Nominate Your Environmental Hero for San Diego 2013 "Cox Conserves Heroes" Award

Nearly $20,000 in cash, in-kind donations to be awarded to local environmental nonprofits

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May 20, 2013, 12:00 ET

SAN DIEGO, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Communications, in partnership with The Trust for Public Land, is accepting nominations from the public for the 2013 "Cox Conserves Heroes" awards, which will honor local conservation efforts in San Diego County.

From May 20 through June 14, the public may nominate local volunteers who are helping to create, preserve or enhance San Diego County's shared outdoor spaces. Whether planting a community garden, organizing a beach cleanup, or teaching others about the importance of conservation, a nominee's activity must be performed on a volunteer basis and separate from one's employment.

A judging panel comprised of local civic and environmental leaders will select three finalists. From July 29 through Aug. 16, the public will be able to watch videos of the finalists online and vote for San Diego County's 2013 Cox Conserves Hero.

Nominations and voting can be submitted at www.coxconservesheroes.com.

The first-place winner will receive $5,000 to donate to a local environmental nonprofit organization of his or her choice. The benefiting nonprofit will also receive a public service announcement and promotional air time valued at $10,000, and 20 volunteer hours from Cox Communications employees.

The second- and third-place winners will receive $2,500 and $1,000 respectively to donate to their environmental nonprofit of choice.

KEY DATES:
Nominations: May 20 – June 14
Online Voting: July 29 – Aug. 16
Winner Announcement: September

The Cox Conserves Heroes program was created through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Cox Communications, to honor everyday conservationists. The program also runs in Orange County, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Arizona, Atlanta, Louisiana and Virginia. More than $280,000 has been donated to local nonprofits through the Cox Conserves Heroes program.

Past Cox Conserves Heroes in San Diego and their nonprofit of choice include: Sonya Vargas – Aquatics Adventures Science Education Foundation; John Willet – Wildcoast; Mark Jorgensen – Anza Borrego Foundation; Dakota Flowers – Living Coast Discovery Center (formerly Chula Vista Nature Center); Denise Stillinger – San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy; Isabel Herrera – Ocean Discovery Institute; and Sally Nelson –Lakeside's River Park Conservancy.

For more information, visit CoxConservesHeroes.com or find us on Facebook.

Social Media: #CoxConservesHeroes and #CoxConservesHero

About Cox Conserves

The parent company of Cox Communications, Cox Enterprises is a leading communications, media and automotive services company. Launched in 2007 by Chairman Jim Kennedy, Cox Conserves is Cox Enterprises' national sustainability program. Cox Conserves focuses on reducing waste and energy consumption, as well as conserving water. The program engages each of the company's major subsidiaries (Cox Communications, Manheim, Cox Media Group and AutoTrader.com) and encourages Cox Enterprises' 50,000 employees and their families to engage in eco-friendly practices.

About The Trust for Public Land

Founded in 1972, The Trust for Public Land is the leading nonprofit working to conserve land for people. Operating from more than 30 offices nationwide, The Trust for Public Land has protected more than three million acres from the inner city to the wilderness and helped generate more than $34 billion in public funds for conservation. Nearly ten million people live within a ten-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year.

SOURCE Cox Communications