Al Gore, Gavin Newsom and Robert Redford are all expected tonight at the War Memorial Opera House to congratulate the winners of the 2009 Goldman Environmental Prize (often dubbed the "Nobel Prize" for environmental activistsm and "The Green Oscars"). 

Each year, winners are chosen from the six inhabited continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America and South and Central America.  They're all somewhat "average" people (read: without big time budgets) who have done some serious grassroots crusading for environmental issues.   This year's North American award goes to Maria Gunnoe, a coal miner's daughter who has worked to save mountaintops from mining in rural West Virginia.  Each of the winners takes home $150,000.

Check out GOOD magazine's excellent profiles of each of the winners and come back tomorrow for photos and coverage from tonight's event.