Goldman Environmental Prize Blog

By Claire Arkin  Do you know where your waste goes? While we’d like to think that most of it gets recycled into a new product, in reality the U.S. recycles only 25.8% of waste and 12.8% gets burned in incinerators. Incinerators are one of the most toxic, expensive, dangerous, and polluting industries in the U.S.…

Since 2015, the Goldman Environmental Prize has provided continued support to Prize winners through our Grantmaking program. Each year, we award grants to past Prize winners for capacity building programs and grassroots environmental campaigns. In 2006, Ukrainian lawyer Olya Melen received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her critical role in halting the construction of a…

The following post is a translation of a statement of support for Goldman Environmental Prize winner Alberto Curamil, issued by Senator Patrick Leahy. Click here to read the statement in English. Alberto’s daughter, Belen Curamil, and Miguel Melín of the Alianza Territorial Mapuche (ATM) met with the senator’s office during the Goldman Prize tour in…

Over the years, Goldman Environmental Prize winners have parlayed the public awareness and support the Prize has generated to make a profound impact in the world. A few of these winners have even catapulted into public office—17 at last count. No Prize winner has achieved more in the political arena than Zuzana Čaputová (pictured above),…

Last month, we announced the 2019 Goldman Environmental Prize winners. Their stories of grassroots environmental activism, achievement, and persistence have inspired people around the world. You can support their work by checking out their calls to action below, and by visiting their profile pages. Africa: Alfred Brownell Become educated and help spread the word about…

Meet these six extraordinary individuals who have moved mountains to protect our planet. Join us in celebrating the winners by watching the 30th anniversary Ceremony live today at 5:30 pm PDT on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube and follow #GoldmanPrize30 on social media for updates. Alfred Brownell, Liberia Under threat of violence, environmental lawyer Alfred Brownell stopped the clear-cutting of Liberia’s tropical forests by palm…

Not surprisingly, nearly half of the 188 Goldman Prize winners have been women. To commemorate Women’s History Month, the Goldman Environmental Prize is celebrating the work of the 79 extraordinary women who won the Prize. Here are three of their stories. Phyllis Omido (Kenya, 2015) Phyllis Omido is sometimes called “the East African Erin Brockovich”…

This year, the Goldman Environmental Prize turns 30. These are just a few of our favorite moments from our history. Watch and share the video below, and be sure to tag #GoldmanPrize30!

The Goldman Environmental Prize is now in its 30th year! Since the Prize was first awarded in 1990, the community of winners has grown to nearly 200 grassroots activists, and their positive impact on the environment has reached millions of people. Want to learn more about the history of the Prize? Here’s a good place…

This year marks our 30th anniversary of honoring the Earth’s heroes. Since 1989, we have awarded 188 individuals from 87 countries the Goldman Environmental Prize for their grassroots activism around the world. A few of our Prize winner friends were kind enough to share their best wishes for the occasion. Check it out: