There’s no ceremony broadcast around the world, no red carpet,
no after party hosted by Elton John, and no commercial
endorsements, but it’s safe to say that the Governor’s
Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards are at least a little
more important than the Oscars.
There’s no ceremony broadcast around the world, no red carpet, no after party hosted by Elton John, and no commercial endorsements, but it’s safe to say that the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards are at least a little more important than the Oscars.
“[This] award recognizes individuals and organizations that demonstrate leadership in conserving California’s resources and protecting our environment,” said California Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Alan Lloyd. “The contributions they make are important because government can’t do the job alone.”
The award program is the state’s most prestigious environmental honor, handed out each year to people, organizations and businesses that make notable and voluntary contributions to conserving California’s environmental resources.
Awards are presented in categories such as children’s environmental education, environmental and economic partnerships and technological innovation. There were 20 winners in 2004, 18 in 2005, including the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., the city of San Francisco and the Marin Resource Conservation District.
South Valley farmers won for their participation in the Agriculture Water Quality Alliance, a collaboration of farmers, farm bureaus and other agencies in Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Mateo and San Luis Obispo counties.
The alliance was honored for a program in which farmers agree to update their methods and monitor each other to ensure they’re meeting the latest environmental regulations.
To be certified in the program, farmers must attend 15 hours of classes on water quality issues and prepare a plan that details how they intend to maintain good water quality.
“It’s an honor to get an award like that for our program,” said Jenny Derry, executive director of the Santa Clara County Farm Bureau. “People are working very hard to earn their credits and be environmentally responsible. It’s great for farmers to be recognized; it helps with exposure for the program and gets more people involved.”
Thanks to the alliance, 58 percent of the county’s farmland is covered by a farm water management plan, but Derry said that many local farmers have practiced water quality stewardship for years.
“I think in Santa Clara County the knowledge about the need to protect the environment is very high,” Derry said. “A lot of farmers have been educated about these pro-environment efforts for a long time. While they have been doing them for a long time, they weren’t being credited or recognized for that.”
Join the Alliance
If you would like to join the alliance call: Mary Ellen Dick at (831) 786-9225, or the Santa Clara County Farm Bureau at (408) 776-1684.
