Video: Sustainable Resilient Longmont Sustainability Awards

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Live from the Firehouse in Downtown Longmont

From the press release:

Sustainable Resilient Longmont Announces the 2018 Longmont Sustainability Awardees

Longmont, CO September 13, 2018--- Sustainable Resilient Longmont is pleased to announce the following awardees for the 2018 Longmont Sustainability Awards to be held on September 22nd

Sustainable Business: Given to a local Longmont business who has gone above and beyond in their commitment to operating sustainably.

• Ollin Farms

• Honorable Mention: Simply Bulk Market

Sustainability Program: Given to an organization running a local, innovative program that distinguishes Longmont as a leader in sustainability.

• YMCA and Growing Gardens, Food Project Farm

Sustainability Leader: Given to an individual in Longmont who continues to push forward sustainability efforts to better our local community.

• Kelly Mahoney, Founder and Executive Director, Longmont Food Rescue

“We’re incredibly fortunate to have so many local leaders in sustainability here in Longmont,” Sustainable Resilient Longmont Board Chair Abby Driscoll said. “We hope that this recognition will spark a new wave of commitment to sustainability and encourage more businesses, nonprofits and individuals to take action on climate change in Longmont,” added Driscoll.

Mark Guttridge of Ollin Farms: We’re honored to receive the first-ever Longmont Sustainable Business Award from SRL. For the past eleven years we have worked hard to provide nutritious food to the Longmont community while also building healthy ecosystems on the farm. Our interactive youth education programs are designed to get kids on the farm and having fun while learning where food comes from and how it can be grown in a regenerative way. Finally, from farm dinners to festivals, we use the farm as a safe and fun way for the community to gather, celebrate and learn. A sustainable future for Longmont involves embracing and reviving our agricultural heritage and we are honored to be a part of it. Big thanks to SRL for their work in the community and for recognizing Ollin Farms with this award.”

Heidi Quince, Simply Bulk Market: “At Simply Bulk Market, we help Longmont residents live more sustainable lifestyles by reducing the waste they’re sending to the landfill. By purchasing bulk, customers can buy as little or as much as they need so less food gets wasted. Our bring-your-own packaging model helps customers reuse hard-to-recycle plastic bottles, glass jars and really any container. Packaging contributes to huge amounts of waste to landfills so we’re pleased to give people a better option. We appreciate the recognition to receive an honorable mention for the Sustainable Business Award and look forward to continuing to serve the Longmont community.”

Vanessa Keeley, Executive Director, Growing Gardens: “We’re honored to have been selected for the Sustainability Program Award for the upcoming Longmont Sustainability Awards. Our mission is to is to enrich the lives of our community through sustainable urban agriculture. The partnership with the YMCA for the Food Project Farm in Longmont is an important example of the multiple ways growing fresh food can have a positive impact on environment, health and social equity for youth and families. By engaging children in the process of growing their own food, we are educating future generations to care for the earth while eating healthier. We’re thrilled to receive this award.”

Jessica Collins, Executive Director, Longmont YMCA: “We are excited to be honored for our partnership with Growing Gardens for the Food Project Farm at the Longmont YMCA. This project has been a passion of ours for years. At the Y, we view access to healthy food as integral to health equity. If we can find more opportunities for disadvantaged youth to learn about farming, we can truly change the way children think about food and set them on a path to healthier eating and more active living. This program fits perfectly with the Y's health equity mission, and we could not be more honored to be receiving this award.”

Kelly Mahoney, Executive Director, Longmont Food Rescue: “I am humbled to be receiving the Sustainability Leader Award for the inaugural Longmont Sustainability Awards. I’ve always been passionate about food security and social equity, but after realizing that 40% of food today in the country goes uneaten, I founded Longmont Food Rescue to address local issues. Uneaten food ends up in landfills and produces harmful methane gas, one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, food insecurity leaves those less fortunate in our community hungry and

without access to fresh, healthy food. I am so thankful to SRL for recognizing the hard work it has taken to get this organization off the ground and more importantly, that we’ve been able to make a positive impact on sustainability in Longmont.”

We also congratulate the following nominees for their dedicated work making Longmont a more sustainable community:

Brian Bagley, Mayor, City of Longmont- for his leadership and commitment to transitioning Longmont to 100% renewable energy by 2030.

Lisa Knoblauch, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Longmont- for her outstanding initiative coordinating the development and implementation of the Longmont Sustainability Plan.

Charles Kamenides, Public Works, City of Longmont- for being a passionate champion for providing opportunities to Longmont residents to reduce, reuse, recycle and compost.

Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE) Boulder County- for helping hundreds of local businesses with expert advising services, financial incentives and certification for energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation and quality, and alternative transportation.

City of Longmont Curbside Compost Program- for launching and implementing the City's first-ever curbside compost program that helps divert organic waste from the landfill for thousands of Longmont residents.

Jefe's and the Roost-  for their ongoing commitment to building a more sustainable community through local food sourcing that supports sustainable agriculture, eliminating single use plastics, fostering social equity and economic sustainability through their business practices.

Longtucky Spirits- for locally sourcing products and reducing their carbon footprint as well as their commitment to Zero Waste by limiting single-use plastics, and providing compost and recycling.

Red Frog Coffee- for selling organic, fairly-traded coffee, composting and supporting local, handmade products.

Sol Coffee- for designing, building, and running a solar-powered food truck that serves coffee and treats to the Longmont community.

The awards event will take place from 6:00-9:00 p.m. on Saturday September 22nd at the Firehouse Arts Center in downtown Longmont. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door and can be purchased here. Jefe’s and the Roost are sponsoring food for the event. Avery Brewing and St. Vrain Cidery are sponsoring beer and cider. RC Events and Eco-products are additional event sponsors. More information on the event, including silent auction sponsors can be found at http://www.srlongmont.org/awards.html.

###

Sustainable Resilient Longmont Sustainable Resilient Longmont collaborates with the Longmont community to cultivate a sustainable and thriving city. As the hub for education, advocacy and action, we support the three pillars of sustainability: environmental protection, responsible economic growth and social equity. www.srlongmont.org