| Each year, we award individuals and organizations whose actions, innovations, activism and philanthropic efforts have a transformative impact on the environment. This year, we are thrilled to honor these trailblazers who are at the forefront of tackling our planet's greatest threats to create a clean and sustainable future for us all. |
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 | Dr. Melanie Lundquist, LHD, is an activist philanthropist whose voice is as fearless as her life-changing work. From Aspen and Bloomberg to Milken and POLITICO, she is a sought-after speaker on improving public education, fighting climate change, and impact philanthropy. Melanie has hosted high-level gatherings on climate solutions, including with Captain Planet Foundation Chair Laura Turner-Seydel, a past recipient of the Mother Earth Award.
Melanie and her husband Richard are the second-largest donors to AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, a 35-acre waterfront ocean technology campus, where Melanie also serves on the Board of Trustees. They are also the largest donors to the Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles, which is LA County’s only year-round marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation center. Melanie serves as Vice Chair of the Board of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, one of the largest, in-district (non-charter) public school transformation organizations in the United States, which she and her husband founded 16 years ago. |
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 | Ethan Brown, the CEO and Founder of Beyond Meat, is committed to creating plant-based meat alternatives. His upbringing instilled a love for agriculture and the environment, guiding his career toward addressing climate change through clean energy solutions. He played a pivotal role in shaping grid management policies, contributing to federal and state policies. Later, he joined Ballard Power Systems, a leader in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell development, rising to a direct reporting role to the CEO.
Ethan founded Beyond Meat in 2009 to shift protein consumption from animals to plants. The company collaborates with Stanford University School of Medicine and the American Cancer Society to advance research on the benefits of plant-based meat. Beyond Meat's innovations, including Beyond Steak, have earned recognition from organizations like the American Heart Association and received accolades from TIME Magazine and PEOPLE Magazine. Their products are available in over 75 countries and 190,000 outlets, including major grocery chains and restaurants like McDonald's and KFC. Beyond Meat consistently leads in sustainability and impact, recognized as one of Newsweek's Most Trusted Brands, TIME100 Most Influential Companies, and a United Nations Champion of the Earth. |
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