Press Release

September 9, 2005

Contact: Erica Lepping

(213) 630-1147, cell (310) 594-6880.

COALITION FOR CLEAN AIR PRESIDENT TIM CARMICHAEL

IS AWARDED “ENVIRONMENTALIST OF THE YEAR” BY

FAITH BASED ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS

LOS ANGELES:  The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life of Southern California (CoejlSC) and the Interfaith Environmental Council (IEC) presented Tim Carmichael, President and CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air, with the “Environmentalist of the Year” award at their 6th annual awards ceremony in Los Angeles last night.

              “I am so honored to receive this award and for recognition of the significant victories we have won to clean up California’s air and improve public health,” said Carmichael, who has been President and CEO of the Coalition since 1998.  “Although there is clearly more work to be done, California can be proud that time and time again we have led the world in responsible, forward-thinking policy to reduce smog and address global warming.”

              The award is one of five environmental awards given by the groups to honor individuals and corporations in Los Angeles for their dedication to sustaining our natural resources and caring for the environment.  As in years past, the City of Los Angeles, represented by City Council Member Eric Garcetti, participated in the awards ceremony.  The Los Angeles City Council additionally recognized Carmichael’s award during a council session this morning. 

In addition to Carmichael, the other recipients of the “Environmentalist of the Year Award” for 2005 are:

  • Senator Barbara Boxer, Guardians in Washington Award
  • Congressman Henry Waxman, Guardians in Washington Award
  • Robert Hertzberg, Former Speaker of the California Assembly, Jewish Environmentalist of the Year Award
  • BP, Business Environmentalist of the Year Award

 

According to Lee Wallach, Co-founder of the CoejlSC, “these honorees were chosen for their ongoing active participation in protecting our natural resources and working to ensure that future generations have the same opportunities and access to resources that we have today.  It is wonderful to be able to recognize companies and individuals who continue to make caring for the environment a top priority in their careers, business plans and day to day lives.”

              Carmichael was chosen as “Environmentalist of the Year” for, among other things, leading the Coalition for Clean Air’s efforts to:

  • Sponsor and help pass California’s landmark global warming legislation, limiting automobile greenhouse gas emissions – and positioning California as a world leader in global warming policy;
  • Develop and win landmark state legislation to clean up dry cleaning;
  • Obtain an unprecedented $50 million settlement for air quality and neighborhood improvements, including agreement by the Port of Los Angeles’ China Shipping Terminal to commit nearly three-fourths of ships to “plug-in” to an electrical dock outlet instead of burning their engines. For each ship, this reduced a ton of diesel pollution – every day; and,
  • Convince the state to adopt stricter emission standards for all passenger cars, SUV’s and pickups, and to provide financial incentives for truck operators throughout California to transition their trucks from dirty-diesel to much cleaner alternative fuels.

 CoejlSC and IEC’s Environmentalist of the Year Awards honor individuals and corporations for their dedication in sustaining our natural resources and caring for the environment.  Honorary Co-Chairs include Assemblymember Lloyd Levine, Assemblymember Fran Pavley, Cabinet Secretary Terry Tamminen, Governor Gray Davis, Dorothy Green, Marlene Grossman, H. David Nahai and Richard S. Ziman.  The awards were given out in an evening garden reception at the home of Pete and Melna Katzman in Los Angeles. 

The Coalition for Clean Air is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated for over 30 years to restoring clean, healthful air to California by advocating responsible public health policy; providing technical and educational expertise; and promoting broad-based community involvement.  For more information about CCA's work, visit our homepage.

The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (CoejlSC) was founded as part of a national network of groups seeking to instill a commitment to environmental protection rooted in Jewish values.  CEOJLSC carries out this mission through education, advocacy and the implementation of sound environmental practices within the Jewish community and its institutions.

The Interfaith Environmental Council (IEC) was founded as a joint effort of Rabbi Harvey Fields of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, The Right Reverend Frederick H. Borsch of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, other religious leadership of Southern California and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.  The mission of IEC is to repair, protect and preserve the environment while integrating sustainability, responsibility and advocacy.

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