In my pre-Thanksgiving blog, I heralded the then-impending announcement of the Gotham Green Awards® for this year. On November 23, 2021, GOtham GREEN®, which since 2007 provided a platform for businesses and professionals who seek to connect and promote sustainable business opportunities, practices and relationships, announced a lucky seven group of winners – from around the globe – really!

As I explained two blogs ago and many before, including one some two months ago inviting (your) nominations,

Gotham Green Awards® recognize three categories:

1. Green Business or Green Initiative  – For businesses whose core message and products are green in concept and/or sustainable.

2. Green product, program or building  – For businesses that have produced, planned or created a singular item that is green and sustainable.

3. Green/Sustainable non-profit organization  – For non-profit organizations that focus on or have created a program or product that they believe contributes to the global sustainability effort.

As this special Gotham group’s GC (“group coordinator”) Shelley Simpson (also special and someone to get to know) shared in her Fredslist ceremony recap, “there was excitement in the air as we enjoyed great conversation between Gotham Green® members, circuit riders, guests and our winners who shared a bit more about the work they have been doing to repair and protect the planet.”

Shelley’s post also pointed out a “slight yet impactful change” I opted not to disclose when I hyped this year’s awards ceremony. No longer limited by geography, Shelley wrote, “This year, winners joined us from the Tri-State area and as far away as Colorado and Austria – global presence in addition to global impact.”

Please join me in congratulating the winners for 2021 (I note the nominators in parentheses after each description): 

☼Montgomery Friends of Open Space (MFOS), a nonprofit all-volunteer organization, formed in March 2002 to preserve remaining open land in Montgomery Township and to run a farmers’ market to support local agriculture. Lorette Pruden, its volunteer executive director, accepted. (Josh Zinder)

☼The Sukkah Village Project in Princeton NJ, a project designed to capture the imagination of visitors and inspire them to contribute to solutions for critical issues facing New Jersey, such as homelessness, hunger, and a growing affordable housing gap. Mark Merkovitz, Executive Director, Jewish Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks which hosts the project, accepted the award. (Josh Zinder)

☼Gabriel Thoumi, Head of Plastics Programme and Director of Financial Markets for the not-for-profit Planet Tracker, an initiative of Investor Watch. (Jackson Klein)

☼Shelley Simpson on behalf of the JuicePlus+ Company for the vegan Omega Blend Capsules, a unique blend of nutrients derived directly from plants cutting out the “middle-fish” thereby avoiding disruption of the marine ecosystem and over-fishing. (Fred Klein)

☼NetZero Rocky Mountains for their indoor air quality products and LED Lighting Solutions that focuses on helping business owners decide on the best value technology for Commercial LED Lighting solutions to lower the operational cost of electricity by 55-75%. Its co-founder, Chris L. Martin, accepted. (Shelley Simpson)

☼DeFranco Landscaping for leading by example in environmentally-conscious and sustainable landscape design and management, with a particular emphasis on stormwater measures and green infrastructure in and around Lake George, New York. Owner Tony DeFranco accepted. (Sylvie Richards, Esq.). 

☼NYC City Comptroller Scott Stringer for his leadership in the groundbreaking commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2040 in New York City’s pension fund investments. (Corey Bearak)

These environmental heroes now join the ranks of Gotham where they get to enjoy all available features and benefits.  GOtham GREEN® plans to showcase each winner at meetings throughout 2022 so plan to come and meet them or reach out.  Find the tentative 2022 schedule below:

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 – 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 15, 2022 – 12:30 p.m.

Friday, May 6, 2022 – 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 14, 2022 – 12:30 p.m. 

Wednesday, September 14, 2022 – 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, November 22, 2022 – 4:00 p.m. (2022 Gotham Green Awards Announcement)

Before I close, a thank you to to my co-chairs Fred Klein, and Josh Zinder for their efforts in helping to identify and select the winners.

If you know someone worthy, GOtham GREEN® accepts nominations throughout the year. If you know of any business, initiative, or individual that solves both environmental and social problems, adopts principles, policies, and practices that improve the quality of life for their customers, their employees, communities, and the environment, nominating them provides a great way to show your appreciation to a client, customer or colleague. 

P.S. Enjoy my fave Poco fave song on this topic (this one live), which found its way by reference in several statements and testimonies prepared by this correspondent.