Each year Cool Davis recognizes “Eco-heroes” – Davis residents who model how to incorporate sustainable practices into their work, civic, and everyday lives. Acting out of personal conviction, they do “the right thing” for themselves, our community, and our planet.

The Cool Davis Climate Solution Awards go to local businesses, groups, or organizations for exemplary efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As they model ways to reduce their environmental impact, they become leaders in creating options to conserve resources, reduce fossil fuel dependence, and stabilize the climate.

In its efforts to work with our community on greenhouse gas emission reduction and sustainability issues, Cool Davis focuses on three topics: Buildings (energy efficiency), Consumption (reducing consumption and waste of food, water, etc.), and Transportation (shifting to non-fossil fuel vehicles and other modes of transportation).

Our 2015 Eco Hero awards in the “Buildings” category, goes Kaiyue (David) Wang for his work on maximizing solar panel energy efficiency, and to John Mott-Smith for outstanding public service. Parkview Place receives a Climate Solutions award for building the first LEEDS Platinum, zero-net energy apartment house in Davis.

The Cool Davis 2015 Eco-hero award related to Consumption goes to Orhan Orgun, for his permaculture efforts to grow food for the hungry, and a Climate Solution award to Holmes JHS Green Team and their leaders, for their efforts to provide a robust and sustainable recycling program for the school.

The 2015 Eco Hero award in Transportation goes to Daniel Sperling for his work on environmentally sustainable transportation technology, while UC Davis Transportation Services, receives a Climate Solutions award for its successful efforts to cut UC Davis greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality for the benefit of all.

Read News blog “This Earth Day Make a Pledge to Cool your Home” by Nick Buxton for more about the Cool Davis Earth Day celebration.