2026 Award Nominations

Written By Matt Molinari

There are multiple options for 2026; we welcome all nominations and recommendations!

Each year we have the opportunity to praise outstanding achievers in California, promote their successes and share successful efforts throughout the state! Awards will be presented at CRRA’s Annual Conference this August 30-September 2.

To see a list of CRRA Awards and past recipients, click here.

Share the programs and successes achieved by you and your colleagues who are “going above and beyond” in efforts to prevent waste, reuse materials, recycle, compost, buy recycled and recover edible food!

2026 Categories

» CRRA Changemaker - NEW!

This new recognition is for individuals only who have proactively worked to improve environmental sustainability in and beyond California through Zero Waste strategies including product stewardship, waste prevention, reuse, recycling and composting. The number of CRRA Changemakers named annually varies and will be at the discretion of the Award Committee.

You can submit nominations for CRRA Changemakers.

  • A CRRA Changemaker is someone who has proactively worked to improve environmental sustainability in and beyond California through Zero Waste strategies including product stewardship, waste prevention, reuse, recycling and composting.

    They are the commanders, figureheads, muckrakers, movers, shakers, and agitators. They are also the people whose names we don’t necessarily know, who have worked quietly behind the scenes to make things happen. 

    They embody the mission of CRRA and have worked to advance local, regional and statewide waste reduction efforts which result in critical environmental and climate protection outcomes.

    CRRA Changemakers are the visionaries, the innovators, and the passionate advocates who have driven meaningful change to shape the future, challenge the status quo, and create a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world.

    Criteria:

    • Awarded to Individuals Only – no agencies, groups, organizations, and with consideration of a full view of other awards received.

    • Duration in industry is a not a determining factor.

    • Do not need to be a CRRA Member.

    • Individual has proactively worked to improve CA’s environment publicly or behind the scenes.

    • Individual and/or what the individual has done within the industry is a “STANDOUT” and has worked to advance local, regional and statewide waste reduction efforts which result in critical environmental and climate protection outcomes. (the core of CRRA’s mission)

    • Candidates must not have been awarded a change maker award within the last 3 years by CRRA.

» Annual Award Categories

These span the core areas of CRRA's mission and allow for Individual and Organizational/Agency nominations. Please be sure to choose the best category based on the award's criteria. There are 10 CRRA Award categories you can submit nominations for. The Award Committee decides on these winners.

You can submit nominations for the following 2026 Award Categories:

  • Dave Hardy was instrumental in establishing the California Organics Recycling Council (CORC) and served as the Council’s first chair. 

    YOUR ORGANIZATION NOMINEE is a business, government agency, or community-based organization that achieves excellence in the production, marketing and/or utilization of compost.

  • YOUR INDIVIDUAL/GROUP NOMINEE is a young individual or youth group that excels in promoting zero waste, waste prevention, reuse, recycling, or composting.

  • YOUR ORGANIZATION NOMINEE is a business, government agency or community-based organization that has excelled in the reduction, reuse or recycling of construction and/or demolition debris, and deconstruction to repurpose services.

  • YOUR ORGANIZATION NOMINEE is a business, government agency, or community-based organization that has excelled in implementing programs, practices or services that feed people with food that otherwise would not have been consumed by people.

  • YOUR ORGANIZATION NOMINEE is a business, government agency or community-based organization that has excelled in end-of-life management of household hazardous waste, universal waste or electronic items.

  • YOUR OPERATOR NOMINEE is an operator of large (greater than 2,000 people per day) events or venues achieving excellence in implementing waste reduction, recycling and organics programs, innovative waste reduction programs, or other best practices in event or venue resource management.

  • YOUR ORGANIZATION NOMINEE is a business, government agency, or community-based organization that has excelled in preventing waste, or has implemented procurement practices that prevent or reduce waste, such as procuring products that contain recycled content and/or are safer alternatives to toxic products they replace (as of 2020, this award category has been combined with the 'Closing the Loop" award).

  • YOUR ORGANIZATION NOMINEE is a business, government agency, or community-based organization that has excelled in implementing comprehensive programs and services to reduce, reuse, recycle or compost resources that would otherwise have been wasted (this award has combined the previous "Zero Waste Achievement" and "Outstanding Recycling Program" awards).

  • Pavitra Crimmel was instrumental in championing the promotion and implementation of successful reuse programs. 

    YOUR ORGANIZATION NOMINEE is a business, government agency, or community-based organization that excels in the reuse of materials.

  • YOUR SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION NOMINEE is a school, or an entity partnered with a school that has excelled in implementing programs and practices that reduce, reuse, recycle or compost resources that would otherwise have been wasted.

» Board Awarded Leadership Awards

These are ultimately decided by the Board of Directors but they welcome all recommendations. There are 3, board-named awards you can provide recommendations for. The Board of Directors decide on these winners.

You may make recommendations only through the nomination form for the following awards:

  • The CRRA Board has renamed the Service Award, to celebrate Despina Kreatsoulas’ memory and honor those that provide the same level of integrity, value and service to CRRA. 

    YOUR INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATION is an individual who has rendered exceptional service to the association including contributions of time, expertise or resources that significantly exceeded expectations.

  • Rick Best dedicated his life to such stewardship. 

    YOUR INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATION is an individual that has exhibited lifetime environmental stewardship achievements and has effectively advocated for Earth's natural systems. Their achievements go beyond reuse, recycling and composting to encompass air and water quality, resource protection, and climate protection.

  • YOUR INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATION is an individual who has significantly contributed to resource conservation throughout their career in California.

Watch the 2025 Award Presentation in Monterey

The custom hand crafted award certificate frames are created with recycle materials by non-profit “Piece by Piece” - www.piecebypiece.org

2026 Guidelines

Important: the submission form on SurveyMonkey does not allow for saving the form and returning to it for edits. Please be prepared to complete and submit your form in one ‘sitting’.

Nominator & Nominee Information and Contact Details (required)

Award/Recommendation Selection (required): Select the ‘category’ that best aligns with your nominee. Reference the CRRA Award descriptions and Past Recipients above.

Abstract/Overview (required): Please be prepared to write an abstract of no more than 250 words about your nominee.

As you prepare to write your nomination, consider the following questions about your nominee.

For ORGANIZATION/AGENCY Nominees/Recommendations:

  • What was the program’s longevity and number/types of individuals and area/region covered?

  • How did the program meet a need? Was it innovative or original in its effectiveness in improving existing methods of meeting the need? What risks were overcome?

  • Was a cultural or economic diversity challenge presented and overcome?

  • What materials were recycled/accepted during the past year?

  • What waste was prevented or reduced, materials reused, or toxins reduced?

  • What measures were used to monitor success in waste prevention and/or recycling and why?

  • Has the program increased public awareness and participation? Is there now outreach or education underway?

  • Was there a measurable impact on the development of markets for reclaimed materials?

  • Has the program/individual shown leadership and taken steps beyond traditional recycling or diversion program designs?

For INDIVIDUAL Nominees/Recommendations:

  • What are the individual’s contributions and achievements?

  • Can you include measurable outcomes?

  • What are the notable milestones in the individual’s career?

  • Specifically how have they impacted resource conservation, stewardship, more?

Supporting Materials (optional): Supporting documents may be included in your nomination.

  • You may provide up to two letters of support from local recycling organizations, government officials, businesses, or community leaders. Youth program letters can be from a school teacher/principal. Please email these letters to Florence Torres (florence@crra.com) making sure to include "AWARDS and your nominee's name" in the subject line.

  • You may provide up to three (3) URLs to news reports or press releases regarding this project

Nominate Today

FAQ’s

  • CRRA acknowledges individuals, businesses, government agencies, community-based organizations, schools, and projects that have made significant contribution and are from within the State of California. Each award is noted as ORGANIZATION or INDIVIDUAL. Review each awards’ criteria and parameters above.

  • You may nominate a candidate in multiple categories, but separate forms are required. Each candidate is eligible to win in only one category each year.

  • Absolutely! You may nominate yourself, your organization or your project.

  • No, neither the nominator nor the nominee has to be a member of CRRA to qualify. We celebrate industry achievement without prejudice. 

  • All information is confidential. While you do not have to inform your Nominee, it is always wise to connect with them to ensure all content in your nomination is correct.

  • We welcome the opportunity to acknowledge Award Recipients at the Conference in front of a crowd of more than 700 but we also understand that not everyone is able to attend. Attendance at the conference is not mandatory to receive an award.

  • For CRRA Changemaker and the Annual Award Categories:
    The current Award Committee co-chairs and committee members review and vote on all award nominations. Members of the committee reflect diverse membership across the regions of California state. Voting results are tallied and those with the highest scores are selected as that year’s winners. These final selections are presented to the CRRA Board prior to winners being notified.

    For CRRA Board-awarded Leadership Awards:
    Recommendations are encouraged and may be made through the nomination form. The CRRA Board of Directors does select the final award winners for these three awards.

  • No. Awards/Recognition is only given if there are worthy nominees who meet the defined criteria. This means that in some years, fewer awards are given.

Important Reminder: the submission form does not allow for saving the form and returning to it for edits. Please be prepared to complete and submit your form when proceeding to the next page.

For questions, contact: Florence Torres.

Nominate Today
Matt Molinari
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