MNN - Mother Nature Network

Do you know an everyday hero who is making great strides today to ensure a greener tomorrow?  WSB-TV Channel 2, in partnership with The Trust for Public Land (TPL), has launched Cox Conserves Heroes-Atlanta, a national awards program to honor and celebrate conservation in everyday life.  

 

The program is now accepting nominations at the WSB-TV website. The Cox Conserves Hero, chosen by online consumer voting, will be awarded $5,000 to donate to the environmental nonprofit of his or her choice.

 

“The Trust for Public Land’s mission is to conserve land for people to use and enjoy forever, so we are thrilled to partner with Cox to identify and honor people who are making a personal difference in Atlanta,” said Helen Tapp, TPL’s executive director.  “We’re fortunate to have engaged citizens who want to be actively involved in creating more green spaces, promoting environmental best practices and enhancing the quality of life in the metro area.”

 

WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News reporter Justin Farmer will broadcast public service announcements, encouraging viewers to nominate people in their community who are helping to create, preserve or enhance places for everyone to enjoy — parks, greenways, gardens, waterways, plazas, streets and public squares. By improving our shared environment, these conservation heroes make Atlanta a better place for everyone to live.

 

The finalists will be selected by the Cox Conserves Judging Circle, a group of local civic leaders. The finalists’ stories can be viewed at WSB-TV’s community website, allowing the public to learn more about them before voting. The finalist receiving the most online votes will be named the Cox Conserves Hero.

 

Nominations will be accepted from May 26 to June 19. (Nominations are made at the WSB-TV site listed above.) Voting will be from Aug. 10 through Aug. 31. Also during this time, the public can view videos of the finalists.

 

Following the online voting, Atlanta’s Cox Conserves Hero will be announced in early September.

 

By showcasing these unsung heroes, WSB-TV and TPL hope to inspire more people to take an active role in neighborhood conservation activities.

 

The Cox Conserves Heroes program was created in 2007 through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of WSB-TV. The partnership stems from Cox Enterprises’ national Cox Conserves program designed to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by 20 percent by 2017, and promote eco-friendly behavior among its employees, communities and other corporations. The Cox Conserves Heroes program is active in Seattle and San Diego and will launch in San Francisco and New Orleans this year.