This post was authored by HEFN Director Kathy Sessions.
One of the perks of working at HEFN is hearing how much innovative work people are doing to make environments healthier for everyone. It is especially great when this work gets broader recognition. Here is a sampling, in no particular order, of recent awards recognizing environmental health and justice contributions and champions.
Winners of the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for grassroots environmental activists included Phyllis Omido, a Kenyan mother whose organizing helped shut down a smelter linked to children’s lead poisoning and other exposures to dangerous chemicals.
This spring the Cornell Douglas Foundation’s second annual Jean and Leslie Douglas Pearl Awards were “given to organizations and to individuals who are dedicated to improving the lives of others and to providing a sustainable earth for future generations.” Recipients included UC-Berkeley biologist Tyrone B. Hayes, PhD; the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition; molecular epidemiologist Frederica P. Perera, DrPH, PhD; and SkyTruth.
Dr. Perera subsequently won the 20th Heinz Award in the Environment in 2015 for her research and advocacy on environmental toxins and childhood disorders.
Several innovators in plant-based alternatives to hazardous chemicals and fuels were among the 2015 winners of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s 20th Annual Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge.
The EPA also recognized 21 organizations working on chemical safety with 2015 Safer Choice Partner awards.
The Rhode Island Foundation gave its 2015 Initiative for NonProfit Excellence award to the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Rhode Island.
The Liberty Hill Foundation gave its Founders Award at the 33rd annual Upton Sinclair Award Dinner to Michele Prichard, Director of Liberty Hill’s Common Agenda.
The East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice recognized three NIEHS grantees transitioning from academia into retirement for their commitment to environmental justice and community engagement, including Andrea Hricko, John Froines, PhD, and Robert Gottlieb.
Also of note, new prizes are coming online, including the J.M.K. Innovation Prize through which the J.M. Kaplan Fund will recognize innovative US work addressing pressing needs including in the built and natural environment, a new Elsevier Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge for work applicable in developing countries, and a new EPA Climate Leadership Award.
Kudos to all these recognized — and still to be recognized — champions of environmental health and environmental justice.
And they keep coming!….After this post originally appeared, the Endocrine Society awarded several scientists an “Outstanding Public Service” Laureate award for raising global awareness of endocrine disrupting chemicals’ health effects, including an award to Pete Myers, one of HEFN’s founders and the founder, CEO and Chief Scientist of Charlottesville, VA.-based Environmental Health Sciences.