(Snooth) - Next year the environment isn't the only one who will be thanking California winemakers for their commitment to sustainable winemaking.

A team of six different organizations joined together to create the California Green Medal: Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Awards (SWLA). The new program will host its first awards ceremony next year. In the meantime, the SWLA is accepting applications until January 31.

According to agricultural news outlet Western Farm Press, “more than a dozen regional winery and winegrowing association partners” are involved in the promotion of SWLA.

The awards are divided into four categories and are meant to recognize “California vineyards and wineries excelling in sustainability,” the SWLA's website said: the Leader Award, the Environment Award, the Community Award and the Business Award.

“California vineyards and wineries that participate in any sustainability program available in California are eligible to apply for up to four award categories,” according to a recent story by the Central Valley Business Journal.

Completing an application for a chance at a Green Medal is no easy task.

Entrants must be able to check one of twelve sustainability programs, or be able to provide a program included in the “Other” category.

Once a sustainability program is chosen, entrants must submit a trio of statements: a 500-word entry describing the type and nature of work pertinent to the category in which the entrant is entering, a 300-word entry describing the measurable results of the efforts and the impact of those results and a 300-word statement about the innovation and/or uniqueness present in the entrant's efforts.

Each of these statements are scored on a points system: 20 possible points for the 500-word statement, 20 possible points for the pair of 300-word essay about impact, and 10 possible points for the 300-word essay about innovation and/or uniqueness.

The trio of long-form statements is followed by 13 short-form statements in which entrants must describe their excellence in 13 different categories, including waste management, water-use efficiency and pest management.