Washington Life recognizes 12 environmentalists greening the community.
H. Hedrick Belin President, Potomac Conservancy Belin protects water quality, preserves scenic beauty, and encourages responsible recreation in the Potomac River watershed. Recently, he has spotlighted concerns regarding intersex fish in the Potomac in the Conservatory’s annual “State of the Nation’s River” report.He is currently mobilizing a grassroots effort to recommend immediate replacement of 450 trees that were removed along 1.5 miles of the Potomac River shoreline by Trump National Golf Club in Loudoun County, VA.
Ken Cook, President, Environmental Working Group (EWG) Status Update: Ken Cook co-founded EWG in 1993 with a mission to protect public health and the environment by publicizing reports and data regarding chemical pollution. He is particularly concerned with the effects of toxic substances on children. Cook famously testified on the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 in an effort to reform the country’s toxic chemicals policy. EWG’s consumer friendly reports help Americans make informed choices about their decisions to buy products such as fruit and sunscreens
Dr. Wilton Corkern President and CEO, Accokeek Foundation, Wilton Corkern helps to steward 200 acres of Piscataway Park in Accokeek, Maryland, on the shore of the Potomac River. The Foundation’s Ecosystem Farm, an innovative demonstration of sustainable agriculture and beginning farmer training, expanded under Corkern’s leadership as a resource for farmers and the general public. He is also currently teaching as an adjunct professor at the George Washington University School of Business.
Nick Maravell Owner, Nick’s Organic Farm Maravell, founded the Maryland Organic Food and Farming Association, the Maryland Small Farm Cooperative, and Future Harvest-Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture. He works closely with farmers and scientists at the Organic Farming Research Foundation to publish the National Organic Research Agenda.Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack appointed Nick to a five-year term as a member of the National Organic Standards Board in January 2011.
Rhon Hayes and Philip O’Neal Co-founders, Green DMV Status Update: Hayes and O’Neal help historically low-income communities and communities of color that typically don’t have the resources to take advantage of ground floor economic movements, such as going green. Green DMV promotes clean energy and green jobs in low-income communities as a pathway out of poverty. They recently launched an interfaith environmental education program for faith-based communities throughout the District of Columbia.
Rhon Hayes and Philip O’Neal Co-founders, Green DMV Status Update: Hayes and O’Neal help historically low-income communities and communities of color that typically don’t have the resources to take advantage of ground floor economic movements, such as going green. Green DMV promotes clean energy and green jobs in low-income communities as a pathway out of poverty. They recently launched an interfaith environmental education program for faith-based communities throughout the District of Columbia.
Michael A. Nardolilli, president, Northern Virginia Conservation Trust Nardolilli has helped preserve 5,370 acres in Northern Virginia. Currently, he is working to create interconnectivity among northern Virginia’s green areas to allow animals to move between one protected land and the next, following in the footsteps of Archdruid David Broward.
Erich Pica, president, Friends of the Earth Pica directs the domestic policy programs, notably its tax and budget work, including the Green Scissors campaign that identified more than $200 billion in government subsidies to nuclear, coal, oil and biofuel entitites that damage the environment and harm consumers.
Nora Pouillon, owner, Restaurant Nora Pouillon channels her frustration with the processed, chemical-laden foods that Americans eat into the mission of Restaurant Nora, which became the nation’s first certified organic restaurant in 1999. Pouillon is also known for launching the farmer/chef connection by connecting the farmers of the Tuscarora Organic Growers Coop (TOG) to other local chefs, helping to ensure their farms’ economic viability.
Stewart Schwartz, executive director and founder, Coalition for Smarter Growth Schwartz’s Blueprint for a Better Region promotes urban revitalization, transit-oriented development, affordable housing and more walkable communities. The attorney and retired Navy captain with a long history of environmental work also leads the Reconnecting Virginia transportation reform project while serving on the board of the Virginia Conservation Network.
Dan Simmons, concept developer and managing owner, Founding Farmers, Farmers & Fishers, and forthcoming Founding Farmers Park Potomac Simmons’ restaurant knowledge and desire for sustainability drove the development of Founding Farmers, the first LEED Certified Gold restaurant in the nation’s capital. He sources all fresh products from family farms, ranches and fisheries from across the United States and uses seasonal sources whenever possible for all his restaurants.
Flo Stone, president and founder, Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital Stone is the founder of the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital, which furthers the public’s understanding of environmental issues and solutions through film. This collaborative festival presents hundreds of environmentally focused films across the city to promote environmental awareness and action. Under her stewardship, the festival has grown from only 1,200 attendees in its first year to over 20,000.
Mike Tidwell, founder and director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network Tidwell is an author and filmmaker whose books and documentary films depict the dangers of global warming. At Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Tidwell and his staff work to improve the health of local communities and the environment. Some of their projects include stopping mountaintop removal coal mining in the Appalachian mountains of southwest Virginia and encouraging solar and wind energy alternatives throughout the Midatlantic region.
