Four award recipients announced in the 5th annual awards ceremony

This year’s SustainPHL may have looked different, tech glitches and all. However, the sentiment was similar to other SustainPHLs. The awards were an excellent reminder that Philadelphians are innovative, resilient, and working towards sustainable, equitable communities.

Our conversation kicked off with a conversation with SustainPHL nominee, Terrill Haigler, Ya Fav Trashman. (He casually dropped that he was on the Kelly Clarkson show earlier on Friday and received a Technical.ly award the evening before!)

All 13 nominees are incredible! Read their stories here.

Here are the 2020 award recipients:

SustainPHL 2020 Award Recipients:

Impact Business Leader:

This award recognizes businesses that are making an impact in our community, by employing community members as well as positively affecting our environment. Impact businesses are proof that for-profit enterprises can be stewards of social and environmental change, creating that triple-bottom-line (TBL).

Award Recipient: Azavea is a B Corporation that builds geospatial software for civic, social, and environmental impact. They work with organizations engaged with water and stormwater, climate change. elections, transportation, and infrastructure in the U.S. and internationally.

#FuturePHL

The #FuturePHL nominees are propelling Philadelphia’s future in sustainability while serving their communities.

Award Recipient: Farmer Jawn Philly Community Greenhouses host seasonal CSA share programs and our weekly produce markets and focus on projects to bring about change on the issues of Food Injustice, Food Insecurity, and Food Waste in sustainable ways.

Hometown Hero: In Memory of Kyle Shenandoah

Last year, Kyle Shenandoah received the 2019 SustainPHL Neighborhood Champion award for his commendable work as an active civic leader within the Grays Ferry Community who collaborated with his neighbors and local organizations to reduce poverty and improve sustainability. Weeks later, this promising young leader was tragically struck and killed by a car while walking in the neighborhood he worked so hard to help. Our sustainability community and the city still mourn the loss of Kyle, a young man taken too soon.

He exemplified a true Neighborhood Champion, was passionate about his community, and working towards a more sustainable, accessible, and equitable city. We present this award in honor of Kyle and all Philadelphians who are working to positively impact our city.  

Award Recipient: Ron Whyte is a Philadelphia based environmental activist, who founded Deep Green Philly project in 2011 is an alternative media resource and project coordinator for Trash Academy, (a project of Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Restored Spaces Initiative, where he works with artists, students, and residents to find creative solutions for Philadelphia’s litter and dumping crisis. 

Resilient Leader 2020

2020 has had no shortage of challenges. But as we have had challenges, there have been incredible Philadelphians who are stepping up. Each of these nominees have been helping vulnerable citizens and shown us what the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection truly embodies.

Award Recipient: Sew Masks Philly was started mid-March when our COVID-19 front line workers suddenly found themselves without protection. A community of strangers launched a home sewing community in making over 25,000 masks to-date and distributing them into the hands of those who needed them.

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher