TRAVERSE CITY -- Today is the last day to nominate environmentalists for awards from a local advocacy group.
The Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council will hold its 21st annual awards event on April 17, when Environmentalist of the Year awards will be presented in six categories. They are: journalism and communications, public service or public office, education, business, student and general.
Other special awards will be presented, as well.
Nominations for the awards are open through today on the group's Web site, www.nmeac.org.
"This is our biggest event of the year and we look forward to it every year. It is a great inspiration to see the entire environmental community come together in one very special night to recognize their peers," said Greg Reisig, NMEAC board chairman.
No other group recognizes environmental work being done across the region, Reisig said.
The council also is hosting a forum on energy and water prior to the awards event.
Among the planned speakers is Sarah U'Ren, program director at the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay. She will discuss low-impact development in the Grand Traverse Bay watershed.
"We know development is going to happen. Malls will be built, homes will go up and subdivisions will be built," she said.
The question is whether builders can and will prevent harm to water quality by managing storm water flow, U'Ren said.
Homeowners can use rain barrels to allow water to more slowly infiltrate into the ground, or use it for water landscaping. Commercial developments can be designed with water retention ponds surrounded with more shrubs, flowers and trees, reducing pollutants that would otherwise run off paved areas into storm water drains and eventually, into water bodies, U'Ren said.
Other speakers will discuss clean energy initiatives and other water topics.
The forum costs $5 and will be between 12 and 4 p.m. April 17 at the Waterfront Conference Center, near Four Mile Road at 2061 U.S. 31 North in Traverse City. The awards event will be at 6 p.m. at the same location, but costs $20 at the door, $10 for seniors and $5 for children.
Call (231) 946-6931 for more information.
