washington business
“A lot of Northwest businesses really care
about the environment.”
– Ken Weiner, environmental lawyer and longtime coordinator
of the AWB Environmental Excellence Awards program
and environmental advocacy groups to participate in the judging. Prospective
winners had to be in good standing with regulators in order to receive an award.
Ken Weiner, an environmental attorney and former executive director and counsel
for the White House Council on Environmental Quality under presidents Ford and
Carter, helped organize and judge the program almost from the start.
He’s had a front row seat from which to observe two decades of progress, and he’s
noticed a few trends.
In the early years, award winners were often companies that focused on recycling
and waste reduction efforts, Weiner said. During the second phase, there was a shift
toward stewardship, sustainability and smart growth. The Intel campus in DuPont
is an example of a winner from this era.
A third phase placed an emphasis on energy efficiency and green building practices,
Weiner said. More recently, the awards have seen a shift toward entrepreneurship
and innovation.
The 2012 Environmental Excellence Award winners comprise a cross-section
of these types, with everything from decades-old linen companies finding new
ways to reduce water consumption to younger companies pioneering new ways to
manufacture wood stain and polysilicon, a key component of solar panels.
For the most part, the companies that have won awards appreciate the
recognition, Weiner said. It’s nice to win an award from the state’s largest business
association. But that’s not
what motivates them.
AWB Spring Meeting:
“In most cases, the
www. awbspringmeeting.com
managers, employees and
ow n e r s s a y t h e y d i d i t
because it was the right
The 2012 AWB Environmental Excellence
thing to do,” Weiner said. “A
Awards will be formally presented at the
lot of Northwest businesses
AWB Spring Meeting, June 12-13 in Spokane.
really care about the
environment.”
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