSC)- GEDI has receive the verbal approval, awaiting signature to create the PCS to become a leader in promoting social outreach and sustainability. Target date to start program is summer 2010
Solarfield- branded Evander Holyfield as the Lean Green Fighting Machine and led the design and effort to develop a 40 acre solar farm in Fayetteville Ga (Atlanta)

Partnerships/Sponsorships: GEDI has worked with several dozen green organizations on educational and awareness workshops, seminars and conferences
Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) Webinar – GEDI conducted a seminar with environmental leaders across the country about its work in creating an Olive Economy and how their Certified Green Business Enterprise (CGBE) would help bridge the green divide.
Green Grant Tours- Partnership with First Born LLC to introduce grant opportunities to organizations and educate them about going green.
Certified Green Minority Business- (CGMB) – GEDI has designed the first ever certification for green businesses that includes the social imperative. We are working with several municipalities to implement a green supply diversity procurement program that levels the playing field for disadvantaged businesses. Green for All assisted in the development of the CGMB Program.
Green For All- GEDI has a partnership with Green for All wherein we provide business and technical assistance
GOEJA Green Opportunities and Environmental Justice Act-GEDI develop white paper with environmental justice
GABEO Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials
FOTH (Faith on the Hill) Ministers Conference
National Association of Black Elected Officials Ft Lauderdale Florida- GEDI presented the GOEJA Language and educated legislators across the country about the unprecedented opportunity to create economic development in underserved communities and how olive policies would ensure a level playing field,

EPA Partnership- GEDI was asked by the EPA to solve the residential cooking oil epidemic. To date we have partnered with a private concern to collect cooking oil and produce bio fuel

Scrappy Green Clean-up- GEDI Sponsored Member Scrappy Green clean up event and engaged several members to participate Atlanta, Georgia March 6, 2010
Hartsfield Jackson NIP Project
Green Grease Alliance Partnership- GEDI members co=founded the Green Grease Alliance- an organization dedicated to eliminating the Fats Oils and Grease epidemic by collecting cooking oil and producing bio fuel.
Morehouse Entrepreneurship Conference-GEDI Participated as a sponsor and provided information to attendees regarding the GOEJA LANGUAGE AND THE Presidents executive order
National Urban League Economic development session a White Initiative- GEDI served on the panel to speak to the creation of green collar jobs through entrepreneurship
Rainbow Push Coalition Green Carpet Affair- GEDI sponsored several events to include the following events : Green Power Networking event, Green carpet VIP, Green symposium.
American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) GEDI GOEJA language was adopted- and used in the bill passed by US Congress last year. Representative Bobby Rush was the sponsor.
Green Church Initiative- We has 50 plus churches as part of the network under New Birth and are partnered with EPA on its houses of worship program.
The Green Press Initiative- GEDI is developing partners to join the initiative and hopes to have all the members on board by July 30th.
GOUN Partnership- HBCU Black History Month project GEDI was a sponsor of
Captain Planet Partnership Olive Project- GEDI has formed a partnership with Captain Planet and Word of Faith to construct a youth garden as a national pilot project.
GEDI Political Platform GEDI has been asked to work with Politicians to create their Green Platforms: Kasim Reed/Governor Barnes Green Platform
Atlanta Business League 3rd Annual Congress- GEDI served as a presenter for the green circle during the 3rd Annual Congress
National Caucus of Black State Legislators Conference (NBCSL)- GEDI was one of the only presenters at the NCBSL. Hundreds of legislators were on hand to discuss the GOEJA Language that was included in the president’s executive order 13415.
Kauffman Foundation UEP Program- GEDI is working with the CEO to implement a green entrepreneurship program.
GEDI Representation at Copenhagen GEDI in conjunction with GOUN was able to send a representative to Copenhagen.

Clark Atlanta –Green School of Excellence- GEDI has received the go ahead from the president of Clark Atlanta University to create a school of excellence. Waiting on two departments to join the collaborative.

GEDI contact