Ecologically-Engineered Plastic Bag Wins $5,000 Degenkolb Sustainability Challenge
Bay Localize, a Non-Profit, Receives the Prize Money
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (March 26, 2008) - Degenkolb Engineers wrote a check today for $5,000 to Bay Localize, a San Francisco Bay Area non-profit designated by the winner of the 2008 “Sustainability Challenge,” an environmentally friendly design competition.
This year’s award went to a self-employed structural engineer Kate Stillwell for designing a handbag and hat made from recycled plastic bags. She made both items by fusing together 16 plastic bags to create a sheet of stiffer plastic, then molding the fused bags into useful shapes that she finished with a zipper and handle. Stillwell’s design provides a second use for plastic bags, a product often criticized by environmental groups.
Degenkolb’s competition awards the prize money to a non-profit of the winner’s choosing. “We challenged people to reuse plastic bags creatively and reduce the demand for new ones. Among the entries we received, we were most impressed by Stillwell’s thoughtful and creative design,” said Degenkolb Engineers CEO Chris Poland.
Stillwell chose to direct the prize to Bay Localize, an Oakland-based non-profit dedicated to ecological sustainability, after her engineering firm collaborated with the organization on a sustainability study. She was inspired by Bay Localize’s purpose. “I think their work has the potential to make a big impact,” she said. “In my own life, I try to do little things to make a difference, but the most important decision I’ve made is buying a house within walking distance to everything I do.”
Last year, Degenkolb Engineers established a sustainability committee within its organization to help direct “green” operations within its practice and to develop sustainable projects for its clients. “We are committed to being a valuable asset to the communities where we work, and to the people that we serve,” said Poland.
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Established in 1940, Degenkolb Engineers is one of the nation’s leading structural engineering firms in the design and seismic strengthening of buildings. Degenkolb offers comprehensive design, rehabilitation, and consulting services to architects, building owners, hospitals, educational institutions, corporations and government agencies. The firm has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, Portland and Seattle.
Bay Localize is an Oakland-based nonprofit dedicated to regional self-reliance, ecological sustainability and social justice. The organization seeks to increase the quality of life in the Bay Area while decreasing fossil fuel use. They advocate local economies, local clean energy, and livable, walkable communities.