Caltech, Kidspace and Union Station among winners of Green City Award
By André Coleman 04/17/2013
A member of a Pasadena board, local businesses and a church are among this year’s recipients of the Green City Award, given by the city for exhibiting creativity, initiative or substantial effort in practicing environmental responsibility.
The winners, named Monday, were judged in the areas of energy, waste reduction, urban design, urban nature, transportation, environmental health, water and innovation.
This year, Caltech, Union Station Homeless Services, Kidspace Children’s Museum and C.I.C.L.E. (Cyclists Inciting Change thru Live Exchange) are among the honorees.
“This is our way of recognizing achievement in sustainability,” said Program Coordinator Deborah Salzman. “We used to do the awards based on outstanding recycler. Now we are trying to recognize sustainability. We had some outstanding achievements this year.”
Caltech was honored in the Urban Design category for its integrated approach to design and construction throughout the campus. Also in that category, Union Station won for using energy efficiency upgrades and water-saving fixtures in its Euclid Villa rehabilitation project, and Kidspace won an innovation award for creating the Gavin Physics Forest, a new outdoor exhibit area.
C.I.C.L.E was honored in the transportation category for hosting more than 100 training and safety workshops and partnering with the city for events during the annual Bike Week.
Felicia Williams, a former member of the city’s Environmental Advisory Commission who now sits on the Pasadena Center Operating Co. Board of Directors, won for a backyard transformation project that utilized 100 pieces of broken concrete, four tons of tree trimmings, 1,500 feet of recycled cardboard, the introduction of drought-tolerant native plants and the installation of a drip irrigation system to save nearly 45,000 gallons of water a year.
“It was basically to re-landscape my backyard,” Williams said. “It was a lot of heavy lifting. I was surprised when I won. Individuals play a big role in sustainability, as well as organizations. A lot of people nowadays think being green is expensive, but it can decrease the cost of your home and create long-term financial and environmental benefits.”
The winners will receive framed certificates at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Park during the Pasadena Earth and Arts Festival.
Other winners and their categories were:
• Repair Café Pasadena — Water Reduction
• Anew — Waste Reduction
• La Loma Development Co. — Urban Design
• Throop Unitarian Universalist Church — Urban Nature
• The Hotchkin Community Garden — Urban Nature
• CALSTART — Energy Conservation