Applications are now closed for the 2025 Sustainable Scottsdale Awards.

What It's About

The Sustainable Scottsdale Awards program recognizes those spearheading significant environmental advancements in Scottsdale. This award spotlights the innovative "change makers" that have made a positive environmental impact in our community, motivating and inspiring actions that enhance the quality of life in our city and making Scottsdale a more livable and eco-friendly city. Applications are assessed using two main benchmarks:

  • Producing impacts: Honors those who demonstrate exceptional tangible improvements through their sustainability efforts.
  • Fostering Innovation: Recognizes those that contribute in new ways to a more sustainable Scottsdale.

The nomination period takes place in the fall with honorees being named during April’s Earth Week.

Key Dates

  • Nominations Open: Monday, Sept. 9, 2024
  • Application Deadline: 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024
  • Announcement of Honoree(s): Earth Week 2025

2025 Sustainable Scottsdale Honoree - Echo Canyon School
Scottsdale Unified’s Echo Canyon K-8 School engages students with sustainability activities. Students tackle food waste by participating in hands-on experiences cultivating, harvesting, and preparing sustainable whole foods. The school has implemented Mill Food Recycler bins that compost school food waste which is then used to enrich the soil in the campus gardens. Student Culinary Cultivators assist all grade levels in planting food and native plants and local chefs harvest the food and prepare delicious dishes for students and their families. The school even has an in-house worm farm, cared for by students, that helps break down waste and fertilize the gardens.

Echo Canyon School

Past Recipients

R.City (2024)

R.City has been collecting food waste from Scottsdale residents and businesses for 10 years and has diverted millions of pounds of food waste from landfills to be used in local farming. They collect food waste from residents and businesses to produce compost on their farm, which means they can grow produce without the use of chemicals or pesticides. As part of their services, they also offer local, organic produce to Scottsdale's doorsteps.

Witnessing Nature In Food (2019)

Witnessing Nature In Food is an all-organic catering company led by Chef Jennifer Johnson. The company set a >93% landfill diversion goal, uses only reusable, compostable, or recyclable food containers, and offers classes like 'healthy eating on a budget.'

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch (2016)

The Hyatt demonstrates that financial success and environmental stewardship are interrelated and mutually achievable goals. The choices the resort has made were designed, engineered, cost analyzed and then approved by business executives because the return on investment made sense. As Hyatt Regency Scottsdale exemplifies, businesses do not have to choose between the environment and their bottom line.

Last Updated: May 2, 2025

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