PORTLAND – The state’s leader in single-sort recycling, ecomaine, has opened its call for nominations for the 2019 eco-Excellence Awards. The awards are designed to recognize and celebrate champions in Maine who are focused on recycling and waste diversion, and who are leading their communities toward greater models of sustainability.
As Maine’s pioneer of single-sort recycling and provider of waste-to-energy solutions, ecomaine is pleased to announce that nominees may live or work in any of its 74 member communities, and may be nominated until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019.
“ecomaine’s eco-Excellence Award winners are some of the greatest ambassadors we could hope for,” said CEO Kevin Roche. “These are the people who are committed to sustainable waste management solutions, and who are some of ecomaine’s most steadfast allies, even in tough times like we’ve seen for recycling in the last year. It is always very exciting to see who is making these big differences across our state.”
Nominees must be located in or serve one of the 74 ecomaine communities. Nominees can be businesses, schools, nonprofits, or individuals and will be selected based on the effectiveness, increased awareness, community impact, and ease of replication of their sustainability programs or initiatives. Submissions will be judged by ecomaine’s Outreach & Recycling Committee and awarded on March 19, 2019.
2018’s eco-Excellence Awards were given to:
- Allagash Brewing Company, Portland (Business Leadership Category)
- Ruth’s Reusable Resources, Portland (Non-Profit Leadership Category)
- David Pope, Massabesic Middle School, Waterboro (Individual Leadership Category)
- Cape Elizabeth Recycling Committee, Cape Elizabeth
- Adriane Herman, artist & MECA professor, Cape Elizabeth/Portland/Yarmouth
- Kevin Howell, Town Manager, Carmel
- Cumberland Food Company, Chef/Owner Bryan Dame, Cumberland
- Lamey-Wellehan Shoes, Falmouth
- Kimberly Darling, Sustainability Coordinator, Falmouth
- Robert J. Burns & Alisha Barrows, Gorham Department of Public Works, Gorham
- Jonathan Hedman, Gray Recycling Committee, Gray
- Garbage to Garden’s Phoebe Lyttle, Portland
- Laura Graves, Howard C. Reiche Community School, Portland
- Marjorie “Maggie” Timmerman, “Keep Rockport Beautiful,” Rockport
- Ryan O’Leary, Ecology Club of Scarborough, Scarborough
- Debra McDonough, Scarborough Energy Committee, Scarborough
- Jane Eberle, Director of Business Partnerships for South Portland Schools, South Portland
- Waterboro Elementary School, Principal Christine Bertinet, Waterboro
ecomaine, the nonprofit, recycling and waste-to-energy operation that serves a third of the state’s population, is located in Portland, Maine. The eco-Excellence Awards is an annual program organized by ecomaine to recognize businesses, schools, or individuals in any of ecomaine’s 74 member communities. Winners are selected based on the effectiveness, increased awareness, community impact, and ease of replication of their sustainability programs or initiatives.
