GUSA’s mission is to advocate, support and recognize efforts towards sustaining our communities in support of local environments and local economies. One of the ways we do this is through our Awards Program, which recognizes significant efforts, events, and leadership by individuals, companies, or institutions.
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Community Advocacy Awards All Photo Credits: Jim Terrinoni 1. Joanne M. Mahoney - Onondaga County Executive  | Category – Government Leadership For recognizing there is a more sustainable way to control storm and sanitary runoff in the Armory Square area, and for advocating sustainability practices throughout County Government | 2. Greg Wright - Habitat for Humanity Restore | Category – Deconstruction For going above and beyond to educate and facilitate Deconstruction Methods to the Community | 3. Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency - Kristen Lawton |
Category – Water/Waste Management For establishing community awareness of recycling through your monthly newsletter, and for continuing to organize an annual earth day cleanup. | 4. F.O.C.U.S. - Chuckie Holstein | Category – Community Involvement/Awareness For bringing awareness of Sustainable Issues to the Community through your monthly presentations and facilitating dialogue within the Community. | 5. Sue Miller - On. Co. Dept of Water Environment Protection | Category – Waste Water Management For managing over 30 projects for the reclamation of Onondaga Lake, and being responsible for all public information and education activities on Onondaga Lake |
Membership Service Awards 1. Outstanding Service  | Person - Mark Naef For leading the organization and establishing working relationships with the community and government groups. |  | Person - Diane Brandli For exceptional service in maintaining the weekly newsletter and servicing our membership. |
2. Member of the year  | Person - Greg Michel For taking the lead in developing and running our Sustainability Academy programs. |
The topic for this year’s event is, “The American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment”. Three key leaders in sustainability delivered presentations outlining their schools sustainability achievements. Each of their college campuses have signed the commitment will be presenting their progress. They include: from Syracuse University, Eric F. Spina, Vice Chancellor and Provost, from SUNY ESF, Mike Kelleher, Director of Renewable Energy Systems, and from Onondaga Community College, David Wall, Director of Corporate and Public Partnerships, Workforce Development. The Presidents Climate Commitment describes this pledge as follows: The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment is a high-visibility effort to address global warming by garnering institutional commitments to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions, and to accelerate the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth’s climate. |
