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| Coastsiders nominated for sustainability awards By Greg Thomas [ greg@hmbreview.com ] Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, December 24, 2008 1:16 PM PST A small handful of Coastsiders — business owners, nonprofit directors and residents – have been nominated for awards based on their commitment to community sustainability. Each year, Sustainable San Mateo County offers honors for outstanding eco-friendly practices. Five nominees from the Coastside are eligible to receive either the Green Building or Sustainability awards this year, each showcasing a distinct contribution. Sonrisas Community Dental Center, Coastside Hope, Reece Computer Systems and Half Moon Bay resident Brent Turner are in the running for the Sustainability award, as are about 25 others in the county. Redwood City resident James Dawes, owner of PlaceMakers, Inc., is vying for the Green Building award for a house he recently built in La Honda out of 95 percent locally salvaged materials. “It’s my belief that that’s the highest and greenest technique,” Dawes said. Evaluations involve a panel of about 20 judges who stack up nominees against highly subjective criteria. Each year judges are challenged to re-interpret the relatively ambiguous notion and determine award winners and honorable mentions. “The idea behind the awards is that sustainability is a murky term with many meanings,” said Tyler Hammer, Sustainable San Mateo County executive director. “So we’re looking to show examples of it within our community for people to follow.” Nominees are assessed based on a broad scope of merits, including long-term viability, diversity of practices and commitment to social equity. Harley Farms in Pescadero won the Sustainability Award last year for its value to the local and regional community. This year’s Sustainability award winner could be “a very big business that’s contributed millions of dollars or it could be a small clinic like Sonrisas that’s done what they can within the local community,” Hammer said. Judges voted on winners Dec. 17, but won’t announce the award results until sometime in January. Hammer said there are usually a few honorable mentions that are yet to be determined. The awards ceremony is scheduled for March 18. |