Sustainability Forum and Awards

SUSTAINABILITY FORUM

In 2018, the annual sustainability event returned under a new name, the Balboa Park Sustainability Forum. This event reflected upon the program's ten year history and looked towards the future.

The first annual event, The Balboa Park Sustainability Partners' Breakfast, was in October 2014 and explored implementation strategies for sustainability. From this inaugural event on, topics have spanned from Looking Beyond the Low-hanging Fruit to the Benefits of Making an Organizational Commitment to Sustainability.

The Sustainability Forum will continue to showcase sustainability efforts in Balboa Park, honor Balboa Park organizations for their exceptional projects in sustainability, celebrate partnerships, and explore sustainability topics relevant to the San Diego community and Park stakeholders.

sustainability awards

The Balboa Park Sustainability Awards recognize Balboa Park organizations for implementing innovative sustainability projects. Such projects have proven to be an impactful way for organizations to provide educational programming on sustainability, improve energy and water efficiency, and increase waste diversion as sustainable operation measures. These projects demonstrate an organizational commitment to sustainability that inspire our local community to be sustainable and resilient.

2018 Balboa Park Sustainability Forum

People, Planet, [Non] Profit

October 17, 2018
Event program can be viewed here. This was our first zero waste event, to review the diversion report, click here.

Through the theme: People, Planet, [Non]Profit, the Forum spotlighted the role of the non-profit in environmental responsibility and business resiliency through Keynote speaker, Dr. Jonathan Foley, and an engaging discussion with panelists from San Diego Green Building Council, San Diego Museum of Man, and The Nonprofit Institute at USD.

2018 Sustainability Award Winners:

2018 Sustainability Award Finalists:

Special Project Mention to the San Diego Zoo for their Zero Waste Bike to Work Day.

Read the event blog recap

View event photos

2018 Sustainability Award Artists  |   Kathy Whelan & Dan Gindling

Image

Each year, the Sustainability Program commissions a Spanish Village artist to create a unique and creative piece of art to be presented as the Sustainability Award. The 2018 Balboa Park Sustainability Awards were designed and created by Spanish Village enamel artist, Kathy Whelan, with the assistance of wood working artist, Dan Gindling. The award was created using recovered copper and reclaimed wood. It is especially significant that the materials are sourced sustainably and there isn't a large environmental footprint needed to create the awards.

Thank you so much to Kathy and Dan for their beautiful craftsmanship!

For a look at other pieces by Kathy, visit Spanish Village or her LinkedIn page.

2017 Sustainability Partners' Breakfast

Making the Commitment

October 26, 2017

The fourth annual Partners’ Breakfast revolved around the importance of an organizational commitment to sustainability. Keynote speaker, Julianne Markow, Wherefore Consulting, and panelists from Cleantech San Diego, San Diego Gas & Electric and thinkParallax provided their perspectives on how organizations make the sustainability commitment and the benefits of doing so.

2017 Sustainability Award Winners:

2017 Sustainability Award Finalists:

  • Fleet Science Center | SustainABLE Festival
  • San Diego Museum of Man | Living with Animals exhibit

Read the event blog recap

View event photos

2017 Sustainability Award Artists  |   Shirley Jew & Anthony Kiefer

Winners of the 2017 Sustainability Award were presented with this beautiful award by Spanish Village ceramic artist, Shirley Jew, and Balboa Park Green Team member, Anthony Kiefer. Shirley is an active member of the Potter’s Guild. Finished with natural glazes, her elegant circular vases stand as testaments to the union of beauty and functionality. Balboa Park Green Team member, Anthony Kiefer, contributed his wonderful wood working skills to create the award bases out of recycled wood.

A special thank you to Shirley and Anthony for these wonderfully crafted awards! For a look at other beautiful pieces by Shirley visit Studio 29 in Spanish Village or this webpage.

2016 Sustainability Partners' Breakfast

Community Impacts

October 17, 2016

2016 Sustainability Award Winners:

  • Japanese Friendship Garden | On-site Composting of Green Waste
  • San Diego Hall of Champions | Comprehensive Green Building Project

2016 Sustainability Award Finalists:

  • Balboa Park Conservancy | Whole Building Operations Efficiency
  • San Diego Zoo | Food Waste Diversion Program
  • The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park | LED Lighting Upgrade

Read the event blog recap

View event photos

2016 Sustainability Award Artist  |   Leo Kilian III

Winners of the 2016 Sustainability Award were presented with this beautiful award designed by Spanish Village artist, Leo Kilian III. It is a representation of Balboa Park’s Moreton Bay Fig Tree designed with a variety of natural wood inlays to portray the beautiful scenic colors.

A special thank you to Leo for these wonderfully crafted awards! For a look at other beautiful pieces by Leo visit Studio 38 in Spanish Village or this webpage.

2015 Sustainability Partners' Breakfast

2.0 | Beyond Low-Hanging Fruit

October 5, 2015

2015 Sustainability Award Winners:

2015 Sustainability Award Finalists:

  • Spanish Village Art Center | LED Lighting Upgrade
  • The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park | Water-wise Landscaping

2015 Sustainability Award Artists  |  Ivan Adaniya  &  Karen Freitas

Winners of the 2015 Sustainability Award were presented with this beautiful award created by Spanish Village artists, Ivan Adaniya and Karen Freitas. As a glass blower, Ivan used his incredible talent to create the "globe". Karen is an amazing wood sculpturist who hand carved the "trunk" of the award piece.

Both Ivan and Karen's painstaking work harmoniously conveys how a healthy environment supports the whole planet. We'd like to give a big thank you to Ivan and Karen for these wonderfully crafted awards! For a look at more of their beautiful pieces, visit Ivan at Studio 25 and Karen at Studio 38 in Spanish Village.

2014 Sustainability Partners' Breakfast

Implementation

October 21, 2014

The first Partners’ Breakfast showcased San Diego Foundation and Climate Education Partners' Regional Focus 2050 Study done in 2008 that looked at climate change related impacts in the San Diego region by 2050. Panelists from the City of Chula Vista, City of San Diego and Energy Law and Policy at the Energy Policy Initiatives Center (EPIC) spoke of implementing plans through strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and creating behavior change.

2014 Sustainability Award Winners:

2014 Sustainability Award Finalists:

  • Balboa Park Conservancy | Water-wise Succulent Planters
  • San Diego Model Railroad Museum | Energy Efficient Lighting
  • San Diego Zoo | Employee Recycling and Repurposing Project
  • WorldBeat Cultural Center | Children's Peace Organic Garden

2014 Sustainability Award Artist  |  Lew Leithner

Winners of the 2014 Sustainability Award were presented with this beautiful award created by Spanish Village artist, Lew Leithner. Lew used his amazing skill of wood scroll sawing to carve the delicate features of this unique leaf made of oak.

We'd like to give a big thank you to Lew for these wonderfully crafted awards! For a look at more beautiful pieces by Lew visit Studio 38 in Spanish Village or this webpage.