Local leaders in environmental stewardship honored with King County Green Globe awards

Top environmental honors presented during Earth Day Expo, April 22 in Seattle

Featuring scenic saltwater beaches, forested foothills, rich river valleys and snow-capped mountains, King County’s diverse natural environment is at the heart of our high quality of life.

There’s also tremendous diversity to be found among the winners of the 2009 King County Green Globe Awards – King County’s highest environmental honor for businesses, organizations and individuals who have participated in one or more King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks programs.

Green Globe winners this year include leaders in the top-quality outdoor recreation gear retail industry, cities and non-profit organizations that have applied environmentally sound practices to their work.

Nominees are selected by King County program managers and have shown leadership in activities that foster environmental stewardship in the community by protecting the environment, managing natural resources and fostering community involvement.

Awards are bestowed only every two years, and winners are considered the “best of the best.”

Winners will be honored for their role in improving the environmental quality of our world at the King County annual Earth Day Expo, April 22 at 11 a.m. KING 5 TV environmental specialist Gary Chittim will emcee the ceremony, which will be held at Westlake Plaza at Fourth Avenue and Pine Street in Seattle.

The 2009 King County Green Globe Award winners are:

Sally Jewell, Environmental Catalyst
Jewell is the president and chief executive officer of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), the nation's largest consumer cooperative and retailer of outdoor gear and apparel. Under Jewell’s leadership, the co-op is dedicated to inspiring, educating and outfitting its members and the community for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. As part of its commitment, REI is working to introduce more young people and communities of color to nature so that they become active caretakers of shared outdoor recreational resources.

City of Issaquah, Leader in Open Space Conservation
The City of Issaquah and King County signed a partnership agreement in 2007 to steer development growth away from high priority open space lands and salmon habitat located in rural King County and into the city’s existing urban areas. The city’s decision to partner with King County in this innovative conservation effort serves as a model to other suburban cities in King County to think regionally about land preservation and growth management.

Ducks Unlimited, Leader in Beneficial use of Reclaimed Water
Ducks Unlimited, a leader in wetland conservation, partnered with King County's Wastewater Treatment Division to create the first wetland enhancement project in the state that uses reclaimed water as an environmentally beneficial solution for the Carnation Wastewater Treatment Facility.

ecohaus, Leader in Market Development for Recyclable Materials
ecohaus, a retail store that sells environmentally friendly products, such as denim insulation, copper sinks and re-milled hardwood floors, is a leader in developing local markets for recycled materials. The company is a retailer for locally manufactured recycled-content products, helping close the recycling loop by making those products readily available to consumers at three area showrooms, including two in King County.

Friends of the Hidden River, Leader in Environmental Education
Friends of the Hidden River is an educational organization dedicated to developing and enhancing citizen understanding and action in community environmental education issues in the Puget Sound and surrounding regions. The organization has played an integral role in making possible and shaping plans for the future Brightwater Environmental Education Center.

GroCo, Inc., Leader in Biosolids
For more than 30 years, GroCo, a division of Sawdust Supply, Inc., has been blending King County’s biosolids with sawdust to produce high quality compost. GroCo is available in bulk or bag to landscapers and the general public.

Issaquah School District, Leader in Green Schools
As a participant in the King County Green Schools Program, the Issaquah School District has set an excellent example for other school districts by expanding recycling and waste reduction practices and by reducing energy and water consumption. The district, which includes 24 public schools, increased its recycling rate from 30 to 50 percent, decreased energy use by six percent, even with a 15 percent increase in new building square footage, reduced water consumption by 33 percent and irrigation by 20 percent. The district also replaced disposable polystyrene trays with compostable trays and initiated food scrap recycling in several schools

Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, Leader in Sustainable Building
A partnership of the City of Bellevue and Pacific Science Center, the new Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center provides unique opportunities for hands-on environmental education in the 320-acre Mercer Slough Nature Park. Completed in October 2008, the complex features classrooms, a visitor center, a community building and a "tree house," all sustainably built utilizing the LEED certification system.

Mithūn, Leader in Environmental Innovation
Over the last two years, Mithūn, a design firm focused on sustainability and energy reduction efforts, has been a very active supporter of King County’s climate change mitigation efforts. In particular, Mithūn has participated in the county’s efforts to develop policy to appropriately address climate change through the Washington State Environmental Policy Act.

Printing Control, Leader in Hazardous Waste Reduction and Sustainable Business Practices
The first commercial printer in King County to earn EnviroStars’ prestigious five-star rating for their innovative environmental programs, Printing Control has decreased their production of hazardous waste from 372 pounds per month in 2002 to almost zero in 2008.

For more information about the Green Globe Award visit: http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/grants-and-awards/green-globe-award.aspx.

Related information:

Grants and awards

Environmental stewardship

King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks