The Planegger Environment Prize has an ambassador: Donor Peter von Schall-Riaucour was able to win over Astrid Pfeiffer for his heart project, which this year is endowed with 7500 euros.
Planegg
– The name Astrid Pfeiffer is inextricably linked with environmental protection and sustainability in the Würmtal, especially with the fight against compaction, traffic pollution and gravel mining.
The graduate political scientist, daughter of honorary citizen and former mayor Alfred Pfeiffer, who died in 2019, founded the local group Würmtal Nord of the Bund Naturschutz with colleagues almost four years ago.
She is also involved in the Würmtal Green Train Network.
Now she has assured donor Peter von Schall-Riaucour of her support for the Planegger Environment Prize.
"Big potential"
Pfeiffer: “I was approached because I have been active in the environmental sector for years.” She sees “great potential in the environmental award.
I said yes because I'd hate to give it away." Von Schall-Riaucour calls Pfeiffer "my ambassador" and says: "Astrid has a lot more experience and more knowledge." He hopes that her involvement will bring "greater credibility" also to reach the grown-up Planeggers.
In 2021, von Schall-Riaucour organized the environmental award for the first time under the patronage of the municipality.
First place went to the school garden AG of the Feodor-Lynen-Gymnasium.
In 2022, the fourth graders of the Planegger elementary school and the mice, hedgehog and bear groups of the Josefstift kindergarten were the most convincing with their commitment to environmental protection.
“The environmental prize has caught on with children and young people, but not with adults,” says von Schall-Riaucour.
It can't have been due to the lack of advertising.
Together with Andreas Rintzner, marketing consultant and creative director, von Schall-Riaucour developed a flyer that was distributed twice to all 6,500 households in the municipality. Advertisements were placed, the press reported and the "News from the town hall" also made the prize attentive.
Prize money increased once
Nine applications were received last year, some of which could not be considered because they did not meet the requirements.
The eleven-member jury, chaired by Schall-Riaucour, decided to pay out only 2,500 euros in prize money instead of the originally announced 5,000 euros.
That's why the environmental prize 2023 will be increased once to 7500 euros.
There will also be two environmental prizes in the future: one for children and young people and one for adults.
It had been difficult for the jury to compare the entries in the past two years.
Another new feature is that the projects submitted no longer necessarily have to be completed in the current year.
It is now also sufficient if “significant milestones” are reached.
“It is important to me that the focus is on environmental concerns and having fun doing something.
The money is just an incentive," says von Schall-Riaucour, who describes the prize as "my legacy to the Planegg community".
"I've lived here since I was a child, I feel very comfortable and I want to give something back."
Astrid Pfeiffer sees a number of ways of anchoring the environmental award better in the population.
Clubs could concentrate on regional dishes in their economies or try to minimize the ecological footprint when traveling away from youth teams, for example.
"My hope is that with help, we can make a difference."
create awareness
Marketing consultant Rintzner says about the environmental prize: "It's not just an event once a year.
We are trying to make it a Planegger institution with a permanent presence.
If it is constantly in people's minds, we create awareness.” To achieve this, the new flyer will be sent to all households before the Easter holidays.
The environmental prize is already represented on Instagram, and on April 1st a separate homepage will be activated at www.planeggerumweltpreis.de with information, photos of the past award ceremony, tips and contact details for Astrid Pfeiffer.
Von Schall-Riaucour: “Any Planegger or Martinsrieder who has an idea should dare.
Commitment and sustainability are key.”
The closing date for entries this year is October 31st.
Until then, the application documents including the project description must reach the Planegger town hall (Pasinger Straße 8, e-mail: gemeinde@planegg.de).
Mayor Hermann Nafziger is also part of the jury, as is Richard Richter, head of the environmental agency, Stefan Schaudig, manager of the municipality, and 2nd mayor Judith Grimme, as well as municipal councilors from all parliamentary groups: Angelika Lawo (gG21), Florian Zeller (FWD), Florian Großelfinger (CSU ), Hannah Betz (Greens), Felix Kempf (SPD), Philipp Pollems (PP&M) and Susanne Trenkle (FDP).
