Earth Day award winners announced

Judy Smith sells quilts and lavendar sachets at the festival. More photos can be seen at triplicate.com/photos. (The Daily Triplicate/Rick Postal)

Coloring contest winners (l-r) Caroline Hamm, Astrid Starets-Foote, Peter Lor and Kamryn Wade. (The Daily Triplicate/Rick Postal)

Outstanding Recycling Effort: Hambro Waste Solutions Group, Transfer Stations Staff for recovery of 270 tons of metal, 38 tons of plastic, 50 tons of concrete, 96.5 tons of consumer electronics and 9 tons of beverage containers at the DN County Transfer Station.

Outstanding Reuse & Repair Service: Digital Needs, Andrew Butcher for extending reuse and repair of computer electronic devices in DN County.

Outstanding Community Cleanup Effort: Del Norte Solid Waste Task Force, Patricia Abbey, Neal Austin, Brad Cass, Ken Henderson, Dave Mason, Clarke Moore, W. Arthur Reeve, Brock Richards, Irene Tynes and Wes White for their continued dedication and volunteering of many hours to review ordinances to reduce illegal dumping.

Outstanding Innovation in Reuse: The Daily Triplicate for supporting reuse by providing free ads in the “Bargain Corner” for items selling for under $50.

Most Organics Recovered in 2009: Eco Nutrients, Kirk Sparks for continuing to be the primary processor of fish and shellfish waste, one of the largest recovery businesses in Del Norte County. The total tonnage recycled is 1,350 tons.

Outstanding Green Purchasing: Organic Essence for its organic cosmetic company making innovative biodegradable packaging. Organic Essence has designed a number of packages to replace a wide variety of single-use plastic packaging.

Outstanding Education Service or Program: Del Norte Recology, Lori Poole for teaching art classes at our local schools to encourage one more use by making art from trash.

Most Tons Recycled in 2009: Julindra Recycling, Jordan Kekery for continuing to be the only buy-back center in Del Norte County for beverage containers, for processing all materials collected in the curbside recycling program and all the community drop-off recycling sites. The total tonnage recycled is 2374.4 tons in 2009.

Outstanding Reuse or Repair Service: Eco-Store for its outstanding reuse program by pulling 37.5 tons of reusable items from the waste stream which were placed back into the community through the Eco-Store.

Outstanding Community Cleanup Effort: H/WSG Metal Recyclers for its aggressive effort to clean up metal accumulated on blighted properties and illegal dump sites in Crescent City and Del Norte County.

Outstanding Community Cleanup Effort: Del Norte County Code Enforcement Officer Dave Mason for his persistent effort to abate illegal dumping and blighted properties in Crescent City and Del Norte County.

Outstanding Innovation in Product Take-Back: Home Depot for its appliance take-back disposal service.

Outstanding Innovation in Product Take-Back: Battery Take Back Program, Ace Hardware, Coast True Value, Crescent Uniforms, Del Norte Office Supply, Fort Dick Market, Gasquet Market, Hiouchi Hamlet, La Joya Mexican Market, Lake Earl Market, Park City Superette, Pem Mey Fuel Mart, Performance Fuel, Ray’s Food Place (Smith River), Ray’s Food Place, Safeway, Walgreens, Woodland Villa Market and Yurok Tribe— retailers participating in the Battery Take Back Program in Del Norte County.

Outstanding Reuse or Repair Service or Program: DN County Engineering Department & DN County Roads Department, W. Arthur Reeve, reuse of asphalt in creation of a dedicated bike path on Howland Hill Road.

Outstanding Community Cleanup Effort: Cal-trans, Del Norte Democratic Party, Yurok Watershed Restoration Project, United Methodist Church of the Redwoods, In Memory of Travis James Joy, Foursquare Church & Christian School, In Memory of Pedro Hernandez, Cold Water Surfers, Tsunami Sam’s Camper Club, Universal Heart Center for Spiritual Living, Redwood Nat’l and State Parks, Redwood Cruisers, Friends and Family of Teresa Dillion, Smith River Volunteer Fire Dept., Zack Freiwald Family & Friends, Spyglass Homeowners Association, Family of Shirley Diehl, Wetherell Ranch and Del Norte Driving School for their continuing to organize volunteers in roadside cleanup projects in Del Norte County.   

Outstanding Community Cleanup Effort: Friday Night Live, Jeff Wolsferd and Nanci Rivera for their Cigarette Butt Clean-Up Progam. Cigarette butts not only show a smoking problem in your community, but affects more than just the smokers themselves.

Outstanding Green Purchasing Effort or Service and Outstanding Education Program: Joe Gillespie and Pacific Power for the windmill at Crescent Elk Middle School.

Outstanding Green Product or Service: Alexandre Dairy, Borges Dairy for being the certified organic dairies in Del Norte County.

Outstanding Community Cleanup Effort: Ben Bradley for his effort volunteering 400 hours organizing conservation work at Florence Keller Park.

Outstanding Green Product or Service: Ocean Air Farms for growing certified organic vegetables in Del Norte County.

Outstanding Green Product or Service: Farmers Market, Ron Phillips for being the only open air market to sell organic fruits and vegetables in DN County.

Earth Art Contest Finalists & Green Ribbon Awards: Grades K-2: Peter Lor, winner, and Caroline Hamm, honorable mention; Grades 3-5: Kamryn Wade, winner, and Andi Barneburg, honorable mention; Grades 6-8: Astrid Starets-Foote, winner and overall best, and Samantha Bradshaw, honorable mention; Grades 9-12: Ashley Wylie, winner, Jenna Butler, honorable mention.