The Environmental Initiative Awards honor innovative projects that have achieved extraordinary environmental outcomes by harnessing the power of partnership.

MEI believes that partnership is an effective way to find solutions to Minnesota's environmental problems. Many of Minnesota’s most innovative environmental projects have succeeded through collaboration, often involving partners from business, nonprofit, and government sectors. MEI established the Environmental Initiative Awards in 1994 to honor these projects and their many partners, to inspire other organizations to create similar successful projects, and to encourage innovative collaborative approaches to environmental problem solving.

Awards are given in five categories that are described here. Finalists will be announced in late March, and the award winners will be announced at the Environmental Initiative Awards dinner on May 15, 2008.