Environmental Commission Awards

Nominations for 2025 are CLOSED

Each year the Environmental Commission recognizes individuals, organizations, businesses, and institutions that have significantly contributed to improving the local environment in an effective or unique way from 2019 to date. Awards recognize projects that demonstrate anyone, or a combination of, the following:

Improvements in air, water, and soil quality (i.e., elimination and/or pollution reduction).
Elimination and/or reduction of litter and waste.
Aesthetics (i.e., visual improvement through landscaping and/or architectural design).
Educational projects that enhance environmental awareness.

Criteria for the Environmental Awards

Environmental Impact: How has the nominee addressed one or more of the four stated project categories (litter and waste, aesthetics, air/water/soil improvement, environmental education)?
Economic Progress: Are measurable economic benefits and savings realized? Can these relate to socio-economic issues (sustainability, quality of life, etc.)?
Innovation/Uniqueness: How has the project demonstrated innovative practices and promoted new ideas, techniques, and/or technologies?
Environmental Awareness: How does the project raise environmental awareness in communities and raise community involvement in environmental issues? What is the potential impact on the public and policymakers?
Application of Partnership Approach: What formal or informal cooperative activities or programs between public and private sectors, government and NGOs, research, development, community, and charitable agencies have been formed?
End Results: Demonstrate that the results are defined in measurable terms and documented. Did the project/activity/person achieve the stated goals? What are the long-term benefits for the environment?
Transferability/Replicability: What is the potential for the program/activity to be replicated, widely shared, and easily implemented by others?

Congratulations to the 2025 Environmental Award Winners!

Education
- Bluegrass Greensource Sustainability Summit
Sustainability
- Bespoken Spirits
- The Goat Project
Outstanding Individual, Organization, or Business
- Trees Lexington!
- Teresa Rakes
- Fierce Photography
Energy and Climate Change Resilience
- Geomancer Permaculture
Environmental Improvement
- Zero Waste Team of the Sierra Club/Bluegrass