2013 Green Tie Awards
The 2013 Green Tie Awards Dinner was held on Wednesday, May 29th from 6-9 p.m. at the Downtown Sheraton (421 South Salisbury Street, Raleigh).
The 2013 event featured John Campbell, WasteZero Board Chair, as keynote speaker. Mr. Campbell spoke about his experience of working at the intersection of the environment, business and public policy. His remarks reinforced NCLCV’s belief that a sound environment, a strong economy, and healthy communities should and can coexist.
John Campbell is an entrepreneur with a track record of success who has now turned himself toward the goal of building the world’s preeminent waste reduction company. With Mr. Campbell at the helm, WasteZero is working with cities through innovation to recycle and reduce waste, something all citizens regardless of politics should enthusiastically support.
2013 Defender of the Environment – Representative Deborah Ross
Representative Deborah Ross received the 2013 Defender of the Environment Award. With a 100% rating on the NCLCV scorecard in seven of the past ten years and a 94% lifetime score, Representative Ross has been a strong ally of the environmental movement. This year, Representative Ross has opposed legislation which would literally set back four years of energy conservation work, and has supported legislation preventing manufacturers from deceiving customers about the biodegradability of their products. These votes, combined with numerous others, make it clear that Representative Ross is well on her way to another outstanding rating on this year’s scorecard. Representative Ross has consistently and fervently stood against bad environmental legislation and has committed herself to defending our communities from the environmental degradation pushed by the pollution lobby.
2013 Senator of the Year – Senator Dan Blue
Senator Dan Blue received the 2013 Senator of the Year award. As one of only three senators to receive a perfect scorecard rating last year, and with a lifetime rating of 85 percent, Senator Blue is proving himself to be as environmentally conscious of a Senator as he was a Representative. Despite overwhelming opposition in the Senate this year, Senator Blue has voted to protect both the Piedmont region and the Coastal environments. By opposing legislation that would repeal all upstream pollution rules in the waters that feed Jordan Lake, Senator Blue showed his concern for both his native Wake County and the health of the state’s waterways generally. By voting against legislation which would open up the entire coast to terminal groins, causing damage to the environment and local voters, who would not even have a chance to vote to prevent being saddled with years of debt, Senator Blue demonstrated an understanding of the delicate nature of our coasts and the importance of government accountability to voters.
2013 Representative of the Year – Representative Susan Fisher
Representative Susan Fisher was recognized as the 2013 Representative of the Year. A native North Carolinian, Representative Fisher has represented Buncombe County for the last 5.5 sessions in the House of Representatives. Coming off of a great year in 2012, where Representative Fisher scored a perfect 100 on our Legislative Scorecard, she continues to represent the environmental community in a positive way. She has consistently voted in favor of the environment, with a lifetime score of a 94. This session she has introduced many great bills to the legislature, such as bills promoting energy efficiency, discouraging mountaintop removal, and enhancing the conservation tax credit. She has also supported the environment by voting against bills that would roll back energy conservation codes, regionalize public utilities, and weaken sustainable building standards.
2013 Catalyst Award – Sue Sturgis, The Institute for Southern Studies
Sue Sturgis from the Institute for Southern Studies received this year’s Catalyst Award. Ms. Sturgis is the Editorial Director and Co-Editor for the Institute for Southern Studies, where she has worked since 2005. Previously, she was a writer for the Raleigh News and Observer and the Independent Weekly of Durham. Over the years, Sue has done a tremendous job educating the public about environmental issues. In this new political landscape, we know that we need more voices speaking out in support of the environment, we need our decision-makers to understand that citizens and voters are watching them, and that people understand how the decisions made in Raleigh impact our daily lives and the environmental values we hold dear. Through Sue’s media coverage, she has taken exceptional action to create change and to bring attention actions that are threatening North Carolina’s environment and quality of life. Some examples of stories she has published are about fracking in North Carolina, the attempt to end North Carolina’s renewable energy program, and the BP oil spill.
