15th Annual Heinz Awards on the Environment

Teresa Heinz and the Heinz Family Foundation announced the recipients of the 15th Annual Heinz Awards, which this year, focuses singularly on the environment. Created to honor U.S. Senator John Heinz, the 2009 Heinz Awards commemorate the late senator’s long-standing commitment to the environment by bestowing $100,000 awards to 10 individuals whose achievements have helped bring about a cleaner, greener and more sustainable planet.

The recipients include a farmer who champions sustainable agriculture, experts on climate change, a neurotoxicologist, inventors who have changed the quality of life for those in developing countries, a fighter against environmental racism, and leaders in the areas renewable energy, green architecture and green journalism.

This year’s recipients are:

1) Robert Berkebile, 72, BNIM Architects (Kansas City, Mo.)For his green building advocacy and promotion of sustainable design and planning.

2) P. Dee Boersma, Ph.D., 62, University of Washington (Seattle, Wash.) For developing greater understanding of the impact of humans on marine ecosystems.

3) Christopher B. Field, Ph.D., 56, Carnegie Institution for Science and Stanford University(Stanford, Calif.) For his leadership and innovation in carbon cycle and climate science.

4) Ashok Gadgil, Ph.D., 58, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley (Berkeley, Calif.) For his work as an inventor and humanitarian.

5) Chip Giller, 38, Grist magazine (Seattle, Wash.) For creating an innovative media platform for delivering environmental information to new audiences. Chip Giller is being honored for founding Grist, an online media platform devoted to environmental news and views.

6) Deborah Rice, Ph.D., 61, Maine Deptartment of Health and Human Services,Environmental and Occupational Health (Augusta, Maine) For research yielding new understanding about exposure to toxicants during humandevelopment.

7) Joel Salatin, 52, Polyface Farm (Swoope, Va.) For creating alternative, environmentally friendly farming techniques.

8) Kirk R. Smith, Ph.D., 62, University of California, Berkeley, (Berkeley, Calif.) For exposing the relationships among household air pollution, fuel use, climate and health.

9) Thomas Smith, 59, Public Citizen – Texas (Austin, Texas) For his advocacy of wind and solar energy efficiency.

10) Beverly H. Wright, Ph.D., 61, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (New Orleans,La.) For her work as an environmental justice advocate.

Nominations for the Heinz Awards are submitted by an invited Council of Nominators, all experts in their fields, who serve anonymously. Award recipients are selected by the board of directors for the Heinz Awards upon recommendation by a blue-ribbon panel of jurors. In addition to the $100,000 award for their unrestricted use, recipients are presented with a medallion inscribed with the image of Senator Heinz on one side and a rendering of a globe passing between two hands on the other. The Heinz Awards will be presented at a private ceremony in Washington, D.C. on October 28. [Additional information]