Ecology & Biodiversity

SSMC Board Member Georgi LaBerge is turning 90 this month, and she shows no signs of slowing down. She regularly attends workout and balance classes, goes camping and competes every year with her husband, Warren Dale, in the National World Senior Games in St. George, Utah, where they have won multiple gold medals in power walking and volleyball. Upon joining SSMC’s board in 2018, she focused on fund development, helped expand our annual Awards program and taught local students how to advocate in local government. She usually has a clever idea to add to any discussion. A native of Colorado, [...]

Watch Chiara's award video!SSMC is proud to award Chiara Luey the 2026 Youth Sustainability Award for her exceptional ability to drive ripples of impact through technical clean-energy data, local policy and global education. She does not simply advocate for a sustainable future; she engineers it through data-driven infrastructure, legislative action and a relentless passion for engaging and teaching others in her community. Integrating the 3E's of Sustainability Chiara’s portfolio of work demonstrates a rare maturity in connecting environmental goals with economic and social realities. A 12th grader at Crystal Springs Uplands school, her impact is broad: Environment and Policy: As [...]

Watch JobTrain's award video!SSMC is proud to award JobTrain a 2026 Sustainability Award for its profound commitment to the "Three E’s" of sustainability: Environment, Economic vitality and social Equity. For six decades, JobTrain has served as a cornerstone of San Mateo County, evolving from a local job-training site into a regional powerhouse of economic mobility. The Three E's in Action JobTrain recognizes that true sustainability is impossible without equity. With a client base that is 90% BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), JobTrain directly dismantles the barriers that keep underserved communities from thriving. Social Equity: By providing free, accredited [...]

Watch PPPs award video!SSMC is proud to award Peninsula Precious Plastics (PPP) a 2026 Sustainability Award for its visionary approach to circular economy principles, environmental education and community-driven manufacturing. Founded as a local Precious Plastic chapter in 2020 by local high school students determined to combat climate change, PPP has evolved into a nonprofit regional hub that proves plastic waste is not a burden, but a valuable resource. The Three E's: a Circular Blueprint PPP took inspiration and guidance from the global Precious Plastic community. By leveraging the global community's knowledge, tools and techniques, PPP has been able to address [...]

Watch Elaine's Award video!SSMC is proud to award Elaine Salinger a 2026 Sustainability Award for her extraordinary leadership as the San Mateo County Chapter Leader and Youth Mentor for Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL). Elaine has transformed climate advocacy in our region by turning passive concern into powerful, systemic political action and proving that the voices of our youth are the most potent tools we have for environmental change. Education, Engagement and Equity Elaine’s work targets the heart of sustainability by bridging the gap between scientific understanding and political action. Environment: Through over 50 interactive presentations annually, Elaine uses the MIT-developed [...]

Watch GSOC's award video!The 2026 Green Building Award, cosponsored by Sustainable San Mateo County and the San Mateo County Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, recognizes outstanding achievements in sustainable design and construction across residential, commercial, retail and civic projects. Among this year’s highly competitive entries, Genetech's Global Security Operations Center stood out for redefining what a high-performance, mission-critical facility can be. The Global Security Operations Center, occupied in August 2025, is a 12,071-square-foot security building on the Genentech South San Francisco Campus that includes various spaces to support the overall security and safety of Genentech employees. The project [...]

The Millbrae Recreation Center, recipient of the 2026 Green Building Honorable Mention cosponsored by Sustainable San Mateo County and the San Mateo County Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, is an adaptable, multi-generational, community hub built to replace the original Millbrae Community Center that was tragically lost to a fire in 2016. The Millbrae community was heavily involved throughout the conception and design processes of the project through community meetings, surveys and council and commission meetings to discuss aesthetics, functionality and budget. The jury awarded an Honorable Mention to the Millbrae Recreation Center for its strong demonstration of [...]

*****************Update as of 10/21/25: Judge Christensen has dismissed the plaintiff's constitutional right to life case, denying their request for a preliminary injunction blocking President Trump’s executive orders that direct unleashing fossil fuel energy at the expense of wind and solar. The court found it lacked the power to redress plaintiffs’ injuries. For an excellent review of the ruling, which included the judge stating in his 31-page opinion that the plaintiffs had successfully argued that climate change constitutes a "children's health emergency", read Karen Zraick's article in The New York Times, "The Kids Who Sued Trump Just Lost Big in Court. [...]

Sustainable San Mateo County recently brought together supporters for a powerful afternoon of stories and insights on one of the most urgent questions of our time: How do we inspire more people to care about sustainability and take action? We were honored to hear from two remarkable speakers who approach this challenge from different perspectives: youth leadership and storytelling. The Power of Youth – and the Adults Who Support Them Our first speaker was Kayla Ling, the 2024 winner of SSMC’s Youth Sustainability Award. Kayla spoke about the critical role that young people play in driving climate solutions, while [...]