Environmental Awards Program

There are twelve different Environmental Awards. The award winners will be selected based upon quantifiable results that positively affect the environment.

Award Categories

• Environmental Awareness Award (Leadership or Teaching)
  The recipient of this award will have demonstrated leadership or teaching others about the environment.
• Green Design Award (Built Environment)
  The recipient of this award will have demonstrated green design concepts and a positive ecological footprint in some or all of these areas (stormwater, recycling, sedimentation and erosion controls, construction debris reuse, and energy innovation).
• Institutional Innovation Award
  This award will recognize a government entity that has been innovative in any area of environmental stewardship.
• Legacy Award
  The recipient of this award will be recognized for a lifelong contribution to the environment by a person or an organization.
• Market Transformation Award
  The recipient of this award manufactures retails, markets or promotes products, services, and choices which lessen the impact on the environment and health.
• Natural Resource Conservation Award
  The recipient of this award will have demonstrated natural resource conservation in water, wastewater, reuse water, residuals and biosolids, air quality, or stormwater.
• Pioneering Efforts Award
  The recipient of this award will be recognized for pioneering efforts in any environmental area.
• Regional Award
  The recipient of this award will have demonstrated environmental stewardship for the region, such as air quality, local rivers, Neuse River basin, or other regional issues.
• Urban Stewardship Award
  This award will recognize a volunteer individual or organization engaged in community building or conservation.
• WaterWise Landscaping Award
  This award will recognize individuals or businesses whom reduce turfed areas and utilize drought tolerant and native plants in their gardens or landscaping. The best residential and non-residential garden or landscape will each receive an award.
• Student Awards
  This award category recognizes students in multiple education levels. Each student winner receives a monetary award.
  • Youth Award ($500)
    This award will recognize a student that has demonstrated environmental stewardship. The youth award may be given to more than one person or group.
  • Emerging Professional - PSA Competition ($1,500, $750, $500)
    This award will recognize a video public service announcement raising awareness of water conservation and efficient water use created by local area college, university, and technical school students. There is additional submission criteria required for this award.

Overall Award

• Raleigh Environmental Stewardship Award (RESA)
  The recipient of this award will have demonstrated a commitment to social, economic and environmental sustainability. The winner of RESA will be either an individual or organization that has and shown leadership in sustainable development and in doing so recognizes the relationship and continuity of the environment, economics, and equity or social justice aspects of human society. Sustainability has also been defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Eligibilty Requirements:

• Must either be residents of or operate within the City of Raleigh, the Raleigh extra territorial jurisdiction (ETJ), or the utility service area.

• Elected officials are not eligible while they are serving in public office.

Selection Committee:

• Ten (10) person jury, selected by the Raleigh City Council
• One (1) chairperson chosen from the membership of and nominated by the City of Raleigh Environmental Advisory Board
• Five (5) jury representatives are selected from
  • Planning Commission
  • Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board
  • Appearance Commission
  • Stormwater Management Advisory Commission
  • Water Utility Transition Advisory Committee or Water Conservation Advisory Council.
• Two (2) representatives of the professional scientific community
• Two (2) at-large members from the community
• Members of the jury will be residents of the City of Raleigh and will rotate annually

Nominations will be evaluated based on the specific criteria and weighting formulas. Projects will be evaluated as much as possible on the quantifiable results that positively affect the environment.

• Effectiveness - List the goals and measures of success.
• Innovation, Creativity and Originality - Discuss the methods, strategies, and innovative ideas.
• Environmental Stewardship - Describe measurable increases in ecological resiliency or how the nominee/submission has improved the capacity for our ecosystems to provide us with resources.
• Leadership - Discuss how the nominee/submission demonstrated vision, foresight, and persistence.
• Sustainability Elements - Describe how the nominee/submission has improved social, economic, and ecological conditions.

Additional evaluation methods may be used to select PSA video submissions.

For more information about the 2013 the awards program, please call the City of Raleigh at 919-996-3840.

City of Raleigh
Environmental Awards Program
c/o Cindy Holmes
P.O. Box 590
Raleigh, NC 27602