Sparkplug Award, 2007 Recipient: Gary Cohen

Gary Cohen, executive director of Environmental Health Fund and Health Care Without Harm in Boston is the second recipient of the Frank Hatch Award for Enlightened Public Service.

Mr. Cohen plans to use the award to advance the work at several of the organizations with which he is associated, including Health Care Without Harm and the Environmental Health Fund.  In addition, the new startup firm Green Harvest Technologies, which is designed to create a market for plant-based plastics, will receive some assistance through the award.

“We are awakening to the reality that it is getting harder to support healthy people on a sick planet. We are also realizing there is no conflict between the environment and the economy – in fact, the economy of the 21st century needs to be a green economy,” Mr. Cohen said. “Over the next decade, we will need to transition from a petro-chemically based economy to one that is based on green chemistry, sustainable agriculture and global consciousness. I am happy to be a part of this life affirming transformation.”