Hobbs' awards for environmental heroes

9 June 2005

Joint Press Release: Ministry for the Environment and Auckland Regional Council

Three Auckland companies and an Intermediate school are among winners of Environment Minister Marian Hobbs' awards for environmental heroes.

Landcare Research and Connell Mott MacDonald won a Green Ribbon Award in the Urban sustainability category for their sustainable Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research Laboratory, University of Auckland (Tamaki Campus).

Scrap Metal Recyclers Ltd of Onehunga won a Green Ribbon Award in the Sustainable Business category for the work they have done to protect the environment from the effects of their business. Their work could be used as a model for the future development of a code of practice for the scrap metal recycling industry.

Darryl and Bridget Soljan of Ascension Vineyard, Matakana, North Auckland won a Highly Commended in the same category for their environmentally sustainable vineyard and restaurant.

Otahuhu Intermediate School won a Green Ribbon Award for working on restoring Otahuhu Creek and educating their community about it through the children.

ARC Environment Management Committee Chair, Dianne Glenn says the high level of candidates was impressive.

"These three Auckland companies have set the standard for protecting the environment in the Auckland region, and as an ex-science teacher I am especially proud of the school children who have achieved so much in, and for their neighbourhood," Cr. Glenn says.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs says she has selected an inspiring and diverse range of people, groups, schools and businesses as winners of this year's Green Ribbon Awards.

"They are a fantastic group of people making a real difference to the environment and their communities. The Green Ribbon Awards give national recognition for outstanding local initiatives," Marian Hobbs says.

Six Green Ribbon Awards and five highly commended awards will be presented on Thursday evening [9 June] at a ceremony at the Grand Hall, Parliament. The awards are presented each year in June, to tie in with World Environment Day on 5 June.

The Ministry for the Environment administers the awards and makes the short-list. The assessment criteria include whether the people or projects address a significant environmental issue, improve the environment, provide a model for others, go above and beyond "the call of duty", or introduce something new or innovative.

The awards have now been running for 15 years, with this year's winners taking the total number of Green Ribbon Awards to 76.

ENDS

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