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New York, NY, December 29, 2016 (Newswire.com) – The Green Building Research Institute (GBRI) collaborated with the nonprofit I-believe for the “Change Begins With Me” Campaign in support of “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. There are 17 goals with 169 targets that were endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly and its 193 member states. By 2030, these Goals aim to combat the world’s most wicked and pressing problems, including poverty, hunger, and climate change, among many others.

Being an online education provider, GBRI strongly believes that educating ourselves on the issues addressed by U.N SDGs is the first step towards finding a sustainable solution.  The “Change Begins With Me” Campaign is a collaborative effort between GBRI and I-believe (a non-profit based out of the U.S) with the goal of making a difference in the way we think and act through implementation and execution of the following initiatives:

• Education
• Social experiments
• Hosting projects in support of the SDGs
• Inspiring all of us to be the change!

Kick started in August 2016, at present there are multiple educational course videos that support the UN SDGs. These courses are available to watch for FREE on GBRIonline.org, YouTube, and I-Believe Websites. One set of videos (currently available in English) discusses and analyzes each goal, background, the process used to develop the goals, and actions people can take to support the SDGs. There is another video (English and Spanish) that aims to educate women on using sustainable healthy practices before, during, and after pregnancy.

GBRI has made a significant commitment to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals through action. These include developing additional videos as issues of interest are identified by the UN; utilizing social media to engage with its Facebook and LinkedIn followers, and email subscribers; and participating in social experiments in India and the U.S. as appropriate. As part of this campaign, GBRI and I-believe have also partnered with Navodaya Old Students Association (NOSA) to co-create educational content for students attending 1- 12^th grades in Kerala, India. Navodaya or Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) are a system of alternate schools for students in India run by the Central Government. As part of this partnership, GBRI has already committed to delivering FREE Exam Prep for the Architecture Exam (NATA) for Navodaya School Students in India. GBRI co-founder, Jeslin Varghese, is an alumni of Navodaya Vidyalaya, Pathnamthitta, Kerala-India. GBRI also plans to co-create educational content with Navodaya Alumni and teachers to benefit future generations by teaching them to be socially responsible global citizens.

GBRI also supports the UN’s mission and the 17 sustainable development goals for another reason. GBRI has set a company goal of Redefining Sustainability. The term sustainability has become a loosely used word that people often associate with just the environment. Truly, the Earth is a very important aspect of sustainability. But to be truly sustainable, you also have to take into account the social (people) and economic implications as well.

The UN Campaign is 100 percent driven by volunteers, so GBRI has also volunteered to list work with potential stakeholders to raise funding to reach larger audiences. This is a call to action for everyone. Do you want to partner in this worthy endeavor? Are you interested in translating existing courses or teaching new courses? Are you up for volunteering, sharing technology solutions, or making a donation? GBRI and I-believe are looking to partner with individuals, and small to large organizations, interested in joining a global effort that can raise the quality of life for people at home and around the world.

About Green Building Research Institute

GBRI is an American Institute of Architects (AIA) Education Provider and a U.S Green Building Council (USGBC) Education Partner. Its mission is to make sustainability incorporating health and wellness available and affordable to everyone around the world.  We have hundreds of sustainability courses surrounding the topics of Energy, Water, LEED, Net Zero Buildings, Green Schools, Energy modeling, Day Lighting, BIM, Biophilia, and Health and Wellness to name a few. In addition, we have NATA, LEED Green Associate, LEED AP, and WELL AP exam prep materials. The 3-part video course on Sustainable Development Goals is approved for 3 Continuing Education (CE) credits for AIA and LEED professionals.

Media Contact:

Jeslin Varghese
Phone: 210-858-7783
Email: jvarghese@gbrionline.org