Coon Rapids Invites Nominations for 2026 Earth Month Sustainability Awards

COON RAPIDS, MN

The City of Coon Rapids is once again turning to its residents to help recognize the quiet but consequential work shaping the community’s environmental future.

The city’s Sustainability Commission has officially opened nominations for the 2026 Earth Month Sustainability Awards, an annual program that honors individuals, businesses, and organizations whose actions demonstrate meaningful environmental stewardship. Nominations are open through Friday, February 28, 2026, with honorees to be formally recognized during a Coon Rapids City Council meeting in April, as part of Earth Month observances.

City officials say the awards are intended to elevate local “eco-heroes” whose practical, often grassroots efforts contribute to cleaner energy use, healthier ecosystems, and long-term community resilience.

How to Nominate

Community members are invited to submit nominations by emailing:

sustainability@coonrapidsmn.gov

Submissions should include:

• The nominee’s name and contact information
• A brief description of their sustainability efforts
• Specific “eco-wins” and their impact on the community

Nominations are open to residents, businesses, nonprofits, schools, and community organizations operating within Coon Rapids.

What Qualifies as an “Eco-Win”

The Sustainability Commission considers a wide range of environmental actions, including but not limited to:

• Renewable energy: Solar installations, solar thermal systems, or major energy-efficiency upgrades
• Habitat restoration: Bee lawns, native prairie gardens, and removal of invasive species such as buckthorn
• Waste reduction: Community clean-ups, composting initiatives, recycling expansion, or zero-waste business practices
• Water conservation: Rain gardens, smart irrigation systems, and watershed protection efforts
• Community leadership: Education, volunteer coordination, and sustainability advocacy

The awards align with broader city goals outlined in Coon Rapids’ Energy Action Plan, which aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency and clean energy adoption by 2030.

A Record of Local Impact

Past award recipients reflect the diverse ways sustainability takes shape across the city:

• Anoka-Ramsey Community College has been recognized for installing a bee lawn and prairie garden to support pollinators, as well as a solar wall on its Science Building that pre-heats intake air and reduces energy use.
• Mary T. Inc. has received multiple honors for its long-running Earth Day trash pick-up events, invasive buckthorn removal efforts, and volunteer-driven environmental stewardship.
• Anoka-Hennepin School District was recognized in 2024 for installing solar arrays at Adams and Hoover elementary schools in Coon Rapids, projects expected to reduce energy costs by 10 to 25 percent.
• Local residents have also been honored for installing home solar systems, maintaining pollinator-friendly yards, composting, and prioritizing repair and reuse to reduce household waste.

More Than Recognition

City leaders emphasize that the Earth Month Sustainability Awards are about more than public recognition. By highlighting local examples, the program aims to inspire broader participation and demonstrate that meaningful environmental progress often begins at the neighborhood level.

From individual households to large institutions, officials say each nomination helps tell the story of how sustainability in Coon Rapids is being built, steadily, locally, and collaboratively.

Residents are encouraged to submit nominations before the February 28 deadline to ensure that the community’s sustainability champions receive the recognition they deserve.

MinneapoliMedia