NEW YORK, NY. - September 3, 2008 "“ As the magazine at the forefront of breaking environmental trends and green news, PLENTY knows the difference between a game-changer and a world-changer. This year's list, appearing in the October/November issue, recognizes the 20 most dynamic individuals and the 20 most pioneering companies that are facing adverse environmental circumstances head on and bettering the planet - a who's who of the most influential green newsmakers - and the top ten ideas that will propel the tide of environmental change into 2009. From internet giants that are making renewable energy cheaper than coal -- a sea captain monitoring the ocean's plastic gyre -- carbon labeling on consumer products, PLENTY catches the next wave of environmental stewardship.

Through a careful vetting process, the editors of PLENTY pored over hundreds of entries to whittle the list down to the most deserving, offering readers a run-down of who's shaping the green playing field. The 20 most dynamic individuals dedicated to greening the planet are: venture capitalist extraordinaire Vinod Khosla, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, sustainable food advocate and author Michael Pollan, green collar jobs activist Van Jones, Forecast Earth presenter Heidi Cullen, New York Times environmental correspondent and Dot Earth blogger Andrew Revkin, Live Earth producer Kevin Wall, sustainable design gurus William McDonough and Michael Braungart, explorer David De Rothschild, environmental champion Al Gore, author, entrepreneur and MIT scholar Nicholas Negroponte, water activist Maude Barlow, Worldwatch Institute founder Lester Brown, Ceres president Mindy Lubber, X Prize Foundation CEO Peter Diamandis, ocean garbage tracker Charles Moore, Environmental Defense Fund president Fred Krupp, mining industry activist Joe Lovett, NASA climate scientist James Hansen, and farmer, philosopher and organic certifier Frederick Kirschenmann.

The 20 pioneering businesses obtaining recognition for their accomplishments are: thin-film solar cell creator Applied Materials, renewable energy operator Iberdola, socially responsible investor Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, fair-trade certifier Transfair USA, energy efficiency innovator IBM, cutting-edge sustainability architecture firm Arup, biofuel pioneer Coskata, nanotech start-up A123 Systems, recycling company Recyclebank, sustainable furniture manufacturer Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, safe cosmetics advocate Environmental Working Group, fast food delivery innovator Pizza Fusion, local-food catering and food service company Bon Appétit Management Company, protector of forest woods Forest Stewardship Council, Nobel Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and large businesses being recognized for huge steps in the right direction - Home Depot, Google, Nike, Patagonia and Swiss Re.

The 10 ideas taking the environmental movement to a whole new level in 2009 are green affordable housing, green-collar jobs, carbon labeling, green media, closing the loop, nature education, skyscraper farms, intentional communities, economic energy efficiency and living catalogs.

For a deeper understanding of these ideas, individuals and businesses and ways in which they are moving the needle, pick up a copy of the October/November issue at Whole Foods Market, Target, Barnes & Noble's, Borders, CVS or other magazine retailers. In keeping with PLENTY's dedication to being green, all of their content is available online at www.plentymag.com.

About PLENTY Magazine

PLENTY is an environmental media company dedicated to exploring and giving voice to the green revolution that will define the 21st Century. As the leading environmental lifestyle magazine, PLENTY has forged itself as a unique voice for the entire spectrum of today's eco-issues. Covering content that ranges from clean technology and sustainable architecture, to organic food and fashion, to environmentally conscientious tourism and responsible investing, PLENTY has stationed itself as a source of all things green to those leading the charge towards a more sustainable future.

OrganicWorks Marketing

OrganicWorks Marketing

OrganicWorks Marketing is a highly specialized media communications company dedicated to raising mainstream awareness for the contemporary style of organic, sustainable and eco-living. By leveraging expertise in public relations, marketing, and strategic planning, along with professional knowledge and trend watch of both the mainstream and “green” consumer marketplace, OrganicWorks Marketing provides clients with a distinctive platform that enables them to create memorable consumer impact. As a company, OrganicWorks Marketing strives to do their part to lessen the impact on the environment. They understand the importance and weight of our eco-conscious business decisions and practices and always make a strong effort to act environmentally responsible.

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