Green Options » awards

President’s Environmental Youth Awards Recognize Green Student Leaders

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:40:18 +0000

How many of the environmental education initiatives that you know of were started by teachers, parents, or non-profit organizations? That’s typical: from artistic approaches to rainwater harvesting to solar boat building, most efforts at teaching kids about environmental issues start with adults. But students often come up with their own programs, too, and the President’s Environmental Youth Awards aims to highlight those efforts that start with schoolkids.

Started in 1971 by the EPA, this awards program “…recognizes young people across America for projects which demonstrate their commitment to the environment.” Awards are given for one project in each of the EPA’s ten regions. After 38 years, the winning projects have run the gamut — everything from peer environmental education to recycling efforts to wetlands restoration. Recent winners have included

The Green Books Project in Lewisville, NC: Student Cory Adkins saw textbooks being thrown away at his school, and started his program to sell these books… and use the funds generated to support recycling in his community.

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Green Building Transitions + Awards

Delia Montgomery — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:39:41 +0000

Green building is about healthy settings with visual appeal. The goal is to create rooms for physical, emotional, mental and spiritual benefits. That means avoiding things like airborne allergens, chemicals, and clutter.

Yet the study of indoor air pollution can get complex. Hence, no surprise of this month’s announcement that the LEED accreditation system introduced by the U.S. Green Building Council was revamped.

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Wanna Be An Eco Fashion Designer?

Reenita Malhotra — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:52:38 +0000

Shenae Grimes shows off her handbag by “Roots”

Calling all aspiring eco fashion designers. Here is an opportunity to enter the world of style. Did you know that “green” is the new black?

What: The 2009 Independent Handbag Designer Awards™ Now With Matching Shoes

Handbag Designer 101 presents the Third Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards™, the only handbag (and now shoe) design competition of its kind in the world applications process is now open.

Who: All finalists will be invited to participate in the Third Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards™ that will take place on June 17, 2009, at the New York Historical Society in New York City. Over 500 members of the fashion industry, including press and retailers, will attend the Independent Handbag Designer Awards™.

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Celebrities like Nicole Richie Walk the ‘Green Carpet’ at Environmental Media Awards

Kelly Dunleavy — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:23:09 +0000

Nicole Richie, Rosario Dawson and more celebrities came together to award the Simpsons and 30 Rock for promoting environmental concerns in their entertainment efforts.

The Environmental Media Awards have been presented since 1991 and launched the concept of the “green carpet”. The awards go to TV shows, movies and musicians that use their entertainment role to promote environmental concerns. The awards, which were presented this year on November 13, also promote an eco-friendly awards gala and organic food.

With environmentalism becoming the norm, the Environmental Media Awards have gone mainstream with stars like Nicole Richie, Rosario Dawson and Amy Smart (wearing an eco-friendly black gown) walking the green carpet.

Awards winners after the jump.

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Call To Ecopreneurs, Inventors and Innovators - Announcing The Earth Awards

mcmilker — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:09:20 +0000

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Global Winners Chosen for Sustainable Cities Award

Andrew Williams — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:58:32 +0000

Nine ‘outstanding’ programs from around the world have been chosen as winners at the first ever Sustainable Cities Awards. According to sponsors, the Urban Land Institute and the Financial Times, the awards honour worldwide examples of initiatives that showcase new ideas and perspectives for best practice in sustainable land use. Each of the winners is incorporating initiatives that are making significant contributions in highlighting the concept of sustainability in real estate.

I can’t help but be a little confused by these awards though. On the one hand, they showcase some truly inspiring projects from around the world. On the other, it seems a little suspicious that at least two of the winners are projects with high-level involvement from companies represented on the awards panel. There is also a heavy emphasis on large-scale American projects, with at least seven of the nine winners coming from the U.S. Is this simply an indication of where the main centre’s of sustainability excellence really are, or did the panel gloss over worthy candidates from elsewhere?

Here’s the full list of winners:

The Cascade Land Conservancy for the ‘Cascade Agenda,’ a 100 year visioning exercise aimed at preserving more than 1.3 million acres of forest and farmland by using market-based tools to encourage sustainable growth across the Puget Sound region of Washington State.

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A Unique Award For Social Entrepreneurs – Mix and Mingle With the Big Guys

mcmilker — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:58:01 +0000

What do Tom Szaky, CEO and Co-Founder of TerraCycle, and Priya Haji, CEO and Co-Founder of World of Good, have in common?

No, not just that they have been featured on our site, they are both past recipients of the Social Venture Networks’ Innovation Award.

Now it’s that time again.

Social Venture Network (SVN), the country’s leading network of socially responsible entrepreneurs, announced today that it is now accepting applications for the 2nd Annual SVN Innovation Awards. The Innovation Awards program supports the “next generation” of socially responsible business and nonprofit leaders by providing them access to the people and resources to help develop their ideas into successful enterprises.

The Social Venture Network is a highly selective network of over 500 leaders in socially responsible business. Founded in 1987, its members share “a commitment to building a just and sustainable world through business”. The groups focus is on networking; working together, creating business and professional partnerships and new socially responsible organizations.

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Are COTE Winners Too Much of the Same?

Philip Proefrock — Fri, 02 May 2008 01:14:49 +0000

The winners of this year’s AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Green Buildings were announced this week, and there certainly are some very attractive buildings among the lot. Some of these buildings are certified, or in the process of becoming certified, to high LEED standards, in addition to their COTE Top Ten recognition.

But while I’m excited by some of the design presented in this year’s lineup, there are some troubling aspects of the roster as a whole that struck me almost immediately.

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Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC Wins World Green Car Honors

Ryan Thibodaux — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:20:56 +0000

Thanks to the promise that it offers of bringing an efficient diesel sedan back into the North American market, the Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC was awarded the 2007 World Green Car honors last week at the New York International Auto Show.

Mercedes is billing the E320 BLUETEC as the “cleanest diesel vehicle in the world.” Engineers incorporated a modular design concept which uses a series of components, such as an oxidation catalytic converter and a maintenance-free particulate filter, to “wash” emissions from the engine before anything leaves the tailpipe. Those features, combined with an advanced new approach to reducing nitrogen oxide emissions, make the BLUETEC’s emissions cleaner than even a standard gasoline automobile.

The BLUETEC also offers a combined 36 mpg (700 miles per tank), all the luxury Mercedes is known for, and a 208 horsepower V-6 engine that goes 0-60 in 6.6 seconds. Not bad. The last diesel vehicle I owned went 0-60 in about 6.6 minutes when the turbo still worked and with wind pushing it down a steep hill.

Though the BLUETEC’s new diesel engine technology greatly reduces emissions, Mercedes still only approves the use of B5 (5% biodiesel/95% dino-diesel) in its diesel vehicles. Unfortunately, this effectively means that Mercedes doesn’t approve of the use of biodiesel. By the time next year’s World Green Car contest rolls around, it would be a thrill to see Mercedes and other car manufacturers embrace existing and available renewable fuels along with their commitment to reducing tailpipe emissions. (If you missed Clayton’s excellent “Green Myth Busting” post on biodiesel, be sure to check it out.)

To be eligible for the World Green Car prize, vehicles must:

Be available to the public now or in the near future, and

Meet or exceed the requirements of California’s SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) regulations or the US EPA’s Tier 2 standards, or

Get at least 47.6 mpg, or

Use advanced technology aimed at increasing the vehicle’s environmental responsibility.

The E320 beat out two other finalists, the BMW Hydrogen 7 and the 60+ mpg diesel Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion, to claim the award.

Speaking of which, from my view here in the peanut gallery, it looks to like the World Green Car jurors may have chosen the wrong car! At least, they may have chosen the wrong diesel car. The E320 BLUETEC is a fantastic automobile, and a few dozen people in the U.S. might even be able to afford one ($52,000 for the base model). The VW Polo BlueMotion diesel, on the other hand, get 25 more miles per gallon than the E320 BLUETEC and has a very reasonable MSRP of under $20,000. Of course, the downside is that VW has yet to announce when the car will be available to US consumers, if ever.

Oh Lord, maybe you can buy me a Mercedes-Benz after all…

The Awards Round-up

Amy Stodghill — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:43:22 +0000

The first few months of a new year often involves an evaluation of what happened the year before. Award ceremonies and "best of" rankings make headlines to recognize leaders across all industries, and green (or sustainable, or environmentally friendly) is a category that is appearing more and more.

SustainLane has ranked the top 50 sustainable cities of 2006, and also has named the top 5 Cleantech cities in the US.

Green architect firm and think-tank, organicARCHITECT has picked 16 leaders for the organicAWARDS in the design industry who have adopted green innovation in their businesses or products.

Plenty Magazine recently featured the Plenty 20, twenty companies ranging in size from small start-up to Fortune 500 who are "pushing the ecological envelope." There's also the UK based Green Awards, an entry based award featuring a series of "best of" green marketing categories, which are all sponsored by various eco-friendly companies.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has awards for green power purchasers, the Green Power Leadership Awards, presented in conjunction with the National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference.

Awards give prestige and a sense of accomplishment and recognition within industries. They also instill a sense of pride and can provide added value for a company's clients. Awards, especially in the green sphere, can also serve to drive competitors to try a little harder the next year in furthering green innovation in the marketplace.

Go Vote: The 2007 Global Warming Globie Awards

Michael dEstries — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 14:17:47 +0000

Let's see, we have the Bloggies, the Webbies, and now, the Globies? That's right — introducing the first ever global warming Globie Awards from the non-profit organization, Environmental Defense.

For this year there are five categories with four nominees each. For "Best Performance by a State or Local Official" you might be tempted to select Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger or Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle. In the category of "Best Performance in the Corporate World", Yahoo Auto is being recognized for their 'green rating' for vehicles while GE's Ecomagination campaign has the green world all starry-eyed.

Of course, these awards aren't just about the good that happened this year, but also the mind-numbingly stupid. For instance, in the "Worst Performance by a Corporation or Corporate Official" category, we have DaimlerChrysler's fleet racking an obscene average mileage 22.7 miles per gallon against ExxonMobil's efforts to undermine global warming research. For "Most Egregious Contribution to Public Ignorance and Denial", Michael Crichton's comparison of belief in global warming to belief in aliens (as spelled out in the book State of Fear) has him pitted against Senator James Inhof (R, OK) and his claim that "global warming is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on mankind."

I'm obviously skipping a few of the matchups here, but you get the idea. The results will be announced this February 23rd; probably the only awards show not on Al Gore's radar! Hit the site for more and be sure to vote for this year's globies!

Image credit: Environmental Defense