2024 Climate Champion Award Nominations
Nominations Accepted October 15, 2024 until 9 AM on November 15, 2024
Powered Up Baraboo (PUB) invites Baraboo area residents to nominate individuals, businesses, organizations, and/or government agencies that are taking responsibility to help protect the planet by advancing local efforts to conserve energy, use renewable energy, or create sustainable green spaces in the Baraboo area. The deadline for nominations is Friday, November 15, 2024, at 9 AM (CT). To find the nomination form, go to https://forms.gle/HzmP3vsSXMgwS4NTA.
For an individual to receive a Baraboo Climate Champion Award, PUB is looking for efforts that go beyond the bounds of that individual’s home. A nominee should exhibit leadership in local climate action that reaches across the community. Such individual leadership may be made as a solo effort, as a dedicated member of a local group, in the past year, or over a number of years. For a business, government agency, or organization to receive a Baraboo Climate Champion Award, PUB is looking for efforts that reflect a commitment to significant local climate action benefitting the community while helping the business grow responsibly, or while helping the agency or organization perform their mission.
This is the third year PUB will recognize a local Climate Champion. In 2022, there were two Climate Champion Awards given. Mike Hardy, former director of the City of Baraboo Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department was recognized for efforts he made in increasing energy efficiency in department operations and creating sustainable green spaces through native plantings on City property. Michael Kohlman, former member of the Baraboo School Board, was recognized for his work to bolster the school district’s efforts to install solar panels on Jack Young Middle School and Baraboo High School. In 2023, PUB honored PUB volunteer Richard Peidelstein for his ongoing work to benchmark energy usage in City-owned building, enabling the City to begin tracking energy use and laying the foundation for future energy improvements.
“We know there are many people and groups in our area taking action to reduce their carbon footprint,” said Marianne Cotter, President of Powered Up Baraboo. “We want to highlight their dedication and achievements to inspire the rest of us who also want to take climate action.”
Powered Up Baraboo plans to announce the 2024 Climate Champions Award winner(s) at their fifth anniversary celebration on December 5.