2016 Sustainability Award winners announced
The 2016 Sustainability Awards were announced by The Environmental Center Thursday night at a celebration at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon.
The Environmental Center received 12 nominations and the winners were selected by a community review committee.
“Sustainability is a big, complex topic,” said Mike Riley, executive director of The Environmental Center. “Achieving it requires patience and perseverance in the face of often daunting obstacles. The Sustainability Awards celebrate the citizens, businesses, and organizations in our community that are dedicated to overcoming these challenges.”
The Environmental Center presented seven awards:
Individual: Allison Murphy
Small Business: Pacific Crest Affordable Housing
Large Business: Pine Mountain Sports
Special Award–Pioneers: Bob and Mary Devore
Special Award–Rookie of the Year: The Broomsmen
Special Award–Industry Leader: GreenSavers
Special Award–Forward Momentum: City of Bend
An eight-member citizen committee reviewed the nominations and selected the final winners. The committee members were: Christy Nikey, Owner of Cosmic Depot; Daniele McKay, Instructor at OSU-Cascades; Dave Howe, Environmental Center Board of Directors; Gillian Ockner, Senior Policy Analyst at City of Bend; Jennifer Letz, Environmental Center Board of Directors; Karen Kassey, 2012 Individual Winner; Kevin Grove, Instructor at COCC; and Serena Dietrich, Sustainability Project Manager at Deschutes Brewery. This year’s awards were designed and created by local artist Christian Brown.
The nominees were scored on the basis of their leadership, innovation, and operating practices with regards to sustainability, as well as their community involvement and promotion of social equity. The nominees’ scores were compared to their peers for each category (Individual, Small Business and Large Business) to determine the winner. The review committee also presented four special awards for Pioneers, Rookie of the Year, Industry Leader, and Forward Momentum in the field.
The 2016 Sustainability Awards are sponsored by Supporting Sponsors Timberline Construction of Bend, Strictly Organic Coffee Co. and Fortis Construction.
ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
The Environmental Center educates and advocates for a sustainable future in Central Oregon. We believe that sustainability hinges on how we live our daily lives: at home, at school and at work. The Center’s initiatives include educating kids, promoting zero waste, promoting energy efficiency and renewables, and serving as a hub for sustainability in the region. To learn more about The Environmental Center, visit them online at www.envirocenter.org or visit their facility at 16 NW Kansas Avenue in downtown Bend.
