Green Giant is taking its decades-long commitment to sustainability public in a big way – with natural, outdoor advertising displays in four major U.S. cities – to draw attention to its environmental heritage and a new initiative to recognize “green giants” in communities across the country.

Included among the displays is a giant “The Green Awards” logo made in snow that took shape Tuesday and Wednesday on the Main Office campus in Minneapolis as workers braved sub-zero temperatures to craft the environmentally friendly advertising display.

Similar outdoor displays or sculptures have appeared, or will be appearing, throughout the U.S.

• On Venice Beach in Los Angeles, a giant sand sculpture of The Green Awards logo was completed on Jan. 24.
• In Philadelphia on Jan. 31, the logo was etched into a three-story tall wall in the city’s historic district.
• In Minneapolis on Feb. 13, the logo will be created in snow and ice on a frozen Lake Calhoun in the shape of a skating rink, along with a giant-sized Green Giant snow sculpture.
• In Denver on Feb. 21, a “moss mural” of the logo will be on display in the city’s downtown.

Green advertising The brand chose the alternative approach to messaging to create some enthusiasm for its Green Awards, which are designed to recognize people who are helping their communities become better, more sustainable places.

The Green Awards program recognizes and rewards smart, green ideas. A total of $120,000 will be awarded across four categories:

• green civic leader
• green entrepreneur
• green local organizer
• green parent.

In each category, a grand prize winner will be awarded $25,000, with three runner-ups each receiving $2,500.

From Jan. 20 through March 6, people can submit their green ideas via a one-minute or shorter video, along with a 100-word or less essay about how receiving $25,000 could elevate their green initiative to the next level.

Between March 12 and 27, people can vote for the top entries, which will be judged by some of the country’s top sustainability thought leaders. Included on the board are members of 16 different environmental groups, ranging from the Rainforest Alliance to the Wilderness Society.

Sustainability heritage The Green Giant sustainability heritage includes:

• Reducing the pounds of insecticide used on sweet corn by more than 80 percent since 1980.
• Doubling sweet corn yields over the past 35 years, which allows the same amount of corn to be grown on half the land, which uses less water and fertilizer.
• Encouraging broccoli and cauliflower growers in central Mexico – through a revolving loan program – to adopt drip irrigation technology, which uses half the water of more traditional furrow irrigation.
• Switching to 100 percent recycled paperboard in its vegetable cartons.

In addition, last year Green Giant donated $200,000 to The Nature Conservancy to help improve agricultural practices in the Root River watershed in the ecologically sensitive region of southeastern Minnesota.

 Inside General Mills