The Refinishing Touch Blog

As we’ve seen through our clients as well as through organizations worldwide, there are any number of ways to go green. Often times the great work of big companies can seem overwhelming to everyday individuals who want to do their part for the environment as well. The Goldman Environmental Foundation recognizes those individuals who, in their everyday lives, have fought to preserve the environment with its Goldman Environmental Prize, which honors grassroots environmentalists. Last week, the Foundation announced the 2010 award recipients who hail from six regional areas: Africa, Asia, Europe, Island Nations, North America, and South and Central America.

The six individuals who received the award range from a lawyer in Poland, who fought to protect sensitive ecosystems in the Rospuda Valley from being destroyed by a highway project, to an animal activist who worked to prevent the death of Asian elephants by teaching farmers to keep the animals at bay using fences, fireworks, and horns, to a farmer in Michigan, who stood up to large industrial farms nearby that kept its animals in cramped spaces and produced huge amounts of manure that damaged the quality of air and water. Learn about all the award recipients here.

The sustainable work of big companies is important, however the work of individuals is just as important, if not more. Congratulations to this year’s awards recipients, whose efforts have improved the environment and serve as great examples of how everyday people can make a difference.

Labels: Goldman Environmental Prize, Green awards