So the judges asked me to mention some outstanding entries that did not make it to the finals but that they rated highly. They were particularly impressed by the quality of projects entered by small, medium and micro enterprises and government departments and they wanted to encourage these sectors to continue entering the awards.
"It was encouraging to see the range of organisations tackling environmental problems. Many small businesses really sparkled and it was clear some local authorities are being proactive when it comes to taking care of the environment," said Karin Ireton, who chaired the panel.
"However, we really would like to see more entries from the public sector. "Unfortunately, they could not all be winners. Many did not make the grade because they did not submit sufficient information, or because the impact of their projects was limited."
The energy efficiency and carbon-management category drew a large number of innovative entries, reflecting serious thinking about climate change. One that captured the judges' interest but did not make it on to the finalists' list was Tierra Construction Projects, a small company that recycles waste materials to build ecofriendly houses. Read the full report here.
Source: Fiona Macleod, Mail & Guardian.
