The Coast eward Finalists

( our first round of finalists in no particular order )

Tom Hawkins

Tom sets an impressive example by living according to strong environmentally-aware values.  He has been composting for himself for over 25 years and generously shares his expertise with others.  He regularly contributes time and energy, bicycling up old logging roads and hauling back garbage and recyclables left behind by visitors.  His nomination makes it clear that Tom is an inspiration to friends and family.

 Congratulations on your Eward and thanks for all you do, Tom!

Thanksgiving Coffee

“Shade grown + organic + fair trade = sustainable.”

The colorful trucks emblazoned with that equation are immediately recognizable by the residents of Mendocino County. Thanksgiving Coffee has been a part of the fabric of life here since 1972 and social and environmental consciousness have been integral components of the Thanksgiving business model since the beginning.  That commitment extends from the generous local community service to coffee growing regions around the world where TCC’s methods help protect songbird habitats, watersheds and small growers from the threatened extinction, erosion and contamination, and abject poverty commonly resulting from the practices of the big coffee corporations. Here are Paul and Joan Katzeff, founders of Thanksgiving Coffee, at the Noyo Harbor headquarters with Teeth Richards and Vicky.

 The nomination for the Coast’s Eward for Thanksgiving Coffee Company followed close behind a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Specialty Coffee Growers Association. Both represent a well-deserved pat on the back and the Eward includes heartfelt thanks from appreciative neighbors here at home.

Congratulations, Paul and Joan!  And thanks for all you do, from your friends from The Coast!

Ed Burton

ED BURTON CREATED HIS 'INVENTORS’  WORKSHOP' IN WILLITS SEEKING BETTER WAYS TO MEET FUTURE ENERGY NEEDS WITH LOCAL RESOURCES. IN ‘A BETTER WAY,' HIS WEEKLY COLUMN IN THE WILLITS NEWS ED DISCUSSES HOW TO REDUCE FIRE DANGERS WHILE HARVESTING BIOMASS FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION.  ED DEVELOPED WASTE WATER TREATMENT METHODS USING REDWOOD BY-PRODUCTS AND HAS DEVELOPED ELECTRIC CARTS AND TOOLS – MANY SOLAR POWERED -- FOR WORKING IN THE FOREST.  THE REMARKABLE MR. BURTON WILL SOON CELEBRATE HIS 85^TH BIRTHDAY.  HERE HE IS WITH ONE OF HIS PRESENTATION BOARDS AND WITH KATE AND TEETH  IN FRONT OF ONE OF HIS SOLAR DRYERS.  
http://www.edburtoncompany.com/
KEEP IT UP, ED!  YOUR WORK IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.  YOUR FRIENDS FROM THE COAST ARE HAPPY TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE EWARD!

Live Power COMMUNITY Farms
 

STEVE AND GLORIA DECATER OPERATE LIVE POWER COMMUNITY FARMS IN COVELO, ONE OF THE OLDEST AND LARGEST CSA’S (COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE OPERATIONS)  IN MENDOCINO COUNTY, WORKING SINCE 1974.  THE DECATERS TIRELESSLY PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND STEWARDSHIP OF THE LAND AND TEACH, EACH YEAR TAKING IN INTERNS FROM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. SEE FOR YOURSELF AT WWW.LIVEPOWER.ORG

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE EWARD AND THANK YOU, GLORIA AND STEVE, FOR ALL YOU DO … AND ALL THE GOOD FOOD!

Els Cooperidder


ELS COOPERRIDER, CREATOR OF MENDOCINO RENEGADE ORGANIC, A HIGHER LEVEL CERTIFICATION THAN THE USDA’S, IS THE PROPRIETOR OF UKIAH BREWING COMPANY, THE NATION’S FIRST CERTIFIED ORGANIC BREW PUB AND WAS A MAJOR INITIATOR OF MEASURE H, WHICH SUCCESSFULLY BANNED GMO’S IN MENDOCINO COUNTY.

CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING A FINALIST FOR THE EWARDS, ELS, AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO!
 

John Jeavons


FOR 26 YEARS, JOHN JEAVONS AND ECOLOGY ACTION HAVE TAKEN SUSTAINABLE FARMING SERIOUSLY.  REVOLUTIONIZING SUSTAINABLE, HIGH-YIELD MINI FARMS AROUND THE WORLD. HERE IN HIS JAW-DROPPINGLY BEAUTIFUL GARDENS WITH ROSE, TEETH RICHARDS AND KATE. HIS BOUNTIFUL GARDENS BRINGS STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO THEIR PERCH ON THE SIDE OF PINE MOUNTAIN AND TEACHES THEM THE GROW BIOINTENSIVE^® METHODS FOR NURTURING SOIL, PRODUCING HIGH YIELDS, AND CONSERVING RESOURCES. 
 http://www.growbiointensive.org/

NICE VIEW, JOHN!  CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR EWARD AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO! 

Don Kemp

Don Kemp, Executive Director of RFFI (Redwood Forest Foundation), helped acquire 50,000 acres of coastal redwoods in the Usal Forest for the Mendocino community, preventing further fragmentation of forestland and providing a sustainable, working forest.  Don is presently helping arrange the conservation easement for these lands.

 Good work, Don!  Consider your Eward a pat on the back and a hearty thank you from the community, including your friends from The Coast.

Harvest Market & Harvest at Mendosa's

That's a lot of solar panels

Vicky and Teeth Richards got together with Tom Honer and Jennifer Bosma to celebrate the multiple Ewards nominations received by the owners and staff of Harvest Market. A couple of their nominations were for Harvest Market in the Boatyard, “the first major business on the coast to go solar and the leader in the switch over from plastic bags to affordable reusable bags...
And they support all other environmental groups on the coast.”
They were also nominated for “opening Harvest at Mendoza’s, resulting in carbon reduction and lowering of pollution by consolidating deliveries and taking 600 Mendocino to Fort Bragg trips off the road everyday. An amazing community service!”

Congratulations to the Honer - Bosmas and all the Harvest family from Your Friends from The Coast!
 

Steve and Christiane Heckeroth


Ewards finalists Steve and Christiane Heckeroth represent a community-wide commitment to alternative energy and a sustainable future. Steve “has tirelessly promoted the potential of solar as a sustainable energy source in house design, being widely interviewed as well as a primary author on the subject.” Both Christiane and Steve were “instrumental in the creation of the Coastal Economic Localization project (CELL).” Steve has developed a number of electric vehicles, the most innovative being his farm tractors, some with integrated solar power.” (One pictured here with an unmistakable grinning shark on board). Two of their EV’s are here with Teeth and Kate joining Steve and Christiane in front of their home’s 4K solar array.

Good work and keep it up, Steve and Christiane! You deserve several pats on the back from the community and your friends from The Coast.
 

Congratulations to Scott and the crew at Dirt Cheap.  You’ve earned a pat on the back – or several – and you are a finalist for the first round of Ewards from your friends from The Coast.

Little River Inn Golf and Tennis


Little River Inn’s Golf Course Superintendent Terry Stratton with
The Coast Crew’s Scott and Teeth Richards.

The nomination for Little River Inn notes the Inn’s solar array and the golf course’s designation as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary,” projects led by the Inn’s Terry Stratton. Under Terry’s supervision, the golf course won an ELGA (Environmental Leaders in Golf Award), which honors environmental management on golf courses. LRI Golf Course has increased wildlife habitat, introduced organic soil amendments, eliminating chemical pesticides, reducing water use, and much more. The Inn’s nomination also recognized their joint environmental projects with other members of the community, such as the osprey nest platform built with Eagle Scouts and the installation of nesting boxes for owls, eliminating the need for chemicals to fight rodents at local schools.

Good work and thank you! Congratulations to the owners and staff at Little River Inn and especially to Terry Stratton! You are finalists in the first round of
Ewards from your friends from The Coast!

Noyo Food Forest
 
 
Noyo Food Forest founders and volunteers Susan Lightfoot and Kim Morgan (that’s Kim waaaaayyy down there at the end of the row) with The Coast Crew’s Sarah and Baby Billie in the Learning Garden.

According to their multiple nominations, the energy, dedication and collaborative spirit of Susan Lightfoot, Sakina Bush, Katrina Aschenbrenner, and Kim Morgan - the NFF founding volunteers - “truly demonstrates the idea that a few dedicated individuals can have a significant positive impact in our community and society. We are all better off because these young women are a vibrant part of our local community.” The Learning Garden provides food to the school lunch program, intern positions for students and programs open to the community. They are now also developing the Community Garden in partnership with Thanksgiving Coffee.

Congratulations, Noyo Food Forest volunteers! You deserve this pat on the back and are finalists for the first round of Ewards from your friends from The Coast

Mendocino Community High School

Kamala, May (one of the solar project seniors) and all available members of the school community joined The Coast Crew’s Sarah, Baby Billie and Teeth Richards in front of the Mendocino Community High School one sunny morning.

The nomination of MCHS reads: “The Mendocino Community High School practices sustainable living on a daily basis. The students and staff fully implement recycling, energy conservation, and lots of elbow grease. Every week the staff and students work together to maintain and clean the school... A garden is put in yearly along with a compost pile to produce healthy food. Currently, two senior students are working on putting solar panels on the school's roof. Every effort is made by the Community High School to be kind to the school, the community, and the earth. The Mendocino Community High School is the definition of ecological, energy efficient, and effective.”

We’re with you there! Congratulations to the staff and students of the Mendocino Community High School. You are finalists in the first round of Ewards from your friends from The Coast!

Jason Bradford

JASON BRADFORD WAS A FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE WILLITS ECONOMIC LOCALIZATION PROJECT (WELL), SEEKING TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO EXAMINE LOCAL RESOURCES AND DEVELOPING A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. JASON WORKS ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS, INCLUDING WITH THE CITY OF WILLITS ADDRESSING LOCAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. HERE HE IS WITH KATE AND TEETH STANDING IN BROOKSIDE FARMS, A TEACHING GARDEN AND CSA HE CREATED WITH THE STUDENTS AT BROOKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO PROVIDE FRESH VEGETABLES TO THE SCHOOL AND TO LOCALS. 

 A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, JASON, AND A PAT ON THE BACK – ALONG WITH YOUR EWARD – FROM YOUR FRIENDS FROM THE COAST.

Brian Corzilius
 
AS CREATOR OF 2005’S WILLITS AREA ENERGY INVENTORY, BRIAN CORZILIUS HELPED PUT THE WILLITS ECONOMIC LOCALIZATION (WELL) PROJECT ON THE MAP.  HE WAS PART OF THE WILLITS AD-HOC ENERGY GROUP ADVISING THE CITY ON ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, INCLUDING THE SOLARIZATION OF THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. HE SERVED ON THE MENDOCINO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISOR'S ENERGY WORKING GROUP IN 2006-2007, CREATING A COUNTY-WIDE ENERGY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY AND HE WORKS WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS TOWARDS HIGHER DEGREES OF ENERGY AWARENESS AND INDEPENDENCE. BRIAN IS PICTURED ON THE SITE OF THE HOMESTEAD HE IS BUILDING AND WITH HIS EWARD AT ED BURTON’S INVENTORS’ WORKSHOP.

Tim Henry


TIM HENRY HAS TAUGHT AT SPY ROCK SCHOOL FOR 5 YEARS, GIVING 3RD, 4TH AND 5TH GRADERS HANDS-ON LESSONS IN CATCHING AND COLLECTING RAINWATER FOR FUTURE USE, PLANTING TREES, COMPOSTING ALL SCHOOL LUNCH WASTE, RAISING WORMS AND CLEANING LOCAL CREEKS.  TIM HAS LEAD THE SCHOOL IN INSTALLING A GRID INTER-TIE SOLAR SYSTEM, BUILDING A COB DRAGON PLAYGROUND FEATURE, GARDEN BEDS, AND A GREENHOUSE WHICH PROVIDES SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD FOR THE SCHOOL. HE AND HIS STUDENTS HAVE PLANTED 100 FRUIT AND SHADE TREES AND INSTALLED OVER 20 BIRD HOUSES, HELPING TO CREATE HABITAT FOR ANIMALS AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. 

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK, TIM.  CONSIDER YOUR EWARD A WELL-DESERVED PAT ON THE BACK FROM YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR FRIENDS FROM THE COAST.

Living Light

LIVING LIGHT’S DAN LADERMAN AND CHERIE SORIA OPERATE FOUR ECO-FRIENDLY BUSINESSES ON THE COAST: AN ALL ORGANIC VEGAN CAFÉ; A MARKETPLACE STORE SELLING SUSTAINABLE BAMBOO AND RECYCLED GLASS PRODUCTS PLUS BOOKS ON RAW FOOD, ORGANIC GARDENING, AND LIVING LIGHTLY ON THE EARTH; THE ECO FRIENDLY LIVING LIGHT INN, USING ONLY ORGANIC COTTON BEDS AND BEDDING; AND THE SCHOOL WITH STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD LEARNING ABOUT SUSTAINABLE LIVING AND ORGANIC FOOD.  ALL THE BUSINESSES USE ONLY ORGANIC CLEANING PRODUCTS.

 THANK YOU, DAN AND CHERRY!  KEEP IT UP AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR EWARD FROM YOUR FRIENDS FROM THE COAST!

 
Max Myers
MAX MYERS CREATED THE MENDOCINO ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER (MELC) … CREATING A UNIQUE SUSTAINABLE LEARNING INSTITUTE ATTENDED BY STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. BY 'BEING THE CHANGE HE SEEKS', MAX HAS SET A STANDARD FAR ABOVE WHAT MANY ONLY WISH. 
YOUR WORK IS APPRECIATED BY YOUR COMMUNITY, MAX.  CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR EWARD, FROM YOUR FRIENDS FROM THE COAST.