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Greg Peterson, is recognized innovator and visionary in greenliving and sustainability, appearing extensively on local Phoenix, AZ television, radio andin print.  His mission is“Inspiring people into their own greenness” which he does by living what hespeaks.  He received a Mastersdegree in Urban and Environmental Planning in 2006, and a Bachelors degree inInterdisciplinary Studies from Arizona State University in 2004. Both degreeswere grounded in sustainability studies mergingacademic planning with 34 years of real world self-study. Greg has ownedseveral businesses over the past 31 years, which brings a background rich inentrepreneurship and management. From 1986 to 2003, during the computer revolution, he gained extensivebackground in the world of technology having run several technology companies,including a computer training and software development company.

As a resident of Phoenix for the last 42 years, Greg has along history of urban sustainability and food production in dry lands.  He was first introduced to desertgardening at the age of 12, which played a key role in the way he pursued hiseducation and planted his gardens. In 1991, the concept of permaculture wasintroduced, bringing together many sustainability concepts into one cohesivesystem.

In 2001, out of his undergraduate work at ASU, Greg createda new concept called the Urban Farm, a real world environmental showcase homein the heart of Phoenix, AZ. Utilizing his extensive background to develop aninnovative holistic home site, the Urban Farm (www.urbanfarm.org) features anentirely edible 1/3 acre farm which includes: 70+ fruit trees, rainwater andgreywater harvesting, three solar options along with extensive use of reclaimedand recycled building materials. The site is opened periodically throughout theyear for the public to experience. The Urban Farm offers classes, lectures and tours.

From the experience of creating and nurturing the UrbanFarm, and the success of the classes and tours, the need for a strongerpresence in the community emerged. In 2004, Greg, along with Don Titmus, created the Phoenix PermacultureGuild (www.PhoenixPermaculture.org) a 501c3 nonprofit based in Phoenix AZ.  Greg served as the director andorganizer of the organization from its inception until December of 2008. TheGuild has grown from a few events per year to an organization with a full Boardand hundreds of events per year.

In 2006, along with his business partner Amy, Greg launchedYourGuideToGreen (www.YourGuideToGreen.com) an internet portal designed “To inspire mainstreamconsumers to go green by providing the right information and product at theright time in a fun, easy-to-understand, guilt free way.”  YourGuideToGreen has experienced asignificant amount of success in both the amount of traffic going to the siteand has experienced over a 1000% growth rate in sales from 2007 to 2008. 

Greg Peterson is a writer, teacher and lecturer on many aspectsof sustainability, green living and permaculture.  His passion is to present the concepts so that the listenercan easily understand and implement the information into their own life. He iscurrently a contributing writer for Phoenix Magazine (2 years), Edible Phoenix(4 years) and is a primary writer and host for the pilot television show “SmartSpaces: Inside & Out” (www.YourGuideToGreen.com/watch).  His column,aptly named The Green Guy, is availablefor syndication.  Greg is alsoavailable to speak to your organization and regularly draws hundreds of peoplefor his Living Green, What Does it Mean?lectures.

Greg is available to speak and write on the followingtopics: 

·     Living Green, What Does itMean?

·     Stop Recycling…Say What?

·     Save Money, Live Green (GoGreen, Save Green)

·     Create your own Urban Farm

·     Edible Landscaping, What itis, Installation (Eat My Yard (What it is, Installation)

·     Greywater and RainwaterHarvesting, Uses, Installations, Concepts

·     Permaculture

·     Sustainability, What the heckdoes it mean?

·     Greening Your Home, Life, theWorld

·     Urban Orcharding, Urban FruitProduction

·     Urban Food Systems, Chickens,Composting, Desert Gardening

·     Living Green and Your Health

·     The Green Living Continuum

·     Community and FoodIntegration