Laura Turner Seydel

About Laura Turner Seydel



For Laura Turner Seydel, living an eco-sensitive lifestyle has always been a priority. Growing up green with her father, environmental pioneer Ted Turner, Laura was taught the values of respecting nature’s resources, taking care of the environment, giving back whenever possible, and the undeniable connection between the health of our planet and our own welfare. These lessons learned formed the foundation to a life-long dedication to the protection of the planet and inspired her quest to become an advocate for environmental causes and community involvement. As a national environmental activist and eco-living expert, Laura believes that the path to a sustainable future can be made possible through a collective effort and she aims to inspire families, youths, and individuals alike to do their part by educating them on the benefits and opportunities of earth-friendly living.

With an unrelenting passion, Laura plays an integral role in Atlanta’s environmental movement and spearheads community initiatives to spread the environmental message, whether it is teaching composting techniques to her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop or creating a non-profit to tackle a tough issue. Such was the case in 1994 when, together with her husband Rutherford, she co-founded the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) to secure measurable improvements in the health and future of the river. Through years of advocacy and fundraising, in 2008 Laura witnessed a major milestone for the organization with the completion of an integral component of the West CSO Tunnel, a $4 billion project to improve Atlanta’s antiquated sewer systems, on time and under budget.

Laura’s other 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 education conduit dedicated to funding and growing the number of learning gardens and outdoor classrooms in schools across the country.

  • Co-founder of Mothers & Others for Clean Air In 2004, Laura helped create Mothers & Others for Clean Air to raise awareness of the undeniable connection 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 serves as Chairman of the Zero Waste Zone, an Atlanta Recycles partnership with the Green Food Service Alliance to reduce Atlanta to zero waste, Vice Chair of the League of the Conservation Voters Education Fund, Executive Committee Member of Defenders of Wildlife, Trustee to the Turner Foundation and Jane Smith Turner Foundation, whose funding priorities include the children’s health and the arts, and is an Advisory Board Member of Georgia Conservancy, Earth Share of Georgia, and the Ron Clark Academy. She is also a Board Member of League of Conservation Voters, Ted’s Montana Grill, Waterkeeper Alliance, High Museum of Art, Oglethorpe University, and the Atlanta Ballet.

As an extension of her environmental upbringing and sustainable message, in 2007 Laura and her husband Rutherford built their home EcoManor (www.ecomanor.com), the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified residence in the Southeast. The home is a showcase for healthy living and energy-efficient design and serves as educational tool for builders, architects, interior designers, landscapers, and homeowners to promote green living, conservation options, and improved residential building practices. Ultimately through EcoManor, Laura is able to demonstrate real-world applications and offer hands-on experiences to further support her healthy home message. As a participant of the Environmental Working Group’s first intergenerational BodyBurden test taken with son John R. and father Ted Turner, Laura saw the impact of industrial chemicals on her health and now strives to rid homes of toxins whenever possible.

A Georgia native, born in Macon, Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oglethorpe University and has spent time working with Greenpeace. In addition to her philanthropy work, Laura is the Eco Editor of Southern Seasons magazine and pens a regular “Going Green” feature, writes a monthly “green insider” column for Atlanta INtown, and is president of Laura Turner LLC. She currently resides at EcoManor in Atlanta with her husband and their three children, John R, Vasser, and Laura Elizabeth.










Laura Turner Seydel
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