The East Coast ceremony for Goldman Prize winners was at the Smithsonian, right on the National Mall, and it was a great setting. We feted these heroes of grassroots environmentalism under the looming hulks of right whales and pachyderms. As each winner was presented and accepted their prizes, standing ovations echoed in the main hall. I wonder if the Hope Diamond trembled in its case.

It was great to meet so many of the OGN members that make mountaintop removal activism their life, including of course Maria Gunnoe, and Jack Spadaro, who also appeared in that issue of Orion, plus the mighty corps of Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Save Our Cumberland Mountains, and Coal River Mountain Watch organizers. Antrim Caskey, the photographer whose images graced that Orion issue was also in attendance. These folks made the most of the DC trip with plenty of lobbying and meetings thrown in at Capitol Hill, EPA, etc.

I also took the opportunity to catch up with some Environmental Capacity Builders Network friends, and got them invited to the event. Here we are at the Prize reception: Stacy Baker and Peter Lane of the Institute for Conservation Leadership, myself, and Errol Mazursky of the Environmental Leadership Program.