Award Categories & Selection Criteria for 2014
Agricultural Ecosystem Services | Children’s Environmental Education | Climate Change | Comprehensive Land Use Planning | Ecosystem And Watershed Stewardship | Enhanced Environmental and Economic Leadership | Environmental and Economic Partnerships | Environmental Justice | Green Chemistry (Safer Consumer Products) | Sustainable Communities | Sustainable Practices or Facilities | Sustainable Practices by State Agencies | Technological and Market Innovation | Waste Reduction
- Agricultural Ecosystem Services Farmers and ranchers that demonstrate innovative and sustainable approaches to water conservation, efficiency and protection of working lands ecosystems. A full list of Ecosystem Services and examples can be found on the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s website.
- Children’s Environmental EducationUnique and exemplary educational programs that 1) are supported with written, academic standards-aligned curricula and 2) raise children’s awareness of, and involvement in, environmental issues. Applicants must submit standards-aligned curriculum materials and/or delineate web-based, standards-aligned curriculum materials.
- Climate Change Innovative and forward thinking projects/programs that 1) reduce/mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and/or adapt to the adverse effects of climate change on public health and our vast natural resources; and 2) provide economic and business-related benefits.
- Comprehensive Land Use PlanningA comprehensive plan that demonstrates social equity and adequate housing; cost-effective infrastructure and transportation; water and energy efficiencies, and open space conservation to protect forests, agriculture, watersheds and other ecosystem values.
- Ecosystem And Watershed StewardshipInnovative and sustainable approaches to land, water and resource management that restore or protect natural conditions, functions and processes, and provide economic, social and environmental benefits including productivity and sustainability of forests, farms or other natural resource lands, or conservation of open spaces.
- Enhanced Environmental and Economic LeadershipPrior GEELA award recipients who have sustained exceptional leadership and can demonstrate significant and robust improvements in voluntary efforts previously recognized, which conserve California’s precious resources, protect and enhance our environment and/or strengthen the economy.
- Environmental and Economic PartnershipsEfforts that foster unique, cooperative and collaborative approaches between the private, public, and/or non-profit sectors to achieve demonstrable results in both environmental and economic improvement.
- Environmental JusticeExemplary grass-roots efforts that foster unique, innovative, and forward-thinking cooperative and collaborative approaches between the non-profit and public (and/or private) sectors to achieve both environmental and economic improvement in geographic areas adversely affected by environmental pollution and hazards. Demonstrates significant and robust improvements in local grassroots voluntary efforts to address disproportionate environmental impacts and produces environmental, economic, and social benefits that lead to a cleaner, healthier California environment.
- Green Chemistry (Safer Consumer Products)Innovative development and marketing of safer, healthier, more environmentally benign consumer products and/or consumer product lines, with demonstrated benefits to human health and the environment stemming from reduced hazard of chemical components and processes, and adoption of a product lifecycle perspective that incorporates enhanced opportunities to reuse, recycle, treat, and/or properly dispose of chemical components.
- Sustainable CommunitiesExamples of completed or underway projects that display effective project design or development of local communities and landscapes that make efficient use of land; include multimodal transportation options and connectivity; improve economic vitality, and the availability of affordability of housing; protect public health and safety; optimize energy efficiency; and conserve local watersheds, habitats and other sensitive lands.
- Sustainable Practices or FacilitiesPioneering efforts to integrate environmental values and conservation of natural resources into comprehensive, long-term decision making and management of businesses and facilities.
- Sustainable Practices by State Agencies State agencies that demonstrate exemplary performance in implementing sustainability practices, including significant achievements in energy efficiency, water conservation, recycling, greenhouse gas reductions, environmentally preferable purchasing and promotion of energy efficient vehicles and vehicle charging stations.
- Technological and Market InnovationInnovation in product or process design, manufacturing or product marketing to cost-effectively improve environmental and public health, including products or processes that provide deep energy efficiency, new renewable and clean distributed energy generation, innovative energy storage, and/or low-/zero-emission vehicles.
- Automobile Dealer Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Promotion Example of a California automobile dealership or dealer group that has made significant efforts in the sale of ZEVs, including sales volume, outreach, supporting customers during and after the sale of ZEVs, and creating a greener dealership.
- Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV)-Ready Communities Examples of leadership by the cities and regions of California to prepare for the successful rollout of PEVs through streamlined permitting and inspection processes, training and education programs, updating building codes as well as zoning and parking policies, conducting outreach, strategically planning for infrastructure placement and placing PEVs in local government fleets.
- Waste ReductionExemplary achievements in conserving and protecting natural resources and reducing costs by incorporating efforts such as waste prevention, reuse, recycling, composting, environmentally-preferable purchasing, and product design and stewardship.
Selection/Criteria (for all categories except Green Chemistry, Sustainable Practices by State Agencies, Automobile Dealer Zero Emission Vehicle Promotion and Plug-in Electric Vehicle-Ready Communities)
A Selection Committee will evaluate applications for strength in eight specific areas: Results, Transferability/Scalability, Environmental Impact, Resource Conservation Impact, Economic Progress, Innovation/Uniqueness, Pollution Prevention, Public Health, and Environmental Justice. These criteria will be considered in the competitive weighting of nominations and are described below. Evaluations will take into consideration differences in size, region, and scope of projects, as needed.
- Results: Steps taken to achieve results are described; results are defined in measurable terms; environmental and economic benefits are identified and documented.
- Transferability/Scalability: Project concept can be scaled and/or transferred to other parties such that impact (or could have potential impact) on State environmental and economic goals is measurable and significant.
- Environmental/Resource Conservation Impact: Accomplishment includes more than one environmental media or resource; project or program has long lasting and sustainable impact; magnitude of impact is described and significant.
- Economic Progress: California’s economy is enhanced; measurable benefits are identified and realized; new/better jobs are created and new markets developed.
- Innovation/Uniqueness: Demonstrates basic practice to unique, innovative practice; a paradigm shift in approach; demonstrates a “pioneer” spirit; ahead of the marketplace and profitability.
- Pollution Prevention: Achieves measurable reductions in the generation of waste through source reduction; increased public-private awareness of pollution prevention; exemplifies best practices with a cross-media focus.
- Public Health: Achieves measurable improvements to community environments (social, economic, physical, and services) that result in tangible benefits to public health.
- Environmental Justice: Significantly raises the awareness and addresses environmental issues in areas adversely affected by environmental pollution and hazards; builds and/or raises the involvement of local/grassroots communities and/or California tribal communities in the project or program; builds community leadership/stewardship to address environmental issues.
The deliberative process of the Selection Committee is confidential and all decisions are final subject to applicable California state law. A nomination may be considered in a category different from that in which it is nominated. For any questions regarding the application process, please contact Nilan Watmore at Nilan.Watmore@calepa.ca.gov. GEELA Awards Home
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