Environmental Initative Awards: past winners and finalists

The Environmental Initiative Awards annually honor innovative projects that have achieved extraordinary environmental results by harnessing the power of partnership. From large statewide efforts to small-scale locally based projects, many of Minnesota’s most innovative environmental efforts have succeeded as a result of collaboration.

Below you can review the work of past winners and finalists, many of whom continue to work collaboratively today.

2011 Finalists and winners

2011 PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR

The Mustard Seed Garden Center

ENERGY AND CLIMATE PROTECTION

Winner:
Milan Sustainable Energy Utility

Finalists:
Como Green Village Move In/Move Out (MIMO) Project
Minneapolis Saint Paul Solar Cities Project

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Winner:
Powderhorn Lake Neighborhood of Raingardens

Finalists:
Big Sandy Water Institute
Como Green Village Student Involvement Project

GREEN BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 

Winner:
Target Field

Finalists:
Thomson Reuters: Greening the Eagan Campus
The Mustard Seed Garden Center

NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION

Winner:
Go Blue! Diamond Lake Community Makeover

Finalists:
Connecting Commerce and Conservation: Innovations in Land Restoration
Minnesota Water Sustainability Framework

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Winner:
Saint Paul Port Authority's Beacon Bluff Redevelopment

Finalists:
Burnsville Sustainability City Initiative
Edina Public Works Facility (Adaptive Re-use of the Con-Agra Foods Building)

2010 FINALISTS AND WINNERS

2010 PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR

Faribault Foods Cannery Heat Recovery Project

ENERGY AND CLIMATE PROTECTION

Winner:
Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon

Finalists:
Minneapolis Pilot Curbside Organics Recycling
Target Center Green Roof

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Winner:
Youth Energy Summit (YES!)

Finalists:
Get the Lead Out!
Help Make Rochester A Litter Bit Better!

GREEN BUILDING, DEVELOPMENT & LAND USE

Winner:
Minnesota Green Communities Initiative

Finalists:
Mississippi Market Co-op's West 7th Store
Skyridge Busines Center and Nature Presere

GREEN BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Winner:
Faribault Foods Cannery Heat Recovery Project

Finalists:
Butler Square
Making Dirt, Not Waste: Expanding Commerical Composting in Minneapolis

NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION

Winner:
Arlington-Pascal Stormwater Improvements

Finalists:
Conservation Based Land Use Planning: City of Hanover
Scott Cost Share and Incentive Project