• Awards Overview

  • The Texas Environmental Leadership Awards are a way to showcase the best and brightest leaders in environmental stewardship and recycling from around Texas. The application process is designed to gather important information about the candidate, entity, or program in a quick and efficient way in order to best evaluate and present each entry.

    Applications include an Executive Summary based on how the organization, company, or individual is helping support and further the STAR mission to advance recycling through partnerships, education, and advocacy for the benefit of Texas. (Maximum 200 words). 

    Applications will only be accepted through online submission with supporting materials, such as pictures, brochures, or links to other sites, incorporated into the online application. The responses should be clear and concise, answering all required questions and utilizing proper formatting and grammar.

    Timeline:
    Programs and events must have been initiated or actively implemented or conducted between January-December 2025.

    Individual awards are lifetime awards, and a recipient is only eligible to win once.

    Qualification and Considerations:

    • Programs or events must take place in Texas.
    • STAR members will receive an additional 5 points toward their score.
    • Duplicate applications from past years will be disqualified from the judging process.
    • Previous award winners cannot apply to the same program for the same category in consecutive years.
    • No applications will be taken via email or mail.

  • Click "Next" to learn more about the application and award process...

  • Application & Award Process

  • The Texas Environmental Leadership Awards celebrate the individuals, organizations, businesses, and programs making exceptional contributions to recycling and environmental stewardship in Texas. These awards are presented annually by STAR to recognize achievements that support our mission to advance recycling through partnerships, education, and advocacy.


    Application Process

    • Applicants may apply for any or all of the eight award categories.
    • One shared application form is used for both State and Regional consideration.
    • Applications include a 200-word Executive Summary and allow for uploading supporting materials (photos, links, brochures, etc.).
    • All entries must be submitted through the online portal.


    Award Structure

    STATE AWARDS
    The top-scoring application in each category statewide will be named a State Winner. These represent the most impactful and exemplary environmental efforts across Texas. Winners may not apply for the same award category in the following year, but may apply for other categories.

    REGIONAL RECOGNITION AWARDS
    Applications not selected as State Winners are automatically re-evaluated within their respective STAR region. The highest-scoring application per category within each of STAR’s six regions will be named as a Regional Recognition Winner. This ensures equitable recognition of local leaders whose work is regionally significant. Winners may apply again the following year and may be eligible for State recognition in the future.

    Note: The “Humanitarian of the Year” award at the regional level will be named “Volunteer of the Year” to better reflect its community-focused intent.

    CIS MYERS SUSTAINABILITY AWARD
    This distinguished honor is awarded to one applicant per year who demonstrates sustained, visionary leadership and a long-term commitment to environmental progress in Texas. This award may only be given once per calendar year at the state level.  


    Application Notes

    • Only one application per award category will be accepted. There is not a separate application for State or Regional Recognition awards; they are the same application.
    • Applicants must indicate their STAR region during submission. To find your STAR Region, please visit https://recyclingstar.org/star-regions/

    AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS FORM, YOU WILL BE ISSUED A NOMINATOR ID#. This is the number that you will use to complete the nomination forms. Submitting this form does not mean you're applying for any awards. This form is simply to indicate who you are for award notification purposes and to prevent you from having to enter your information multiple times. 

    Following submission, you will receive an email with links with the nominator ID prefilled on the award nomination. If the nominator ID is missing, you must manually enter it into the form for your nomination to be considered. Only 1 nominator per catergory per nominator ID# will be considered. Multiple applications in the same category will be disqualified.

  • Click "Next" to make your Award Application selections...

  • On this page, you will SELECT ALL awards for which you'd like to submit a nomination application. As a reminder, nominators (individuals and organizations) may only submit one nomination application per award type. Multiple submissions may result in disqualification.

  • Select all awards for which you'd like to complete a nomination application.

  • Click "Next" to provide nominator information...

  • Nominator Information

    This information is pertaining to the individual or organization that is SUBMITTING the nomination applications. If you are nominating yourself, you will provide your information again on the award-specific nomination form.
  • Format: 0000000000.

  • Once you click "Submit," you will be presented with individual award application links for the awards you selected on the previous page. Your Nominator ID will automatically be attached to these applications to save you time. If, for some reason, the Nominator ID is missing, please save it so you can enter it manually.

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