The Environmental Center recently announced its 2012 Sustainability Award winners, which were selected by a community review committee.
Six awards, selected from among 20 nominations, go to citizens, businesses and organizations in the community that are dedicated to sustainability.
They include:
Individual: Karen Kassy.
A writer and consultant who moved to Sisters two years ago, Kassy has championed recycling. She sold her car and shares a vehicle for trips that require driving.
Small business: SolAire Homebuilders.
Owners Mike and Cindi O’Neil build custom homes with energy efficiency, healthier indoor air, and a low-waste philosophy.
Large business: Deschutes Brewery.
The fifth-largest craft brewery in the United States uses less water than the industry standard, has pledged to put a billion gallons of water back into the Deschutes River annually, uses 100 percent renewable energy, uses energy-efficient systems, and more.
Organization: Cascade Culinary Institute.This program of Central Oregon Community College built a highly energy-efficient facility, supports local food growers, eliminated the use of standard disposable plastic products, composts, and recycles and transforms its fryer oils into bio-diesel.
Special awards:
“Vision": Bend Living Cities Design Team (Steven Ames, Rachel Stemach, Stacey Stemach)
These three people designed a blueprint for what Bend could look like if redeveloped using stringent sustainable development guidelines. This entry into the International Living Cities Design competition made it into the finals. The city of Bend is putting elements of the work into its planning.
“Commitment to the cause": Debra Burke.Burke, a long-time Central Oregon resident, rides her bike nine miles into town from her house, regardless of weather.
Her straw-bale home uses only passive and active solar energy, and she catches and reuses water.
