City of Dunwoody honors Sustainability Heroes

Dunwoody, GA - April 28, 2026 - The City of Dunwoody is pleased to recognize Malte Weiland and Dunwoody United Methodist Church as recipients of the 2025 Sustainability Hero Awards. Both were recognized during Monday night's Dunwoody City Council meeting.

Initiated in 2012, the Sustainability Hero Award program celebrates exemplary individuals and organizations for their dedication, service, and leadership in sustainable practices. Nominations for the awards were open to the community, and the winners were selected by the Dunwoody Sustainability Committee.

"The Sustainability Hero Awards honor the people and organizations that lead by example," said Anne Hicks, Chair of the Dunwoody Sustainability Committee. "Malte Weiland and Dunwoody United Methodist Church demonstrate how thoughtful action, long-term commitment, and community engagement can help build a more sustainable Dunwoody."

Malte Weiland was selected as the individual recipient of the Sustainability Hero Award for modeling sustainable behavior in his everyday life and for his leadership in advancing sustainability in Dunwoody. As a sustainability professional at Siemens, Mr. Weiland helps guide long-term sustainability planning through his longtime service as a board member at the Dunwoody Nature Center, where he currently serves as chair of facilities. Mr. Weiland puts his sustainability values into practice by helping ensure that the buildings, grounds, and infrastructure at the Dunwoody Nature Center reflect strong environmental values.

"I am honored to be selected as the 2025 Sustainability Hero by the Dunwoody Sustainability Committee," Mr. Weiland said. "It has been a pleasure to support the sustainability efforts of the City through my volunteering at the Dunwoody Nature Center and Austin Elementary, and I hope to continue to advance these critical topics in the future."

Dunwoody UMC was selected as the organizational recipient of the Sustainability Hero Award for making sustainability a priority through its Environmental Stewardship Committee. The church has demonstrated a strong commitment to energy efficiency by installing rooftop solar and energy-efficient LED lights and thermostats in many rooms. In addition, Dunwoody UMC recently began composting food waste and implementing recycling during its Wednesday night supper program.

"The patient perseverance of our Environmental Stewardship Committee, under the direction of Rev. Kathy Brockman, has allowed us to make a long-term impact on our church and community," said Senior Pastor Dr. Phil Schroeder. "Few other churches of our size have ever done this in the state of Georgia, and we wanted to be able to lead the way. We hope that other houses of worship will follow suit."

The City of Dunwoody Sustainability Committee meets monthly and serves to encourage the City and the community to reduce its environmental impact by improving resource efficiency. Public education and outreach on sustainability are central to this mission.

PHOTOS: 1) Award winner Malte Weiland is pictured holding his award, flanked by members of the Dunwoody Sustainability Committee (L-R) Kristen Monta, Anne Hicks, Larry Heiman. 2) Dunwoody UMC Senior Pastor Dr. Phil Schroeder is pictured holding the award, surrounded by church members and committee members.

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For more information regarding the City of Dunwoody, please contact Jennifer Boettcher, Communications Director: 678.382.6881, email.