Deadline Is Near for Nominations for Environmental Excellence Award

The Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission and Alexandria Renew Enterprises are seeking nominees for the Eighth Annual Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award, and the deadline is Friday.

The award honors and recognizes Alexandrians who demonstrate a commitment to protecting the natural environment and keeping the city green. It will be presented during the Alexandria Earth Day celebration at the Lenny Harris Memorial Fields at Braddock Road (1005 Mt. Vernon Ave.) from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 30. A tree will be planted in honor of the recipient of the 2016 award.

The Earth Day event will include various educational exhibits, demonstrations, hands-on activities for children and more, and will emphasize this year’s theme: Choose to Reuse—Your Choices Matter!

The Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award is named in honor of Ellen Pickering, a longtime Alexandria activist dedicated to preservation and environmental conservation in the city. She was a City Council Member and Alexandria Sanitation Authority Board Member who helped create the Mount Vernon Trail, which runs parallel to the George Washington Parkway.

Mrs. Pickering was committed to preserving and enhancing the city’s waterfront. She was instrumental in the adoption of the city’s Open Space Plan and the creation of Founder’s Park. As chair of the Alexandria Beautification Commission, she also implemented the planting of 1,000 citizen-donated cherry trees.

Deadline: Friday, March 11

Qualifications: Residents, groups, clubs, organizations or corporations may be nominated. To be eligible, nominees must live within the city of Alexandria and corporations, organizations and other groups must operate within Alexandria. The actions of the nominees must have a direct impact on protecting the natural environment and natural resources in Alexandria.

Selection: Selection will be made by a special committee of Alexandria Renew Enterprises, the Environmental Policy Commission and members of Mrs. Pickering’s family.

Applicable Topics: Subject matter applicable to the award criteria include natural resource preservation, energy conservation, education outreach regarding environmental sustainability, water preservation, water conservation, waste reduction and/or materials reuse/recycling, and promotion of clean air.

Those making nominations may also refer to Alexandria’s Eco-City Charter, adopted in 2008, and the Environmental Action Plan 2030, adopted in in 2009. Both documents define the guiding principles of environmental sustainability. Visit the Eco-City Alexandria page for more information.

Nomination Requirements

Submissions must include the following:

• The nominee’s name, address, and telephone number, or the key individual to contact if a nominee is an organization.
• The name, address, and telephone number of the person nominating the candidate must be included.
• A brief description (not to exceed one page) of the nominee’s accomplishments and qualifications for the Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award.

Nominations may be submitted in several ways:

• Online Nominations - click here
• Mailed or delivered to:

The Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission
Office of Environmental Quality
Alexandria City Hall
301 King St., Room 3000
Alexandria, VA 22314

Attention: Lisa Goldberg