$5,000 Prize Awarded to Three Companies in Alaska, California, and North Carolina for Serving Their Local Communities
Published 09-19-12
Submitted by Green America
Three winners were announced today for Green America’s first quarterly “People & Planet” award, which recognizes America’s best green, small businesses. Each of three winners will receive $5,000. The winners are: Sonoma Compost Company, Green Kid Crafts, and Raleigh City Farm. Winners were selected by the public, who had a month-long open voting period online at Green America’s website.
Green America’s “People & Planet Awards” recognize innovative entrepreneurial U.S. businesses that deeply integrate environmental and social considerations into their strategies and operations. The first round of the Awards focused on green businesses that also are active in serving their local communities.
Denise Hamler, director, Green Business Network, Green America, said: “Green America is proud to present the inaugural People & Planet Award to these three green businesses that are making outstanding and creative contributions to their communities. Their values and business models exemplify the type of business our society and world need now more than ever.”
The winning companies’ descriptions are below:
Will Bakx, owner, Sonoma Compost Co., said: “Sonoma Compost is thrilled to be recognized for our commitment to recycling organic organics into quality composts and mulches. Our end products are used to rebuild soils by returning valuable nutrients and organic matter to local gardens, farms and landscapes. We are honored to be recognized by Green America and are doubly pleased to donate our $5000 prize to an amazing local nonprofit, Daily Acts (http://www.dailyacts.org). They will utilize this contribution to continue their good work by educating the public to make a change in their daily actions to create a greener, self-sustaining community.”
Penny Bauder, owner, Green Kid Crafts said: "We are thrilled, and honored, to have won the People & Planet Awards as it fulfills one of the founding goals of Green Kid Crafts -- to be a model for environmental sustainability and corporate citizenship. Our craft kit subscription service is bringing children closer to their environment through fun and creative activities and we hope that, as we grow, we will show people of all ages that taking care of the environment and each other should be a factor in everything they do."
Josh Whiton, executive director, Raleigh City Farm said: “We're really pleased that so many people supported us in winning this award. The proceeds will go a long way toward bolstering our operations as we continue to explore the power of urban farming for improving city life.”
Future rounds of Green America’s quarterly award,for green businesses with 50 or fewer employees,, will focus on clean energy, workplace innovations, and other sustainability practices. The businesses the public votes on are determined by public nominations and an expert panel of judges: Katie Galloway & Gigi Abbadie, Aveda; Justin Conway, Calvert Foundation; Elysa Hammond, Clif Bar; Cheryl Newman, Honest Tea; Stacy Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance; Theresa Marquez, Organic Valley; Eric Henry, TS Designs; Reed Doyle, Seventh Generation; Fran Teplitz/Andrew Korfhage, Green America
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Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America (formerly Co-op America) provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org.
Green America is United States' leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems. Green America's green economy programs encourage corporate responsibility, tackle climate change, build fair trading systems, advance healthy, local communities, and provide green purchasing and investing information for families and businesses. To receive Green America's popular publications, including the Green American and the National Green Pages™, participate in Green Festivals, or to get its free e-newsletter, providing the latest green news, green discounts, and opportunities to take action for a green economy, visit http://www.GreenAmerica.org, email info@GreenAmericaToday.org, or call at 800-58-GREEN.
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