Anti-Nuclear Advocates Receive JBL Awards from Tides Foundation

Congratulations to Glenn Carroll, Paul Gunter, and Arjun Makhijani.
And thank you to the Tides Foundation for supporting their work.

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Anti-Nuclear Advocates Receive JBL Awards from Tides Foundation

Jane Bagley Lehman Awards for Excellence in Public Advocacy Give $30,000 to Activists


SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – July 21, 2008 – Tides Foundation has awarded a total of $30,000 to the 2007/2008 recipients of the JBL Awards for Excellence in Public Advocacy. This year’s JBL Awards recognize three individuals who have advocated and organized against the reemergence of nuclear power as a "solution" to climate change. The JBL Awards honor policy activists and advocates by recognizing work that demonstrates innovative approaches to social change and a deep commitment to the public interest. The award recipients are being honored with $10,000 each on July 21st at Tides' Momentum 2008 Leadership Conference at the W Hotel in San Francisco.

"As the nation and the world struggle to reduce green house gas emissions in an effort to slow climate change, and to find alternatives to fossil fuel energy sources, nuclear power is back on the table as a viable energy option," said Drummond Pike, CEO and founder, Tides. "However, nuclear power remains a dangerous and flawed solution. From the mining of uranium to storage of spent fuel, it creates an unacceptable chain of destruction and risk. Glenn Carroll, Paul Gunter, and Arjun Makhijani are working to halt nuclear energy production and to call attention to its abuses and dangers; and we are so pleased to honor them with the JBL Award."

This year marks the 18th anniversary of the JBL Awards which are named after Jane Bagley Lehman, one of the founders of Tides Foundation and the Chair of the Board until her death in 1988. An unconventional philanthropist, her insatiable curiosity was matched by a willingness to take risks. Jane was most intrigued by the approaches and strategies of advocates and organizers and their willingness to challenge traditional assumptions. She also cared deeply that the results of these efforts be translated into the broader area of public policy.

The 2007/2008 JBL Award Winners:

GLENN CARROLL - Through a unique mix of art and activism, Glenn Carroll has fought to stop nuclear proliferation for over two decades. After the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, Glenn joined 'Georgians Against Nuclear Energy', (now Nuclear Watch South) where she has contributed graphics and illustrations to educate the public about nuclear issues, testified at public hearings and led legal interventions at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission since 1988. Glenn’s multi-faceted approach to the nuclear problem reached critical mass when she presented a painting exhibit on nuclear energy and environmental issues at Georgia Tech and undertook a legal intervention opposing the reactor on its downtown Atlanta campus. After raising the issue during the 1996 Olympics, a clear victory was obtained when Georgia Tech elected to permanently shut the reactor in 1997. Glenn has also served on the Board of the Campaign for a Prosperous Georgia, and as President of the Georgia Environmental Council.

PAUL GUNTER - An activist and energy policy analyst, Paul Gunter has been an ardent critic of atomic power development for over thirty years. He is a lead spokesman on nuclear reactor hazards and security issues, and a prominent regulatory watchdog over the nuclear power industry. In 1976, he co-founded the antinuclear Clamshell Alliance which opposed the construction of the Seabrook atomic power plant on the New Hampshire seacoast through non-violent direct action, and marked the country’s first opposition movement to nuclear power. Before joining the 'Beyond Nuclear' program at the Nuclear Policy Institute, Paul served for 16 years as director of the Reactor Watchdog Project with Nuclear Information and Resource.

ARJUN MAKHIJANI - A recognized authority on energy and nuclear issues, Arjun Makhijani is the principal author of the first study of energy efficiency potential of the U.S. economy, and of the book: Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy (2007), the first study to show that it is technically and economically feasible to phase out fossil fuels and nuclear power, and a rallying point for groups advocating against a resurgence of nuclear power. Arjun was named a Ploughshares Hero in 2006 for his work in nuclear armament, and last year, he was elected a Fellow of the American Physical society. He has testified before Congress, consulted for numerous organizations, and appeared on local and national media, including 60 minutes, All Things Considered, and CBS and ABC Evening News. Arjun is currently the President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research.

About Tides
Tides actively promotes change toward broadly shared economic opportunity, robust democratic processes and the opportunity to live in a healthy and sustainable environment where human rights are preserved and protected. Tides is a nonprofit organization founded in 1976 and provides an array of services that amplifies the efforts of forward-thinking philanthropists, foundations, activists and organizations to make the world a better place. Tides Foundation, Tides Center and Tides Shared Spaces have collaborated with over 15,000 individuals and organizations that have touched millions of lives across the country and around the globe. With offices in San Francisco and New York City, Tides provides fiscal sponsorship for over 200 groups across the country, operates and supports green nonprofit centers and has granted more than $600 million since 2000 alone. For more information, visit www.tides.org.

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