November 26, 2010
2010 Manitoba Excellence in Sustainability Award Winners, Sustainable Development Scholarship Winners Announced
– – –Sustainable Actions Recognized Across Province: Blaikie
The recipients of the 2010 Manitoba Excellence in Sustainability Awards and Sustainable Development Scholarships were announced today by Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie.
“These awards recognize true champions of sustainability, showcase homegrown success stories and, most importantly, inspire other individuals and groups to take action,” said Blaikie. “As we honour the recipients for their achievements, we need to reflect on how we can each reduce the size of the footprint we leave on this earth.”
The recipients were recognized at an awards reception last night at the Legislative Building. The 2010 Manitoba Excellence in Sustainability Award winners are:
· Outstanding Achievement in Sustainability Award:
- Fresh Option Organic Delivery (FOOD) for working with local producers to strengthen Manitoba’s organic market and increase the sustainability of the food system. A successful organic retail and delivery business, FOOD has become the hub of Manitoba’s local and sustainable-food distribution system.
· Action on Climate Change, Air Quality and Energy Efficiency Award:
- Building Urban Industries for Local Development, Inc. (BUILD) for implementing an innovative program which lowers greenhouse-gas emissions, reduces water and energy consumption, improves inner-city house infrastructure, reduces poverty and improves overall socio-economic well-being in 16 of Winnipeg’s poorest neighbourhoods by providing supportive training and employment opportunities for low-income individuals to perform energy and water retrofits on low-income housing.
- The Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation for making measurable improvements in reducing greenhouse gases and increasing energy efficiency through its Brandon Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP) and the Community Led Emission Reduction (CLER) pilot project. (Honourable mention)
- Sustainability in Pollution Prevention and Product Stewardship Award:
- Open Mesh Screen Printing for being Winnipeg’s first environmentally friendly screen-printing shop, providing an alternative to traditional garment and paper-screen printing through the use of water-based inks, biodegradable cleaners, and organic and fair-trade cotton.
· Education for Sustainability Award:
- Diversity Food Services at the University of Winnipeg for providing a new concept in campus dining with a mandate to train and employ inner-city residents while developing nutritious, affordable and ethnically diverse food options for students and the surrounding community with a commitment to locally sourced, organic and fair-trade ingredients.
- Bob Austman, Manitoba Model Forest’s Education Co-ordinator for engaging thousands of youth and more than 400 teachers in learning about the boreal forest and sustainable development. (Honourable mention)
· Research and Innovation for Sustainability Award:
- Manitoba Hydro for its newly constructed head office, Manitoba Hydro Place, a world-class, energy-efficient building that is recognized as the first in the next generation of sustainable buildings.
Recipients of the 2010 Sustainable Development Scholarships are:
· Peter Tarleton, University of Manitoba (undergraduate); and
· Brett Legault, University of Manitoba (undergraduate).
The Manitoba Round Table for Sustainable Development is an advisory board that provides advice and support to the provincial government about responsible resource management, land use and environmental, social and economic development. The Manitoba Excellence in Sustainability Awards honour people, projects and ideas that successfully turn the province’s principles and guidelines of sustainable development into concrete and lasting achievements, the minister said.
“The actions we take as individuals in our homes, schools and workplaces can sometimes seem unimportant, but we know that collectively, we can cause meaningful change by taking one small step at a time,” said Blaikie.
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