Washington, DC - October 20, 2008 - The Aspen Institute has opened nominations for the second annual Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards. These awards, created by members of the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network, recognize and reward excellence for those making a real and concrete contribution to innovation, implementation, and communication of energy and environmental solutions. The deadline for nominations is October 31, 2008. Nominations can be made at www.aspeneeawards.org.

"We were thrilled with response we received in the first year of the awards," says Lucy P. Marcus, CEO of Marcus Venture Consulting and a board member of the Awards. "We continue to strive to ensure that the awards draw attention to those acting as leaders, catalysts, and educators in addressing energy and environmental problems and solutions from around the world."

The over-arching aim of the awards is to celebrate success and provoke intellectually stimulating and productive thinking and conversations about ways to emulate and expand upon the success stories honored. Awards for Corporate Energy Generation, Corporate Energy Efficiency, Government, Individual Thought Leadership and NGO, are joined this year by a new award for Visual Art & Design. The awards will be presented during the Aspen Environment Forum taking place March 25-28, 2009, in Aspen, Colorado.

The 2008 winners were: Solar City for Corporate Energy Generation; Serious Materials for Corporate Energy Conservation; the State of California Energy Commission's Million Solar Roofs Initiative for Government; Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute for Individual Thought Leadership; and The California Cars Initiative for NGO.

More details on the awards can be found at www.aspeneeawards.org or by emailing aspeneeawards.inquiries@aspeninstitute.org

The Aspen Institute mission is twofold: to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society, and to provide a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues. The Aspen Institute does this primarily in four ways: seminars, young-leader fellowships around the globe, policy programs and public conferences and events. The Institute is based in Washington, DC, Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore and has an international network of partners.

Aspen Institute

Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also maintains offices in New York City and has an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org or follow on Twitter @AspenInstitute.

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