Eco-awareness is a way of life for Laura Turner Seydel. Years of earth-friendly living and community involvement have fueled her desire to “live green.” As a national environmental activist and eco-living expert, Laura’s mission is to educate families, youth and individuals alike about the opportunities and benefits of earth-friendly living.
Laura developed her passion for protecting the environment at an early age. As daughter of CNN founder and philanthropist Ted Turner, she saw firsthand how ecologically devastated many areas of the world are. Rather than leave it to others to address the problem, Laura grew up taking an active role in eco-issues from leading environmental voting initiatives to finding new ways to protect the Chattahoochee River.
It’s no surprise that environmental philanthropy is a priority for Laura. From simple measures such as teaching Girl Scout Troops composting techniques to creating a number of environmental non-profit organizations, Laura serves as an inspiration to others wondering how we can make a difference.
Her many leadership responsibilities include:
- Chairman of the Captain Planet Foundation, a partner program to the highly successful environmentally focused Saturday morning cartoon, Captain Planet and the Planeteers. The Captain Planet Foundation acts as a national educational conduit to provide funds to groups conducting environmental projects with elementary, middle, and high school students. Projects funded by The Captain Planet Foundation have impacted over 625,000 youth around the world from a wide variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.
- Co-founder of Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Fund. In 1993, Laura and her husband, Rutherford Seydel, founded the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Fund, an environmental advocacy group that works to raise public awareness of issues related to the Chattahoochee River and secure measurable improvements in its health. Laura has guided Riverkeeper’s fundraising efforts from its inception and has served as a key advisor to the organization in policy-making and strategic planning.
- Co-founder of Mothers & Others for Clean Air. In 2004, Laura helped create Mothers & Others for Clean Air to raise awareness about the link between asthma and air pollution. The organization gives mothers access to vital information concerning the effects of air pollution, allowing them to make informed decisions about how to protect themselves and their children.
Laura is active on the boards of many other local and national groups including: Earth Share Georgia; The Nature Conservancy of Georgia; the North Georgia Water Planning District Board, Defenders of Wildlife; Waterkeeper Alliance; Atlanta Ballet; Oglethorpe University and The League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. Laura is a Trustee of the Turner Foundation, a private family environmental grantmaking foundation created in 1990. In her capacity as Trustee, she is involved in all aspects of the Foundation’s operations, from reviewing funding requests and establishing policy to identifying funding priorities and overseeing special initiatives. Laura is also a Trustee of the Jane Smith Turner Foundation, a private family grantmaking foundation, whose funding priorities include the arts, children’s health and education and the environment.
Laura’s most exciting new project is the house she and her husband Rutherford built. Called EcoManor, it is the first LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) residence in the Southeast. EcoManor will illustrate the opportunities and benefits of earth-friendly, energy-efficient homes. The home is serving as a showcase to demonstrate life in a green, eco-friendly way through a mix of progressive new products and environmentally-responsible techniques. More importantly, EcoManor will serve as an educational tool to builders, architects, designers, landscapers, educators and homeowners to promote green living, conservation options and improved residential building practices. For more information about EcoManor, please visit: www.ecomanor.com.
A Georgia native, born in Macon, Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts from Oglethorpe University. In 1997, Laura was awarded the Conservationist of the Year Award from the Georgia Wildlife Federation and was selected as one of ten Outstanding Young Atlantans. In 2003 Laura and her husband Rutherford were presented the Distinguished Conservationist Award from The Georgia Conservancy.
Laura resides in Atlanta with her husband, Rutherford and their three children, John R, 14, Vasser, 11 and Laura Elizabeth, 8.
