greenheartny-logo.JPGAward Given on Earth Day Honors Sustainable Living  Albany, N.Y. - Time is running short to get your entry or nomination in for the 2011 Greenest NYer. I LOVE NEW YORK (http://www.iloveny.com/), New York State's tourism promotion agency, and EscapeMaker.com are seeking to celebrate those individuals who are doing their part to keep the Empire State green with the second annual contest to find the "Greenest NYer" of 2011. Entries for the Greenest NYer contest must be received by midnight on April 5, 2011.  Public voting will begin April 7 online and the top three candidates will be named finalists, to be judged by a panel of expert judges.The panel will include:
  • Matt Weingarten, Executive Chef, Inside Park at St. Bart's
  • Peter Lindabury, LEED AP Consultant for the Conference Center at Lake Placid
  • Kate Sinding, senior attorney and Deputy Director of the New York urban program at the National Resource Defense Council
  • Valarie D'Elia, travel correspondent for NY1 News
  • Kaity Tsui, Greenest NYer 2010
To apply, contestants can log onto http://www.escapemaker.com/ilovenygreen and in 250 words or less tell I LOVE NEW YORK and EscapeMaker.com why they deserve the title of "Greenest NYer." To be considered, New York State residents will need to:
  • Be a striving ‘eco-extraordinaire' and demonstrate a clear passion for spreading the "green word."
  • Illustrate a commitment to and leadership in protecting the environment.
  • Describe how they've contributed to sustainable eco-practices and what they do regularly to maintain a "green spirit."
Contestants are also highly encouraged to include videos and photographs in their submissions.As the official I LOVE NEW YORK Greenest NYer, the winner will get to spend one year traveling New York State (in their free time) and experience some of its finest green/eco-tourism offerings, while using thetitle in his or her networking and work in the promotion of sustainability. In addition, EscapeMaker.com will donate $500 to the green organization of the winner's choice. (Organization must be a 501(c)3 and is subject to approval). As Greenest NYer, the winner will attend the award ceremony on April 30th, travel the state over their year-long tenure visiting New York's incredible green and natural assets, blog about their adventures as the Geenest NYer, and make occasional public appearances as their schedule allows.Last April, in recognition of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, I LOVE NEW YORK, along with EscapeMaker.com, introduced the "Greenest NYer" contest to honor individuals who are making earnest efforts to preserve the environment in their everyday lives and the lives of others. Over the past year, 2010 Greenest NYer Kaity Tsui of New York City has served as an ambassador of green travel in New York State, visiting several of the state's iconic green destinations and spreading theword on sustainable living in travel and everyday life. She recently returned from a visit to the Adirondack Park and Lake Placid area, where her stops included Lake Placid's new environmentally-designed conference center as well as the Wild Center in Tupper Lake. The Greenest NYer's experiences are documented on the "Diaries of the Greenest NYer" blog (http://www.greenheartny.wordpress.com/).For a full list of contest entry rules and regulations, visit http://www.escapemaker.com/ilovenygreen.

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About Green Heart NY In 2010, Empire State Development, which administers the I LOVE NEW YORK program, unveiled a new "green heart" in its famous I LOVE NEW YORK logo as part of an initiative that promotes green-certified restaurants and hotels, as well as the State's parks, beaches, waterways and mountains. I LOVE NEW YORK chose ten must-see iconic green travel destinations for 2010 spanning the State's 11 tourism regions. The destinations include national icons such as Niagara Falls State Park, the Catskill Scenic Trail, Adirondack Park's high peaks, and the Empire State Building.  The list also includes scenic State Parks such as Taughannock Falls and Letchworth, as well as diverse locales such as the Fire Island National Seashore, Storm King Arts Center, Waterways of the Thousand Islands, and Roosevelt Baths and Spa. Information about I LOVE NEW YORK's Green destinations can be found on the Green Heart NY Web site at www.iloveny.com/greenheart. About EscapeMaker.com EscapeMaker.com is an online guide to local hotels, B&B's, vacation rentals, events and festivals, weekend getaways and day trip destinations within a day's drive or train ride of New York City. For more information and for tickets to EscapeMaker.com's Green Getaways, Local Food & Travel Expo, on April 30th at Skylight One Hanson in Brooklyn, NY, visit http://www.escapemaker.com/travelexpo About New York State New York State features 11 beautiful vacation regions.  New York's attractions span from landmarks such as Niagara Falls, to the wine trails of Hudson Valley and treasures like the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Whether it's wide-ranging outdoor activities for the whole family like fishing, hiking and boating, culinary wonders and farm-to-table fresh foods, or the rich history and culture of one of the 13 original colonies, New York State offers diverse activities for all travelers. For more information visithttp://www.iloveny.com/. Media can find press releases and more at http://www.thebeat.iloveny.com/. Empire State Development is New York's chief economic development agency, committed to being recognized on a global scale as the economic development engine driving job growth, strategic investment and prosperity in New York State. ESD also oversees the marketing of "I LOVE NEW YORK," the State's iconic tourism brand. For more information, visit http://www.esd.ny.gov/. Contact: Lisa Willner (ESD) | lwillner@empire.state.ny.us  | 1-800-260-7313 Eric Scheffel (ESD) | escheffel@empire.state.ny.us  | 518-292-5274