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$5,000 prize awarded to three companies in Illinois, North Carolina and Mississippi after an open public voting period and nominations by community development lenders, credit unions
$5,000 prize awarded to three companies in Illinois, North Carolina and Mississippi after an open public voting period and nominations by community development lenders, credit unions
Published 06-16-14
Submitted by Green America
Three green small business winners were announced today for Green America’s quarterly “People & Planet Award,” which recognizes innovative entrepreneurial U.S. businesses that deeply integrate environmental and social considerations into their strategies and operations. Each of three winners will receive $5,000. The winners are: Feed Earth Now, Chicago, IL; FLS Energy, Asheville, NC; and Mauthe’s Progress Milk Barn, McComb, MS. Winners were selected by the public during a month-long open voting period online at Green America’s website.
This round of the Awards focused on green businesses that had inspired the community development lenders and credit unions that made their financing possible.
Alisa Gravitz, president of Green America said: “The “People & Planet” award winners this quarter were all nominated by local community credit unions and lenders. This is important because local community development lenders are often the lifelines and lifeblood of great small businesses with big ideas, big enthusiasm, but fledgling funding. Without community development lenders and credit unions, many great and green small businesses could not get off the ground, so it’s especially exciting when the community lenders themselves highlight their best green business success stories, including all of the winners today”.
The winning companies are:
Cathy Scratch, owner of Feed Earth Now said: “On behalf of Feed Earth Now I want to thank you with all the gratitude there is for choosing us as this year’s recipient for the People and Planet 2014 award. This award supports us both at a pressing time for the planet and crucial time in our business development. We envision a world where valuable resources are cycled back to the planet in a nurturing way. Our business transforms discarded materials into valuable resources that enable communities to thrive”.
Dale Freudenberger, CEO of FLS Energy said: “Thank you for this honor and thank you to all the great companies that were nominated. It’s so reassuring to see such creative and thoughtful companies all over the country working to make the world a better place.
“We are over the top about winning the People & Planet Award!” said Jaime Mauthe, owner of Mauthe’s Progress Milk Barn. “We’ve been wanting to improve the efficiency of our rotational grazing by making and supplying our own organic fertilizer, and this award will help us secure the tools we need to do that – pipes, fittings, tanks, and an irrigation pump. We look forward to even greater returns from our pasture-grazing, all-organic-fed cows.”
The next round of Green America’s quarterly award will be given to three green businesses with 50 or fewer employees that focus on “green” products for kids.
The businesses that the public voted on this round were nominated by the following community lenders and credit unions: GreenChoice Bank, Hope Credit Union, Lower East Side People’s Credit Union, Native American Bank, New Resource Bank, Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, Self-Help Credit Union, and Sunrise Banks.
About Green America
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. 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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