Winner: American Society of Landscape Architects/Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas/ U.S. Botanic Garden - The Sustainable Sites Initiative
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According to a survey from the American Society of Landscape Architects, only 10.1% of clients were knowledgeable about sustainable design practices. In response, the ASLA, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the U.S. Botanic Garden created the first national rating system for sustainable landscapes through the Sustainable Sites Initiative. SITES quickly secured wide industry and client-group support with 350 project submissions for its pilot program, including New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward Sustainable Infrastructure Project. In addition, 35 organizations have joined the movement, including federal entities like the Environmental Protection Agency, ensuring SITES’ future in the design and construction industry. —Bill Miltenberg
Honorable Mentions:
Kaiser Permanente - Eating Well in Season: Elevating Kaiser Permanente’s Leadership in Sustainable Food
How do you further expand on an innovative and successful initiative that created over 35 farmers markets in Kaiser Permanent’s hospitals? With a cookbook. A partnership with the EatingWell Media Group produced “EatingWell in Season: The Farmers’ Market Cookbook,” further promoting healthy, sustainable food and reinforcing Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to healthy eating and environmentally friendly growing practices.
Thoma Thoma and Metroplan - Grass Roots: Growing our Green Agenda
In 2009, Metroplan, the nonprofit Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Central Arkansas, formed the Regional Green Agenda and successfully launched a social campaign to engage local youth and position itself as a steward of environmental resources to help citizens create a more sustainable central Arkansas.