2019 Greenovate Award winners
Greenovate Boston is Mayor Walsh’s initiative to empower Boston residents to take action on climate change in their neighborhoods. Our annual awards recognize those making an impact in climate action and environmental sustainability in Boston.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2019 Awards, either through promoting the program, nominating friends and colleagues, or voting for the finalists. We had more than 200 people attend last week’s Awards Party, and the evening was filled with celebrating the work that every organization has done in the past year to continue to make Boston a resilient and healthy city. Below are the final winners, but we are so grateful for the broad range of leadership we have in the City of Boston when it comes to addressing climate change.
The BBR Reuse Center was the recipient the Waste Reduction Award because of their commitment to reducing waste generated during construction. Their Reuse Center reclaims materials that would go into the landfill and makes them available to lower income homeowners in the City.
The Perry Family received the Building and Energy Award for showing that when it comes to reducing energy use, small behavior changes can go a long way. With a combination of energy efficient appliances and an energy conscious lifestyle, Billy and Gaby, along with their children, were able to reduce their electric bill by 75 percent in one year.
Andrew McFarland and Sarah Kurpiel Lee, received the Active Transportation Award for their work in determining the feasibility of a bus lane on the notoriously congested corridor on Washington Street in Roslindale, between Roslindale Square and the Forest Hills MBTA Station. Through their education campaign and pilot, they helped about 10,000 people get to work faster and easier than before.
The Harborkeepers were awarded the Climate Preparedness and Resilience Award fo their work informing residents about climate change, particularly in East Boston. Starting off as a Greenovate Leader Project, they have become a trusted neighborhood nonprofit partner whose work is deeply embedded in community coastal resilience.
Clare Ablett, Calida Beliveau, and Eleanor Pelletier received this year's Community Engagement Award for their work to eliminate the use of single-use plastic bags in Boston. As all of you know, they, along with many other advocates who pushed for the plastic bag ban, were ultimately successful.
