The Public Facilities Commission and the City of West Hollywood gave out three Green City awards to local individuals and companies to recognize projects and practices that demonstrate excellence in environmental sustainability.
The second annual ceremony was held via Zoom.
“The Green City Awards program is really important to me,” said Mayor Lauren Meister. “And especially this year because resilience is the theme of my mayoral term, both in terms of emergency management and especially in terms of climate action. And when you say that local green actions are an important way the city builds its community’s resilience, you are correct. That’s something we have control over. These are all ways to build community resilience and keep thinking about those programs and encouraging people with the Green City Awards program to to go out there and do something special.”
INDIVIDUAL AWARD — Heidi Schooler
HER INTRODUCTION: “Heidi’s garden is an example of one individual’s ongoing efforts to beautify a multi-family residential property surrounded with plants grown from seed and rescued from film sets before being discarded. The colorful flora is maintained using water-wise landscaping principles and helps to support beneficial insects, such as pollinators, humming birds and squirrels, all of which she sees daily. She believes her efforts inspired the landlord to create a cactus garden in front of the building. About five years ago, Heidi’s goal was not only to bring life to her home but also to their neighbors and to inspire them.”
WHAT SHE SAID: “I just wanted to say a huge thanks again to my husband for nominating me and for acknowledging Heidi’s garden. I’m really grateful you brought light to what I’ve always gotten joy out of and focusing it a little bit more.”
BUSINESS AWARD — Bikes & Hikes (Danny Roman)
HIS INTRODUCTION: “Bikes & Hikes LA located at 8500 Santa Monica Boulevard is an outdoor adventure company that offers biking, hiking and walking tours. The business is focused on eco-friendly health conscious and sustainable carbon neutral ways to experience the region. At its store, Bikes & Hikes LA created a protected monarch butterfly sanctuary in a spot for foster dogs. Bikes & Hikes LA aims to remove existing barriers that impact bike riding and hiking and has developed unique community-based educational outreach programs to encourage local community members, school groups and visitors to enjoy the outdoors, impacting car culture and reducing people’s reliance on motor vehicles too. Bikes & Hikes LA believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to choose bicycling regardless of income, education, or background, and this is the motivation behind everything that we do.”
WHAT THEY SAID: “I am here on behalf of Danny and Bikes & Hikes tonight, and we are just so so grateful to be accepting this award. Obviously, you know, biking and hiking and the great outdoors is in our blood. But, in particular, something we really pride ourselves on as an organization is our commitment to sustainability and sharing the best of the best developers, natural beauty and West Hollywood natural beauty with our own community, obviously been an interesting year for tourism, and we are so proud to have been able to stay afloat and stay alive and continue to share all of L.A.’s natural beauty with both locals and visitors.”
GREEN SEEDLING PRIZE — Faring, 9176 Sunset Blvd. project
THEIR INTRODUCTION: “The 9176 Sunset Boulevard is a conceptual design project by Faring, a real estate development firm, along with project partners Gensler and the John Company. The design makes the case for product project, innovation, sustainability and community compatibility. The existing site which is situated alongside the world famous Sunset Strip, and is comprised of a car dealership and a surface parking lot, would be the site of an all electric five story building with a mix of retail food and beverage, and creative office uses. The design raises the bar and the new building construction practices are eliminate use of natural gas and fossil fuel to heat water and occupant spaces. Additional sustainability components would include passive heating and cooling strategies, recycled foundation materials, water efficient plumbing fixtures, solar photovoltaic panels, bicycle parking spaces, electric vehicle cable bill, capable parking spaces, durable materials, sustainable finishes, a green roof, green scale facade, landscape terraces, and the intent to pursue LED Gold certification. 9176 Sunset Boulevard is fighting global warming by proving that the newest and best structures in our communities can also be the most environmentally conscious.”
WHAT THEY SAID: “As the first all-electric major project ever proposed in the history of West Hollywood, 9176 Sunset will raise the bar and environmental sustainability and represent a major step towards our city’s true goals and proof of concept that class A projects in our city can be accomplished without petroleum-based fossil fuels.”
Congratulations to all the award winners!
Shameful! West Hollywood has exactly 4 trees in the Heritage Tree Program yet Ms. Beckett does no advocacy and simply accepts her award. Shameful!