Four local organizations given 2014 Sustainable St. Paul Awards

Central High School’s Roots and Shoots student club was presented with this year’s Youth Leadership Award through the 2014 Sustainable Saint Paul Award Program. The Youth Leadership Award honors the accomplishments of an individual student, school group, organization or youth club to enhance and protect our air, water and natural environment.

The students organized a local dodge ball tournament to fundraise $1,500 to install twohydration stations in their school as a way to reduce single-use plastic water bottle usage. Students also included an education and awareness component, and gave presentations about reducing waste to Central High School science classes.

Hamline Church United Methodist was awarded the Green Practices Award for their tech dump. The award honors organizations that have developed innovative practices that reduce toxicity, prevent pollution and lower environmental impact overall. In response to a need for convenient, accessible electronics recycling, the Hamline Church Tech Dump events provides the community with low-cost, accessible opportunities to recycle unwanted electronics and appliances. In addition to promoting environmental stewardship, Tech Dump promotes social sustainability, utilizing the revenue from recycling electronics to provide jobs for people who have been incarcerated, and who would otherwise have difficulty finding employment opportunities. From environmentally-conscious recycling to socially-conscious job training, the Hamline Church Tech Dump emblematizes green practices.

The Frogtown Tree Frogs were given the Natural Resources Conservation Award which honors community groups and residents who replant, restore, and reclaim the urban environment into opportunities for the social and physical renewal.

They were given the award for their work on increasing tree canopy coverage in the Thomas-Dale planning district. With assistance from the City of Saint Paul Forestry division, the Tree Frogs have annually secured grants and donations from the Unity Unitarian Church of Saint Paul and the United States Forest Service, Urban Connections Program to provide no-cost shade and fruit trees to property owners in the district. To date, the Tree Frogs haveplanted over 100 trees on private property, increasing home values and providing local fruit to the community, reflecting an innovative and effective model for low-cost, private property reforestation. The Tree Frogs also annually construct the Dale Street Pop-up Tree Park that provides a green spot of respite for pedestrians along Dale Street, and creates excitement for trees in the neighborhood. Trees are stored and cared for at the tree park and distributed to private property in the fall.

Sustainable St. Paul also awarded Como Park Zoo and Conservatory the Environmental Education & Awareness Award for their Chipotle Edible Garden. The garden is a a seasonal demonstration garden created to inspire visiting families, schools, and other community organizations to embrace healthy, active lifestyles through edible gardening. The garden, 8,000 square feet of raised beds and ground beds, is staffed throughout the growing season by education interpreters and trained interpretive volunteers to engage visitors with special presentations and hands on activities. The garden is an invaluable educational resource, promoting gardening and active lifestyles through gardening.