Cox Enterprises Announces the 2023 Cox Conserves Heroes Winners

October 20, 2023 – ATLANTA – This week, Cox Enterprises announced Dr. Shikha Bhattacharyya of Terre Haute, Indiana, and Cash Daniels of Chattanooga, Tennessee, are the 2023 Cox Conserves Heroes winners, along with the Atlanta nonprofit organization, Lifecycle Building Center (LBC). Cox Conserves Heroes is part of Cox Enterprises' national sustainability initiative, designed to recognize youth and adult volunteers, as well as nonprofits, making a positive impact on our environment.  

Driving positive environmental change — both within the company and the communities it serves — is core to business operations and culture at Cox. As a company committed to sustainability, Cox has a goal to send zero waste to landfill by 2024 and to be carbon and water neutral by 2034. 

Since 2008, Cox Conserves Heroes has honored more than 200 nationwide volunteers who helped Cox make a significant impact on sustainability and environmental protection in our communities. The 2023 Cox Conserves Heroes winners earned $30,000 each from The James M. Cox Foundation for the environmental nonprofit of their choice to continue growing the good in their communities. In total, the James M. Cox Foundation has awarded more than $95 million to environmental and conservation causes. 

Dr. Bhattacharyya was awarded the Groundbreaker Award for her commitment to raising awareness about waste and its effects on human health. She founded a nonprofit called reTHink, which maintains four community gardens, a permanent headquarters with class space, a Zero-Waste Store, and a plastic upcycling facility. The Zero-Waste Store provides eco-friendly and package-free products to the community. Dr. Bhattacharyya is an educator who also leads organizations dedicated to empowering underprivileged youth through education about gardening, climate change, and sustainable practices. 

Daniels, the Cox Conserves Heroes winner in the youth category, received the Planet Protector Award for his dedication to removing waste and cleaning the Tennessee River. Over the last seven years, the now 14-year-old worked to remove more than 30,000 pounds of trash from the river, helping improve the drinking water of more than 5 million people. He also runs a recycling program, wrote a children’s book to inspire youth to make a difference, and actively participates in environmental public policy with his local government.  

The Jim Kennedy Conservation Award, named in honor of Cox Enterprises Chairman Emeritus and Chairman of the James M. Cox Foundation, went to Lifecycle Building Center for its key role in diverting thousands of tons of building materials from the waste stream. The core of LBC is the Reuse Center & Store in Southwest Atlanta, which accepts material donations and redirects them back into the community through deeply discounted public resale and nonprofit donations. Its mission is to reduce solid waste disposal, promote resource efficiency, stimulate economic development, and empower citizens to improve their built environment. 

Second- and third-place winners in each category received $15,000 and $5,000 respectively for their nonprofits.  

Youth 
Second place: Keala Minna-Choe — San Diego 
Third place: Adrianna McLeod — Ormond Beach, Fla. 

Adult 
Second place: Michael Bechtel — Waverly, Iowa 
Third place: John Wood — Chesapeake Bay, Va.  

Nonprofit 
Second Place: Henry’s Fork Foundation — Ashton, Idaho 
Third Place: The Texas Trees Foundation — Dallas 

“Congratulations to our 2023 Cox Conserves Heroes winners and finalists. This year we saw more nominations than ever, and it’s inspiring to see so many individuals and organizations committed to making a positive impact in their communities,” said Maury Wolfe, vice president of corporate responsibility and social impact, Cox Enterprises. “All of these measurable actions add up and contribute to creating a more sustainable future for the next generation. I can’t wait to see what all these finalists continue to do for their communities and for the planet.” 

About Cox Enterprises 

Cox Enterprises is dedicated to empowering people to build a better future for the next generation. 

Cox is a leader in the broadband, automotive and media industries, while strategically investing in emerging technologies driving the future of agriculture, energy, health care, and public sector services. Its major operating subsidiaries are Cox Communications and Cox Automotive, which includes brands like Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Cox is a global company with $22 billion in annual revenues and a proud 125-year history. To learn more about Cox and its commitment to its people, planet and communities, visit coxenterprises.com.