2018 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award Winners to be Honored
For Immediate Release: Dec. 4, 2018
Contact: Sheryl A. Watson (916) 324-9670
SACRAMENTO – Ten California organizations will receive the state’s highest environmental honor, the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA), in a ceremony Wednesday evening at the California Environmental Protection Agency.
“This year’s GEELA honorees are examples of how innovation, determination and vision can address some of our most significant environmental challenges,” said CalEPA Secretary Matthew Rodriquez. “From fighting climate change to reducing waste, their successful efforts are proving that environmentally sustainable practices can grow and support a healthy economy.”
Established in 1993, the Governors’ awards are given to individuals, organizations and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made notable, voluntary contributions to conserving California’s precious resources, protecting and enhancing our environment, building public-private partnerships and strengthening the state’s economy.
This year’s GEELA awards will be presented at a ceremony tomorrow evening (Wednesday, Dec. 5) at CalEPA’s headquarters building. To watch the ceremony live, tune in at 7 p.m. by using the link available on the CalEPA Webcasts page. High-resolution photos of the event will be available to the news media upon request. For more information about the GEELA program and this year’s recipients, please visit CalEPA’s GEELA webpage.
The 2018 GEELA recipients are listed below by category:
Climate Change
MCE (Marin County) for a solar energy project that is putting community needs and local workforce development at the center of renewable energy development.
United Airlines at the Los Angeles International Airport (Los Angeles County) for pioneering the use of renewable biofuel in the commercial airline industry.
Dixon Ridge Farms (Yolo County) for advancing innovative energy self-sufficiency on the farm and serving as a model for sustainable climate change solutions in the agriculture industry.
Ecosystem and Land Use Stewardship
County of Santa Clara & Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (Santa Clara County) for their collaborative regional plan to conserve Santa Clara Valley’s working lands and focus new development in existing urban areas.
Environmental Education
SF Environment’s School Education Program (San Francisco) for its collaboration with San Francisco’s public schools that has dramatically reduced waste going to landfills and increased recycling and composting.
Sustainable Practices, Communities or Facilities
Moulton Niguel Water District (Orange County) for sustainable water initiatives that are using public-private partnerships, open data access and public outreach to improve water conservation and reduce pollution from urban runoff.
Surplus Service (Alameda County) for programs that are helping businesses reduce electronic waste by reusing and repurposing electronic parts that would otherwise be recycled or disposed of in landfill.
Napa Valley Vintners (Napa County) for a rigorous, comprehensive, third-party certification program that is helping to ensure that Napa Valley wineries are operating as sustainably as possible.
Waste Reduction
Construction & Demolition Recycling Inc. (Los Angeles County) for demonstrating that salvaging and repurposing interior debris from commercial building demolition is possible and cost effective, filling a void in the recycling industry.
Fetzer Vineyards (Mendocino County) for waste reduction, recycling and composting programs that divert more than 98 percent of waste going to landfills and incineration, demonstrating continued leadership towards a zero-waste economy.
The finalists were chosen by a panel of judges that included the Governor’s Office and the secretaries of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency; the California Department of Food and Agriculture; the California Environmental Protection Agency; the California Government Operations Agency; the California Health and Human Services Agency; the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency; the California Natural Resources Agency; and the California State Transportation Agency.
This year’s GEELA awards ceremony was sponsored by the Nature Conservancy.
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