About Us Topics
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- Ecology Action Staff
- Board of Directors
- Awards
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- EA’s New Green Building
- Contact Us
Awards
December 2009
CoolCalifornia Names Ecology Action “Organization of the Year” for Climate Change Leadership
November 2009
Ecology Action’s Sherry Lee Bryan is a United Way Community Hero!
October 2008
Ecology Action Vice President Awarded as Pollution Prevention Advocate of the Year
October 2008
Ecology Action Program Specialist Brennen Jensen honored with DOC Comprehensive Recycling Award
September, 2008
Ecology Action Awarded as a Bicycle Friendly Business
January 2004
Local Non-profit Receives Prestigious GEELA Award from Governor Schwarzenegger
December 2009
CoolCalifornia Names Ecology Action “Organization of the Year” for Climate Change Leadership
Ecology Action has been named by CoolCalifornia as “Organization of the Year” from a pool of over 100 applicants, judged by a panel that included California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols and California Small Business Association President Betty Jo Toccoli.
CoolCalifornia recognizes small California enterprises (under 100 employees) that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made notable, voluntary achievements towards reducing their climate impact. Ecology Action received the award for its exceptional climate change management practices and climate change communication.
“It is an honor for Ecology Action to be recognized at the state level for its work on climate change,” said Virginia Johnson, CEO/executive director of Ecology Action. “Addressing climate change is central to our mission. While progress is being made in California, there is much to be done. We believe that stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors, and among state, regional and local governments are critical to further progress on climate change.”
Ecology Action’s climate-related program work in 2008 delivered significant positive outcomes:
• 100 million kWh of energy saved
• GhG emissions impacted by reducing or avoiding more than 124 million pounds of CO2e, equivalent to:
• Removing over 10,700 cars from the road;
• Planting 17,000 acres of trees;
• Eliminating 23,000 individual transcontinental plane trips; or
• Powering 17,500 single family homes
About CoolCalifornia (www.coolcalifornia.org)
CoolCalifornia’s mission is to provide all Californians with the tools they need to take action to protect the climate and keep California cool. CoolCalifornia.org’s partner organizations seek to empower Californians to improve the State’s future and protect its environment. CoolCalifornia.org is THE new one-stop-shop for all Californians - packed with quick, easy-to-use and reliable tools that all Californians need to save money and reduce their impact on the climate. The founding partners include State Government Agencies, Universities, and Next10, a nonprofit organization. But CoolCalifornia.org is designed for the people of California, and many Californians have provided input that shaped the site.
November 2009
Ecology Action’s Sherry Lee Bryan is a United Way Community Hero!
The United Way of Santa Cruz County released its annual list of Community Heroes on Monday, November 23rd, honoring 21 residents who served the county in various ways in 2009. The United Way’s Community Assessment Program honors community heroes whose efforts help move Santa Cruz County toward the achievement of previously established community goals.
Sherry Lee Bryan and members of Surfrider's Santa Cruz chapter won this award for improving ocean and river health by reducing waterway erosion and pollution, and increasing summer stream flows.
Sherry Lee Bryan is a Senior Program Specialist and currently manages the County of Santa Cruz Home Composting Program, the Our Water Our World Program, the Monterey Bay Green Gardener Certification Program, and chairs the Clean Beaches Coalition and the Greywater Study Group.
October 2008
Ecology Action Vice President Awarded as Pollution Prevention Advocate of the Year
On October 24, Kirsten Liske, Vice President of Ecology Action’s Zero Waste / Pollution Prevention Division, was recognized by the Western Sustainability and Pollution Prevention Network (WSPPN) as their Pollution Prevention Advocate of the Year. Kirsten was selected by WSPPN members "for outstanding personal contributions to the purpose and objectives of pollution prevention;" high praise as WSPPN membership is comprised of Pollution Prevention leaders from the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, and Hawaii, commonly known in the industry as EPA Region 9. Kirsten's strengths lie in assembling local groups of environmental advocates and businesses, listening to their ideas, and putting them into action through partnership and innovation, in addition to selecting and motivating excellent staff.
October 2008
Ecology Action Program Specialist Brennen Jensen honored with DOC Comprehensive Recycling Award
On October 22, Brennen Jensen, Program Specialist for Ecology Action’s Zero Waste / Pollution Prevention Division was awarded the Comprehensive Recycling Community Award by the California Department of Conservation (DOC)for outstanding commitment and dedication on behalf of the Comprehensive Recycling Community, Monterey Peninsula Pilot Project, and for improvement made to the environment benefiting all individuals in the Monterey Peninsula. Brennen was recognized along with Angela Brantley and Lesley Milton of the City of Monterey and Jeff Lindenthal of the Monterey Regional Waste Management District. In addition to increasing public awareness and recycling participation on the Monterey Peninsula, Brennen and Ecology Action helped to recycle nearly one million bottles and cans at special events and venues over the course of the project.
September, 2008
Ecology Action Awarded as a Bicycle Friendly Business
Local Non-profit Honored with Silver Level Designation
The League of American Bicyclists announced the first winners of its new Bicycle Friendly Business designation. The Bicycle Friendly Business program assists companies and organizations of all sizes in developing bicycle commuting programs and incentives for their employees and recognizes them for their efforts to promote bicycling. Thirteen businesses from across the country--from natural food manufacturers, to planning and design firms, and independent bicycle dealers--were recognized by the League today at the Interbike Expo in Las Vegas, NV.
Ecology Action received a silver level designation based on longstanding community programs, employee bike commute infrastructure and incentives.
For more information about this program or to nominate your business as a Bicycle Friendly Business, please visit the League of American Bicyclist website. http://www.bicyclefriendlybusiness.org/
January 2004
Local Non-profit Receives Prestigious GEELA Award from Governor Schwarzenegger
GEELA Award | January 7th, 2004
| Local Non-profit Receives Prestigious Environmental Award from Governor Schwarzenegger 
Ecology Action of Santa Cruz Honored for Sustaining Economic Development While Protecting the Environment |
Ecology Action of Santa Cruz received the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award in Sacramento on December 1, 2003. Governor Schwarzenegger presented the award to Ecology Action in the Environmental-Economic Partnerships category slated for businesses “that foster unique, cooperative approaches between the private, public, and/or non-profit sectors to achieve both environmental and economic ends.” This award acknowledges Ecology Action’s success over the last 33 years as a valuable collaborator with communities and businesses throughout California.
In announcing the award, The California Environmental Protection Agency press release states: “Ecology Action is an environmental non-profit that has instilled environmental awareness and created opportunities for individuals, businesses, and communities to save money, create jobs, and contribute to a sustainable local economy. Ecology Action’s success is grounded in relationships with a network of affiliations, government agencies and civic groups. Based in Santa Cruz, the 30-year-old non-profit developed exemplary public-private partnerships beyond county limits, working with governmental organizations dealing with energy, water, land and agriculture.”
Ecology Action received this award for their successful business assistance programs known as the Business Environmental Performance Initiative (BEPI), which include RightLights, the Agricultural Used Oil Network, and the Small Business Solid Waste Reduction program. Each of these three programs help businesses reduce costs, reach new green markets, comply with regulation, and increase environmental performance in harmony with market forces and the laws of natural systems.
Established in 1993, the Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards are California's highest and most prestigious environmental honor recognizing individuals, organizations, and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership in building public-private partnerships while making notable contributions in conserving California's environment. This year's awards recognized outstanding contributions by businesses, organizations and government offices in seven award categories.
For more information about the Governors Environmental Excellence Award, visit the Cal/EPA website.
