Dec. 12, 2000

The City of Phoenix has finished second in "The Green Oscars," otherwise known as The Nations in Bloom international environmental competition.

Winners were announced Wednesday in Washington, D.C., following oral presentations before an international panel of judges. Phoenix competed in the 1 million-plus population category, and was the top finisher among U.S. cities.

The top prize in the large-city class went to Chenzhen (pronounced Shen-gen) Special Economic Zone of the People's Republic of China.

The Phoenix Parks, Recreation and Library Department submitted a 4,000-word application on behalf of the city for the second-place finish. The competition also consisted of a slide-show, a video, the oral presentation, and a 30-minute Q&A with the judges.

Communities were judged according to how they manage their whole environment in each of the following five criteria: