About

Alan helped establish the first Earth Day, served on staff of Environmental Quality Magazine, and participated/contributed to the First Int’l United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972. He founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Environmental Education Group (EEG, est.1972). EEG has its star projects the Green2Gold Incubators and Workshops for sustainable economic development, FD3 — major world helping, responsible solutions, the Small Business Entrepreneurship Center, and the TECHBREW Multi-Dimensional MEGA MIXERS. Mr.Tratner is president of the nonprofit Inventors Workshop Intl (IWI, est.1971) and Entrepreneurs Workshop. He is a prolific inventor in renewable energy and transportation, and a serial entrepreneur, and has helped over 100,000 members of Green2Gold and IWI for over 40 years. Alan has conducted over 4,000 workshops and seminars around the globe, from Stanford U. to Moscow, Russia. He is a former Professor of Environment and Energy. Alan created and managed the U.S. SBA’s Santa Barbara County Small Business Development Center, and is a SCORE counselor. Alan has been dubbed the “Minister of Ideas” by the media, and has appeared on and been featured in most of the leading media of our times, from CNN, CNBC, Oprah, Good Morning America, The Today Show, Tomorrow Show, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Time, Businessweek, Newsweek, USA Today, Sustainable Industries, Fortune Small Business, Inc, etc., to numerous radio programs, and newspapers. He was co-host of the nationally syndicated New Venture Money Show and ‘Inventors Workshop on the Air’ featured on the Business Radio Network in 90 USA cities. Mr.Tratner was the Editor in Chief of Energies Journal of the Solar Energy Society of America, publisher of the Geothermal Energy Magazine and Geothermal World Directory, was Executive Director of The Geothermal Energy Association, and Green Retailers Association, and was director of the Green Business Conferences, created the first national Eco Inventors and Entrepreneurs Workshops, and the New Environmental Technologies Exhibits at Eco Expo’s across America during the 1990’s. Alan and Lielle Arad of FD3 conduct ‘The Sustainable Planet and the Total Vantage Point’ presentations. Alan has received numerous awards and recognitions, ranging from the White House to governors, mayors, and in 2012 Alan was inducted into the International Green Industries Hall Of Fame and honored for his lifetime achievement. How did you first get involved in the green industry? Coming to Los Angeles in the 1960s and breathing the smog; having school days closed with health alerts, and and looking into pollution in the world as a byproduct of industrial society motivated me to do something about it! What interests you most about being green? One of the major catchall solutions to many of the world’s problems: Green, sustainable economies bring holistic answers to energy, water, food, job creation, health, housing, climate change and biosphere habitats. Lifting undeveloped countries out of poverty and avoiding pollution reduces the pressures of crime and terrorism if people have jobs, hope and promise. What is your biggest “green” pet peeve? Green washing and climate change deniers (aka ostriches). What green trend is most exciting to you or your industry? To me, renewable energy tech and adoption, and its positive impact on water, food, land use, transportation, health and aiding sustainability.