PurBlu raised the prize money through its practice of giving back through the sale of its drinks, collecting 10 cents on each bottle of GIVE Energy. Sales of three other drink products support other charities.
The award s grand prize winner, Growth Through Energy + Community Health (GTECH) Strategies received $10,000 to launch ReFuel Pittsburgh, a social venture to expand collection efforts of wasted cooking oil for biodiesel production.
Winners of $1,000 sponsorships include Bike Pittsburgh to promote bicycling as a viable mode of alternative transportation; East Liberty Development, Inc. to support their sustainability efforts related to home efficiency; Green Building Alliance to promote the Higher Education Consortium of the Pittsburgh Climate Initiative; New Sun Rising to jumpstart renewable energy efforts in Millvale; and PennFuture for their Allegheny Goes Solar plan.
“The Pittsburgh Prize is a pilot program for us, to see what kinds of innovative projects are happening and test effectiveness, says PurBlue founder and CEO Ben Lewis, who founded the firm as a high school student in 2007. “Its our home market. Were hoping we can replicate in other markets,” including Philadelphia, next year.
Source: Ben Lewis, PurBlue
Writer: Chris OToole
