Eco Ambassador Winner

And the Winner Is…

San Diego Coastkeeper Takes Top Spot as 2017’s Winning Eco Ambassador!

After 19 days and more than 25,000 votes for six admirable environmental organizations, we are proud to announce the winner of the 2017 Earth 8 Eco Ambassadors campaign—San Diego Coastkeeper!

Through our partnership with KFMB News 8 and the San Diego River Park Foundation, we are excited to award San Diego Coastkeeper with a $20,000 grant to support the organization’s vital work preserving San Diego’s watershed.

Fishable, Swimmable, Drinkable Water for All!

For more than 20 years, San Diego Coastkeeper has made it their mission to protect and restore fishable, swimmable and drinkable waters throughout San Diego County.

One critical program led by San Diego Coastkeeper is their Water Quality Monitoring Program. Dedicated staff members and volunteers test water samples from nine local watersheds on a regular basis to monitor for pollutants such as nitrates and heavy metals. Collecting this valuable data enables Coastkeeper to identify polluted areas and reduce its sources.

We are honored to support San Diego Coastkeeper through this Eco Ambassadors grant so they can continue their important work monitoring our local water resources and engaging with the San Diego community for the benefit of the entire region.

Learn more about San Diego Coastkeeper and see how you can get involved at SDCoastkeeper.org.

Where are they Now?

Over the past nine years, we’ve had the opportunity to showcase dozens of San Diego’s finest environmental organizations through the Eco Ambassadors partnership with News 8.

As San Diego Coastkeeper prepares to make an even greater impact after winning this year’s Eco Ambassador, we took a look back at a couple past Eco Ambassadors to see how this innovative campaign helped their organizations:

Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association – 2012 Finalist

Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association (ABDNHA) rallied the entire Anza Borrego community to vote during 2012’s Eco Ambassadors campaign, ultimately earning 2nd place and a $10,000 grant from SDG&E.

In the past five years, ABDNHA has put their Eco Ambassadors funding to good use. ABDNHA is nearing completion of a project to expand their Desert Exploration Program by creating the Borrego Botanical Garden which will serve as an outdoor learning center for youth, bringing interactive environmental education programs to more local students. When class isn’t in session, the Botanical Gardens are a free community resource for visitors to enjoy and learn about the region’s natural resources.

Learn more about ABDNHA and plan your trip to the Borrego Botanical Garden at ABDNHA.org.

Art FORM – 2014 Winner

The 2014 Eco Ambassadors winner, Art FORM (Found Objects Recycled Materials), takes the idea of “trash-to-treasure” to new levels. Art FORM used their Eco Ambassadors funding to expand arts education workshops at schools in San Diego’s Mid-City region, giving students the chance to create art from reclaimed materials. Art FORM students not only have the chance to make treasures of their own, they also learn about the importance of recycling for our environment.

Art FORM founder, Erin Pennell, credits the Eco Ambassadors campaign for giving them visibility to grow their support and expand on other programs for years, after they took home the Eco Ambassadors gold.

Check out some of the amazing projects created through Art FORM, and see if you have any items that can be donated to their next workshop at ArtFORMsandiego.org.

While Eco Ambassadors 2017 is wrapped up, our commitment to community organizations is never-ending. Visit SDGEnews.com/community for regular news on our community involvement and our partners.