San Diego Coastkeeper is gearing up to hold its 15th annual Coastal Champion Awards on the morning of June 4, 2013 where we want your suggestions on who to recognize! We will be honoring nominees from each of the following categories.
• Blue Tech – for exceptional innovation in the development and/or use of technology to protect and restore fishable, swimmable and drinkable waters in San Diego County.
• Find and Fix – for successfully identifying and developing a solution to solve an existing pollution problem.
• Lighthouse Lifetime Achievement – for all past achievements and dedication in advancing fishable, swimmable and drinkable waters in San Diego County.
• Marine Conservation – for actions that advocate for the monitoring and/or implementing of ocean conservation programs, techniques and innovations.
• Runoff Rockstar – for reducing urban runoff through proven practices, including, but not limited to, low impact development, pollution prevention and urban waste reduction.
• San Diego Coastkeeper’s Volunteer of the Year – for their outstanding efforts and achievements this individual was able to accomplish here at San Diego Coastkeeper.
• Water-wise – for water-friendly landscaping techniques––like water conservation––and the use of methods to promote healthy environmental restoration with native plants and natural growth.
And one nominee will also receive our…
• Special Recognition – for efforts and achievement in improving the water quality of one of the two recognized Areas of Special Biological Significance (ASBS) or biological hotspots that are in need of special water quality protection in order to protect the wildlife and natural ecosystems in these fragile areas.
Do you know someone who is actively implementing new and improved water-friendly landscaping techniques? How about a program that helped solve an existing pollution problem in your community? Our question is whom do you want to see recognized? We do our best at San Diego Coastkeeper to protect and restore fishable, swimmable and drinkable water in San Diego County, and we do our best to keep our eyes and ears open for those doing the same. Sometimes, though, there are programs or individuals that have outstanding success and achievements that we just don’t come across. That is why we want you, our community, to help us get them the recognition they deserve.
We try to vary our nomination categories, so we can get to know as many new programs, individuals, groups and/or companies–– who share our passion––as we can. We want to honor everyone, from big corporations, to the small-town individual doing his or her part. Don’t worry if you don't think you can hold a stick to bigger companies because every little thing matters. Ever hear of the saying, “it’s the little things that count” or “great things come in small packages?” Well, I believe in these sayings, and I believe some of our awardees this June will prove it. Some of our past recipients include Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Councilwoman Donna Frye, Supervisor Pam Slater-Price, Baja Activist Margarita Diaz, Liquid Environmental Solutions, Regency Centers Corporation, Bruce and Beth Hendershot, Hike Bike Kayak, Mara Bickett and Becky Deller and many more.
There is a reason we hold our Coastal Champions Awards Ceremony in June. In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly designated June 8 as World Oceans Day in order to raise awareness about our oceans and our connection to the sea. What better time to celebrate our Coastal Champions? Our partner organization, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, has generously agreed to host our Coastal Champion Awards Breakfast on June 4, 2013 in their world-renowned aquarium that overlooks the beautiful La Jolla beach (which just so happens to be one of San Diego’s two Areas of Special Biological Significance). Our breakfast and ceremony will last from 7:30 am to 9:00 am. Our friends at Birch have invited our attendees to stay afterwards and enjoy their wonderful exhibits. Come enjoy breakfast, learn a little about our amazing community, and make a morning out of it.
