Citizens’ Environmental Coalition Celebrates Houston’s Hard-working Environmental Stars
Houston, Texas, October 28, 2009 – The Citizens’ Environmental Coalition (CEC) of Houston has announced the honorees of its 12th annual Synergy Awards. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that are creating positive environmental change and improving the quality of life for everyone in the Houston-Galveston area. This year, 13 awards have been given in 10 categories, including Conservation, Sustainable Planning and Corporate Awareness. The CEC will host a luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the Houston Racquet Club to celebrate the work of the honorees.
“The CEC created these awards specifically to honor the hard-working unsung heroes of Houston’s environmental movement—those who work day in and day out, often as volunteers– and actually make change in our community,” says Rachel Powers, CEC Board President.
This year’s Government Award winner is Andy Sipocz, wetlands biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Sipocz has spent his career creating and conserving critically needed wetlands in the Gulf Coast area. Wetlands play a vital role in protecting coastal ecosystems: cleaning waterways, protecting shorelines from severe weather and providing wildlife habitat. One of Sipocz’s recent projects involved the development of a series of wetland ponds at Brays Bayou. Studies have shown that the new wetland is alreadyeffectively cleaning the waterway—increasing oxygen levels and decreasing bacteria counts.
The Corporate Awareness Award goes to Keatingrove Farms, the only certified organic farm in Harris County, located west of Tomball. Here local residents can purchase seasonal, locally grown, organic produce. As a USDA certified organic farm, Keatingrove has met rigorous requirements, including no use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or genetically modified organisms, and keeps detailed records of all the products used on the farm. Keatingrove Farms is also known for the cultivation of heirloom and other unique plant varieties. This practice helps to safeguard genetic diversity and thus the ecological health of food crops.
Josetta Hawthorne, Executive Director of the Council for Environmental Education, is the winner of this year’s Environmental Education Award. One of Hawthorne’s most important projects is a national urban environmental education program called WET in the City. This program is a multi-disciplinary, hands-on urban water education curriculum that engages K-12 students typically underserved by environmental education. Students learn about the complex issues surrounding water management and stewardship and study topics such as environmental justice, lead in drinking water, urban flooding, brownfields and urban fishing. The Wet in the City program is currently being offered in 12 Houston-area and 2 Galveston-area schools.
About the Citizen’s Environmental Coalition
The Citizens’ Environmental Coalition (CEC) is an alliance of diverse nonprofit, governmental, and educational organizations whose activities impact our environment and quality of life in the Houston-Galveston area. Our greater than 100 member organizations cover a broad spectrum, including professional associations, conservation groups, and activists. For more information about the CEC and the other winners of the Synergy Awards, visit www.cechouston.org