Yorkshire Post Environment Awards: Shortlisted entries in full

Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate: The tea company has introduced changes to its working practices to reduce its carbon footprint. The family-owned firm plans to purchase and protect an area of Brazilian rainforest the size of Yorkshire.

Duraweld: Based in Scarborough, the stationery manufacturer pioneered the introduction of recycled materials in the industry in the mid-90s. Since 2007 it has slashed its carbon footprint by 20 per cent.

Taylors Environmental Services: This new firm set up by two brothers in Beverley aims to divert waste from landfill by collecting paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, cans, electronic and hazardous waste from small businesses for recycling. It expects to have saved 20,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions by April 2012.

Manufacturer of the Best Green Product

Acorn Briquettes: This South Yorkshire firm makes briquettes from waste sawdust and shavings for use on multi-fuel stoves, open fires, chimineas, barbecues and fire pits. The briquettes are classed as a smokeless fuel and are carbon neutral.

Ecomix: Leeds-based company Ecomix has developed a system to improve the efficiency of diesel engines and reduce carbon emissions. The EBS system can be retro-fitted to any engine and has a 25-year life span, typically improving the miles per gallon of a standard van by

60 per cent.

Econoplas: Based in Scarborough, Econoplas has pioneered a method of transforming mixed waste plastics into a drainage product which is being used in sports pitches, parks and highways around the world. Every metre produced diverts waste plastics away from landfill and so reduces harmful CO2 emissions.

Innovation

First West/North Yorkshire and First South Yorkshire: First has installed ground-breaking technology across its fleet of buses in Yorkshire that empowers drivers to reduce their vehicle's carbon footprint. GPS technology is used to detect dozens of driving movements per minute and report back to the driver how well they are driving. Each driver is now using on average 500 fewer litres

of fuel per year.

GWE Biogas: This firm's new anaerobic digestion plant, being constructed at Driffield, will provide 50,000 tonnes per annum of sustainable food waste treatment for the region's businesses and organisations. As well as diverting food waste from landfill, the plant will produce renewable heat and electricity and useful fertiliser.

Partners in Innovation: This organisation in Bradford visits schools across Yorkshire to encourage young people to be the entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers and responsible citizens of the future. It challenges them to come up with big ideas to help improve society, economy and the environment.

Community

Bishop Wilton Village Hall and Playing Association: This group of parishioners got together to raise nearly 500,000 for a multi-purpose eco-friendly public building with an array of environmental features.

Leeds University Union: The students launched a programme called Green Streets which aims to divert reusable items from landfill. The student changeover period at the end of every year creates many unwanted items, and this project helps find new homes for those items.

Settle Hydro: Shortlisted last year but now fully operational, this is Yorkshire's first community-owned hydro electricity scheme which is helping to produce clean electricity and aid the regeneration

of Settle.

Young People

5th Spen Valley Scouts: This Scout group carried out environmental surveys at their meeting place and homes, talked to their local councillor, increased recycling, helped improve the environment and produced a leaflet to encourage children to help save a tonne of carbon emissions.

Ganton Special School, Hull: This school for young people with severe learning difficulties was flooded so badly in 2007 it had to relocate for eight months. In that time, pupils formed an eco-action team and worked together to improve their environment.

The Just A.S.K. Project: A group of teenagers from Mexborough have developed their own allotment, created a compost toilet, secured funding for a chill area with solar panel, built a pond area filtered by solar power and recycled a derelict caravan for a den. They've also built a clay oven for their own pizzas.

Climate Change

BTCV: Formerly the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, it is based in Doncaster and last year launched a project to recruit an army of volunteers to carry out conservation projects to help mitigate climate change.

Groundwork: The environmental regeneration charity's Green Doctor service helps to improve energy efficiency and helps the most vulnerable save money on their fuel bills.

United Bank of Carbon: Part of Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate Trees for Life campaign which is designed to help businesses engage in rainforest protection.

Built Environment: projects over 1m

Morrisons, Halifax: Designed by Bowman Riley Architects, this is Morrisons' first supermarket in Yorkshire to get the coveted BREEAM Excellent rating. It includes CO2 sensors to adjust ventilation rates, lighting and temperature zoning and the UK's first petrol station to be lit entirely by LED.

Regional Agricultural Centre, Great Yorkshire Showground: The Yorkshire Agricultural Society's sustainable building.

Safety Central, Bramley: The West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority took the former Bramley Fire Station and refurbished it to create a safety awareness and education centre.

Built Environment: projects under 1m

The Melting Pot, Todmorden: A dilapidated stable block was turned it into a base for a small family-owned business specialising in engineering, power and renewable energy products.

Tenters, Netherton: This private house near Huddersfield was self-built by its owners with a vast array of environmental considerations.

Countryside

Studfold Explore Discover and Learn Trail: A new attraction in Upper Nidderdale designed to make young families more aware of the countryside.

Heaton Woods Trust: This trust owns and maintains a 10 hectare woodland two miles from the centre of Bradford. The trust used redundant farmland, planted thousands of trees and laid tracks to help the public enjoy nature and wildlife.

Ragged Robin Conservation Group: This collection of volunteers have dedicated one day a week for the last 10 years to help preserve the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.