The North Texas green community gathered in Dallas last month to hear inspiring stories of local environmental and sustainability advocates and applaud their achievements at the fourth annual Green Source DFW Sustainable Leadership awards, held at the Dallas Center for Architecture.

Green Source DFW is an online publication that reports on environmental issues, sustainable trends and green happenings in North Texas on its website. Green Source DFW founder and Project Manager Phillip Shinoda emceed the event that drew green folks from every spectrum, including environmental activists, renewable energy advocates, recycling professionals and sustainability educators.

The presentation began with a video featuring green leaders from the community endorsing the publication. Phillip Collins, executive director of the Memnosyne Institute, the nonprofit that launch Green Source DFW in 2011, said, “You’re the ones who make it happen.”

Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk, the cofounder of the Memnosyne Institute, thanked the crowd for their contributions and reminded them that they are all connected, even if they are working in different niches. “The work adds up and it permeates throughout the community,” she said. “Every single one of you is a different spoke on a wheel that’s moving the community forward.”

Memnosyne cofounder Joshua Frenk added that Green Source DFW could potentially reach many more people in an area as populated as DFW, inviting everyone to share it with their friends and colleagues. “What Green Source DFW needs is you,” he said. “Y’all are ones who are going to take it to the next level.”

Among those recognized for their outstanding achievements was Georgeann Moss, leader of the Dallas County Community College District’s sustainability team, who accepted the Lifetime Achievement award from last year’s winner. Margie Haley. Joan Meeks, founder of Commodity Recycling Solutions, received the award for Small Business Entrepreneur. The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas received the award for Large Business or Nonprofit Project for its Urban Water Team.

The Denton Drilling Awareness Group, a coalition that led the fight to ban fracking in Denton, won for Small Nonprofit. Sharon Wilson, Earthworks organizer and nationally recognized anti-gas drilling blogger, received the award for Nonprofit Professional. The Volunteer award went to Ben Sandifer, the watchdog who has brought attention to Great Trinity Forest and Pemberton Hill, and the importance of protecting it.

For more information, visit GreenSourceDFW.org.