If you have a favorite farmer or sustainable food leader, nominate them for the 2010 Growing Green Awards. Applications are due December 4, 2009, and a $10,000 prize will go to the winning green Food Producer.
When we announced the first annual Growing Green Awards last year, there might have been a hint of trepidation in the office here. What if it didn't work? What if no one applied? What if the applicants weren't green enough?
Well, 150 nominations later, I can tell you that those worries are over. We were blown away by all the amazing things farmers are doing on their land to grow our food while taking care of mother nature at the same time; business leaders who are pouring on the innovation and using their supply chains to effect change; and thought leaders who are teaching all of us about more sustainable food from farm to fork.
Check out last year's winners: Will Allen integrated an urban fish farm with organic vegetable production, using the nutrient-rich waste water from the fish to fertilize the plants, while the plants filtered the water so it could be returned to the fish. Fedele Bauccio pushed his food service company to green its cafeterias and published the Low Carbon Diet Calculator, helping us grasp the link between food and climate change. James Harvie helped put sustainable food on the menu for the health care industry.
This year, in addition to our previous award categories for Producer, Business Leader and Thought Leader, we are adding a "Water Steward" category just for 2010.
And, once again, the Growing Green Awards is honored to have a highly distinguished panel of independent judges:
Susan Clark, Executive Director of the Columbia Foundation
A.G. Kawamura, California's Secretary of Agriculture
Michael Pollan, celebrated author and professor
Nora Pouillon, Chef and founder of Restaurant Nora, the nation's first certified organic restaurant
Nominate yourself or your favorite sustainable food hero. We can't wait to read about all your great green work.