In early April, the walls in the conference room where judges were deciding which projects should be finalists for the Emerald Awards were covered with enormous, colourful papers.

Written on the many pages — all destined to be recycled, of course — were names of different projects, countless rounds of votes and an array of other notes. The detailed wall display illustrated just how difficult a process it is to judge recipients of the coveted environmental prize.

This year, fewer projects were nominated for the awards that recognize environmental excellence in Alberta: 96 compared to last year’s record 123. But the dip in number of nominees certainly didn’t make the judges’ work any easier.

“When it comes to the general sophistication and the impact of the projects, it’s clear that the bar is rising,” said Emmy Stuebing, executive director of the Alberta Emerald Foundation. “It’s quality versus quantity and we are very pleased with the contenders this year.”

The Emerald Awards are the flagship initiative run by the non-profit Alberta Emerald Foundation. The awards’ primary purpose is to recognize and celebrate exemplary environmental stewardship across Alberta. This is the 23rd year for the awards, and they remain the only ones in Canada that recognize such a broad range of recipients, from non-profit groups to government departments, students to large businesses. This year’s awards will be bestowed June 5, during a gala ceremony at Martha Cohen Theatre in Calgary.

Throughout the judging process, Stuebing subtly guided the deliberations of the nine judges representing industry, corporations and the community. Over two days of judging, there was one question she repeatedly posed to the panel: Would you stand up and applaud for this project?

Thanks to the high calibre of the nominated projects, over and over the judges answered “yes.”

“You always learn so much,” said Leanna Davies, a wildlife biologist working for Talisman Energy. She has been a judge on the Emerald Awards panel for the past three years.

“You really do get inspired by the project and the depth and breadth of the initiatives that are going on all across the province.”

In her sixth year with the Foundation, Stuebing said she appreciates seeing unsung heroes and smaller projects that have a significant impact on the environment get recognized. For examples, she points to previous winners. There was Charles Bird, who spent all his free time studying moths, a task that had great ramifications for understanding the greater ecosystem. And there was Tom Moore, the manager of the Slave Lake waste services commission, who went beyond his job’s mandate to minimize the environmental impact after the devastating May 2011 fire in his community. Moore reduced the waste going into landfills by recycling, finding ways to reuse materials and to minimize the carbon impact on the environment.

These projects — and the many that earned the prestigious title of award finalist this year — provide Stuebing with hope for the future.

“I think we can all take comfort in learning about these great projects and knowing our province is in great hands,” she said. “It may seem discouraging sometimes, with bad news about this and that, but there is so much great work being done.

“There are a hundred different projects each year from all across the province that give you hope that maybe things aren’t as dismal as they seem.”

The Emerald Awards are funded by a combination of individual donors, government grants and various sponsors, including the Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation, ConocoPhillips, Enbridge, Encana, the Alberta Real Estate Foundation, Syncrude and ATCO.

For more information on all of the finalists for this year's Emerald Awards, go to the Emerald Foundation website



Series Info

— Profiles of select finalists will appear on Saturdays until June 7, when the series wraps up with a story revealing the big winners.



— This year’s winners will be revealed during a gala in Calgary at the Martha Cohen Theatre on June 5.





