FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jess Watson, earthday365
director@earthday-365.org
314.203.6451

St. Louis City Mayor Cara Spencer, and Dr. Lúcia Lohmann, President and Director of Missouri Botanical Garden, were the featured speakers at the Opening Ceremony of the St. Louis Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 26, at 1 pm.

Tina Muir, earthday365 board member and founder of Racing for Sustainability, emceed the 2025 Sustainability Awards presentation, which highlighted the achievements in sustainability over five different categories.

Congratulations to the winners and all those who were nominated for doing all the great work you do for sustainability.

2025 EARTH DAY SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS – Winners and Runners-up

Hellbender Award
For Leadership in Environmental Sustainability

• WINNER – Heather Navarro, Director, Midwest Climate Collaborative
• RUNNER-UP – Gay Lorberbaum, Co-founder, Building Futures

Keystone Community Activist

• WINNER – Samantha Minor, Manager of Community Partnerships, BioSTL
• RUNNER-UP – Gabi Cole, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Fit and Food Connection

Circularity in Business Award
Recognizing Sustainability in Business

• WINNER – The Refill Effect (Sarah Kim)
• RUNNER-UP – Companion Bakery

Food For Thought Award
For Green Dining Alliance Excellence

• WINNER – The Royale
• RUNNER-UP – Small Batch

Emerging Environmental Leader Award

• WINNER – Geena Richards, WashU Climate Corps
• RUNNER-UP – Annie Macheca, COO and Co-Founder, Monarch Waste Co.