Eight groups present environmental excellence awards

Eight organizations recognized groups and individuals looking out for the environment Wednesday during the annual Springfield/Greene County Choose Environmental Excellence luncheon.

The 2010 honorees:

• Watershed Committee of the Ozarks recognized Sue Dyle, Rebecca Zigler and Misty Mitchell for their work with the Wonders of the Outdoors Learning Facility.

• Greenway Recycling and Fiber Management received an award from Solid Waste Management District O, which covers Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk and Webster counties.  

• Springfield R-XII and Rogersville schools were honored by the Ozarks Clean Air Alliance for retrofitting efforts on district school buses. Natasha Longpine, Ozarks Transportation Organization planner, also received an award for her works with the Ozarks Commute program.

• The Springfield/Greene County Environmental Advisory Board honored Mayor Pro Tem Dan Chiles for continued environmental protection efforts.

• The Tree City USA Citizens' Advisory Committee honored former chairwoman Abbe Ehlers.

• Partnership for Sustainability honored BKD LLP with an Environmental Excellence Award for its commitment to sustainability, including obtaining the highest possible score on the Ozarks GreenScore program.

• The Greater Ozarks Audubon Society honored Charles Burwick with its Conservation Environmental Excellence Award.

• Community Partnership of the Ozarks Environmental Collaborative honored Doug Neidigh of Drury University's Ozarks Center for Sustainable Solutions for his work on improving air quality.

The event, in conjunction with Earth Day 2010, honors those who encourage awareness of environment impact, present alternatives and foster environmentally responsible decisions, according to a city news release.