SAN FRANCISCO -- During the agency's ninth yearly Environmental Awards
Ceremony in San Francisco today, U.S. E.P.A. Regional Administrator Wayne Nastri
presented plaques to over 3 dozen organizations and individuals throughout
the Pacific Southwest in recognition of their efforts to protect and preserve
the environment in 2006.
“These organizations and individuals have applied creativity,
teamwork and leadership in addressing many of the West's most sensitive and
complex environmental challenges,” Nastri said. “Thanks to their
efforts, our air, water and land will be cleaner and safer for generations to
come. The winners set an example for all of us to follow.”
The Region nine Environmental Awards plan acknowledges commitment and
significant contributions to the environment in California, Arizona, Nevada,
Hawaii, Pacific Islands and tribal lands. Thirty 8 groups and individuals
were selected from 160 nominees received this year from businesses, media, local,
government officials, tribes, environmental organizations and citizen activists.
This year's winners include singer-songwriter and Grammy award nominee Jack
Johnson with "Friends" who is being recognized for making an impact in
Hawai'i and for promoting environmentally-conscious music, enterprises and
charitable events, a Fresno, Calif.-based OK Produce, a full service wholesale
company that has become essentially “green,” and a San Francisco Bay
Area Recycling Outreach Coalition’s Stop Junk Mail campaign that motivated
in excess of half a million residents to take action to reduce unwanted mail.
The winners and basis for recognition are:
Environmental, Community, Non-profit
Robina Suwol
California Safe Schools
Toluca Lake, California
Robina Suwol founded California Safe Schools in March 1998 after a group of
grade school students walked through a cloud of pesticides as they headed to
class. Suwol’s youngest son, whose asthma had been under control,
experienced a severe asthma attack. Her research revealed that a single exposure
to herbicide Princep could cause tremors, convulsions, paralysis, and other
symptoms. California Safe Schools and Louisiana Unified District partnered to create
the 1st countrywide policy for public schools that embraced the Precautionary
Principle and Parents Right to Know regarding pesticides in schools. The policy
has become a countrywide and international model, and led to California law-- the
Healthy Schools Act 2000. California Safe Schools also sponsored AB405, which
was signed by the governor to prevent California K-12 school sites from using
experimental pesticides. Ms. Suwol continues to provide countrywide leadership as a
children’s environmental health activist.
ComputerCorps
Carson City, Nevada
ComputerCorps refurbishes, reuses and recycles computer and electronic waste
products it gains from individuals, businesses, government agencies and
community organizations. The eWaste is reconstructed into products for re-deployment
back into the community or sold in bulk for reuse. To date, ComputerCorps has
kept more then 1.6 million computer items out of landfills, which represents
in excess of four million pounds of electronic waste diverted from landfills. 7,500
computer systems have been upgraded, repaired and/or refurbished. In excess of 8,000
individuals have received equipment and/or training, along with 400
organizations and schools that have received recycled computers. ComputerCorps
also works through schools to identify needy families to provide computers at no
cost through the Every-Home-A-Classroom program.
Diane Takvorian
Environmental Health Coalition
Countrywide City, California
Diane Takvorian led efforts to remove idling and parked diesel trucks from
residential streets of Barrio Logan to reduce diesel pollution. She also worked
on the Old Town-National City Specific Project to eliminate auto body shops and
other small polluting industries from the residential core of the community.
Takvorian and her organization also worked with state legislators to pass a law
prohibiting the sale of lead-contaminated candy. In addition, she formed a
plan that teaches lead-hazard reduction to the community. She has worked with
her Mexican counterparts to clean up an abandoned lead smelting Maquiladora and
has been a leading community advocate in the debate over the need for a new
power plant along the Chula Vista Bayfront.
Lewis Greene
Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Fresno, California
Less than a year ago, Lewis Green became the director of the Fresno Chaffee Zoo
and took on the challenge of preventing loss of accreditation with the American
Zoo and Aquariums Association and possible closure. As a 1st step, with the
help of the city of Fresno, he successfully rerouted most of the zoo’s
waste stream to recycling. He also reestablished the zoo as a leader in the San
Joaquin Valley for environmental education and conservation. Recently granted $6.7
million to transform the zoo from 18 to 39 acres, Green is working to
incorporate recycled-product materials into the construction of animal habitats.
Pima Association of Governments
Environmental Planning Team
Tucson, Arizona
Pima Association of Governments’ environmental planning team is an
excellent model of building partnerships to speed the rate of environmental
protection. The team organizes and facilitates regional committees on air,
watershed, invasive species, wildlife transportation and strategic energy
planning. PAG’s Clean Cities Coalition is nationally recognized, and is
highly successful in raising awareness of the value of alternative fuels. PAG’s
Air Quality team sponsored an air quality forum on trends in the Southwest to
enhance communication on air pollution research and trends in the region. PAG is
also an integral part of watershed planning efforts in the region. In 2006, PAG
staff produced numerous GIS maps to help local planners, collected field data
for a state designated outstanding waterway, and evaluated water chemistry data
for a groundwater replenishment project, which is a vital part of the region’s
water resources portfolio. Through its stormwater management working group, PAG
and local jurisdictions completed their Fourth successful multi-media regional
outreach effort to raise public awareness of stormwater pollution issues.
Biodiesel Green Ambassadors
Lawndale, California
The Biodiesel Green Ambassadors plan is a grass-roots effort that gives
students the skills and knowledge to become active in transforming their local
and global communities. The 8-week hands-on "Green Ambassadors in-training"
biodiesel course is a collaboration with a team of mentors, teachers, community
members and experts teach biodiesel use, green fuel, green energy and ecological
practices. Students design and launch their own Web location and My Space page, make
batches of biodiesel from used cooking oil, fuel diesel vehicles with their
biodiesel, and create videos to highlight different aspects of biodiesel. At the
conclusion of the course, the students earn the "Green Ambassador"
certification for biodiesel and take their new skills into the local community
to teach their peers for the final phase of the program.
The California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative
Asian Health Services
Oakland, California
The California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, a group of public health and
environmental advocates, nail salon workers and owners, and community-based
groups, promotes the health and safety of nail salon workers, owners, and
students in California. The group proactively addresses environmental health
issues facing nail salon communities through policy advocacy, research, outreach
and education strategies. In 2006, the collaborative reviewed the U.S. E.P.A. "Design
for Environment Nail Salon Guide" and provided technical expertise on
hazardous chemicals in nail salon products. Through the Breast Cancer Fund’s
Safe Cosmetic Campaign, the collaborative was instrumental in the 2005 passage
of California’s SB 484, the Safe Cosmetic Act. This bill requires
manufacturers to disclose products containing chemicals known by the state to
cause cancer or birth defects. The collaborative meets regularly to set policies
and share knowledge, resources, and best practices to successfully guide its
work and activities. Through the collaborative’s unified collective voice,
the public’s awareness about environmental health in nail salons has
increased greatly.
Tzu Chi Foundation, U.S.A.
San Francisco, California
The Tzu Chi Foundation, an international volunteer-based organization dedicated
to environmental plans and other humanitarian work, contributed thousands of
volunteer hours in 2006 to support environmental plans and recycling. Last
year, Tzu Chi volunteers collected 750,000 pounds of recycling materials in the
San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley. The foundation also provided free
daily cardboard pickups for computer companies in Silicon Valley and weekly
recyclable newspaper pickups from Chinese newspaper agencies, resulting in the
recycling of 150 tons of cardboard and 218 tons of newspaper. Altogether, the
Tzu Chi Foundation collected 1.4 million pounds of recycling materials including
aluminum, cans, bottles, plastics, newspapers, cardboard, and metals. In 2006,
Tzu Chi volunteers also participated in the City’s Ocean Beach Clean Up,
planted trees in the Sunset district, and worked with the San Francisco Clean
City Coalition to sweep residential and commercial corridors.
Natural Resources Defense Council and Friant Water Users Authority
San Francisco, California
In September 2006, an NRDC-led coalition of conservationists and fishermen
reached an arrangement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Friant Water
Users Authority to literally bring the San Joaquin River back to life. Almost 60
years ago, the federal government built the Friant Dam on the upper San Joaquin
River, creating an agricultural cornucopia that also spelled environmental
catastrophe for the river. Most years, the San Joaquin River disappeared for 50
miles, eliminating historic salmon runs and eradicating vibrant riparian habitat.
Thanks to the leadership of the NRDC coalition, enviromentalists and
agricultural businesses managed to reach a historic accord to secure funds to
restore the nearly forgotten river. Once federal funds are available,
restoration will begin for 60 miles of dry riverbed with year-round flowing
water, reintroducing the river’s legendary salmon run, as well as
maintaining an abundant water supply certainty for the Friant area farmers.
Beautify CNMI!
Saipan, MP
Beautify CNMI! is a coalition of concerned citizens, private groups, and
government entities who work “hands on” to enhance and preserve the
natural beauty of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. With the
help of In excess of 3,000 volunteers, the coalition recently organized several
events, collectively removing over 50,000 pounds of garbage from public
properties and historic sites including Laulau Bay, the Japanese Peace Memorial,
and the beaches and roadways of Saipan. Beautify CNMI also planted In excess of 1,776
native trees and 24 flame trees, the Commonwealth's state tree, throughout
the island. Through committees, Beautify CNMI! also addresses illegal dumping,
recycling, and environmental legislation and strives to enhance public knowledge
of environmental issues. Beautify CNMI’s other plans include training
for tree planting, litter control and graffiti to mural painting with kids,
among others.
Douglas Atkins
Chartwell School
Seaside, California
Chartwell School is a K-8 school for children with dyslexia and other learning
differences. The school’s new campus, which opened in 2006 on the
reclaimed Fort Ord military base in Seaside, California is a great model of green
building innovations. The school’s solar power system will produce more
than 53 million watt-hours of renewable electricity per year, offsetting 54,000
pounds of carbon dioxide annually. This energy savings is equivalent to planting
eight acres of trees. Chartwell will also be the 1st school in the country to
achieve the U.S. Green Building Council Platinum rating for Leadership in
Environmental and Energy Design, and is an international model for future green
buildings and schools. The Chartwell School is currently being used as an
example for those competing in the Lifecycle Building Challenge, a Countrywide
competition for green building ideas, policies, tools, and designs.
Jack Johnson and Friends
Kokua Hawai'i Foundation
Haleiwa, HI
Singer-songwriter and Grammy award nominee Jack Johnson with "Friends"
made an incredible impact in Hawai'i and worldwide during 2006 for promoting
environmentally-conscious music, enterprises and charitable events. Jack Jackson
and his wife, Kim, founded the Kokua Hawai'i Foundation, a non-profit
organization that supports environmental education programs in Hawai'i. All
proceeds from the foundation's yearly Earth Day Kokua Festival at the
Waikiki Shell in Honolulu are used to further support and expand school
recycling in Hawai'i, sponsor environmental curricula and field trips. Jack
Johnson adapted the classic children's song, "Three is a Magic Number,"
and reinterpreted the song as "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" for a call to
protect the environment as part of the music soundtrack to the animated film "Curious
George" released last year. As part of the "One Percent for the Planet"
program, the record company donated to environmental education a portion of
proceeds from In excess of one million copies sold of the soundtrack.
Federal, Tribal, State or Local Government
Robert Kard and Randy Ballard
The Maricopa Co. Air Quality Department Enforcement Division
Phoenix, Arizona
Bob Kard and Randy Ballard have led a remarkable air enforcement plan in
Arizona. In 2006, Arizona’s Maricopa Co. Air Quality Department
Enforcement Division negotiated a record $3.7 million in penalties as part of a
revamped effort to not only reduce but prevent air pollution in one of the
country’s most rapidly developing regions. The division also made an
effort to incorporate supplemental environmental plans into more of its
enforcement settlements, providing the regulated community the opportunity to
offset fines by investing in plans that benefit local communities and the
environment. Last year, the enforcement division also achieved the authority to
negotiate Title V, non-Title V, dust, and asbestos cases. Additionally, the
division began incorporating training opportunities into environmental
settlements as a way to conduct outreach to the regulated community and,
hopefully, prevent air pollution in the future.
City of West Hollywood
Mayor John Heilman
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood -- urbanized, densly populated and home to some of the most
popular restaurants, night clubs, and hotels in the world – has put in
place an innovative plan to recycle restaurant food waste. In the 1st year,
half of West Hollywood’s 220 restaurants participated in the program,
recycling 80 percent of waste generated. West Hollywood overcame enormous
challenges and established an affordable, feasible commercial waste plan for
the city’s business community, which creates about 20 percent of the city’s
waste. The city worked with its trash hauler and identified restaurants with a
preponderance of food. The hauler created a “restaurant route” where
trash bins are picked up and taken to a materials recovery facility for sorting
and noncompostable materials are removed. Recyclable glass, plastic and metal
are recovered and the remaining material is taken to California Biomass in
Victorville to be composted. The finished compost is used as agricultural cover
that reduces water and chemical use-- important goals for this water-hungry
region.
Oscar Romo, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Clay Phillips, California Resources Agency-State Parks
Imperial Beach, California
Oscar Romo of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and Clay
Phillips of California State Parks are a visionary team addressing issues facing
the Tijuana River Countrywide Estuarine Research Reserve. Romo worked with Mexican
authorities, organized classes, provided technical information, solicited in-kind
support, and streamlined activities to reduce negative impacts to the reserve.
Phillips is a spokesperson, convener of stakeholders and a voice for progress
toward the same goal. Their combined efforts focused on 3 Tijuana canyons
that drain into the reserve. With backing from the Coastal Conservancy and the
EPA, the duo, with community, nonprofit, and agency partners, identified over $2
million in plans to protect the reserve and establish an integrated plan
in the U.S. and Mexico. Romo and Phillips were able to showcase these plans
at the recent California Biodiversity Council meeting and location tour in San Diego
and Tijuana. Impressed with their groundbreaking work, many participating
agencies pledged support in 2007.
Pollution Prevention Team
Naval Base Ventura Co.
Point Mugu, California
The Naval Base Ventura Co. Complex includes facilities at Point Mugu, Port
Hueneme and San Nicolas Island. 3 separate commands make up the Pollution
Prevention Team that continues to make tremendous strides. Some examples: a
biodiesel plant is under development to produce up to a million gallons per year
and is being tested in the National Park Service, Navy, and Ventura Co.
vehicles and boats. A large scale powder coating system has reduced paint and
solvent usage and disposal by 80 percent, energy reduction strategies have
reduced energy consumption by 47 percent since 1985, and a risk-based assessment
has been conducted on all large electrical devices to ensure spill prevention
and control measures are in place. A plan review board ensures all Navy
plans are reviewed for environmental impacts and pollution prevention and
many eductation, outreach and partnering initiatives have been implemented.
Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group Plan Managers
Karin North, Environmental Compliance Group
Palo Alto, California
Jennifer Jackson, East Bay Municipal Utility District
Oakland, California
In May 2006, the Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group Pharmaceuticals Committee
piloted a Bay Area collection event for residential pharmaceutical waste.
Concerned that waste drugs were detected in effluent from wastewater treatment
plants, and in water, sediment, and biota in San Francisco Bay, the group
coordinated this pilot plan with 17 agencies managing the collection event
details, including location, staffing, and pharmacist participation and
documentation of controlled substances. Agencies and nonprofits including: San
Francisco Department of the Environment and Save-The-Bay, worked with Walgreen’s
Corporation to contribute In excess of 1,980 staff hours in 38 collection events.
In excess of 1,500 residents disposed of 3,634 pounds of pharmaceutical waste at 39
locations throughout the Bay Area. Publicity and media outreach were coordinated
regionally and included: a dedicated Web site, newspaper ads, In excess of 215,000
direct mailings, In excess of 30,000 flyers distributed, 320 transit ads, and radio
public service ads.
Jack Peterson
Arizona Department of Agriculture
Phoenix, Arizona
and
Ing. Jose Lionel Camalich Lagarda
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Jose Camalich, Food Safety and Plant Health Director for the Secretaria de
Agriculturia,Ganaderia, Recursos Hidraulicos, Pesca Y Acuaculturia and Jack
Peterson, the Arizona Department of Agriculture’s associate director of
the Environmental Services Branch, organized a pesticide collection event for
the growers of Yuma County, Arizona. In coordination with the E.P.A. and part the
larger Border 2012 pesticide collection program, the Plan included the
adjacent agricultural area of San Luis, in Sonora, Mexico. The Plan collected
over 70,000 pounds of waste pesticides in the Arizona-Sonora border area.
Working directly with growers, local agriculture officials and industry
representatives, Legarda and Peterson introduced this opportunity for pesticide
stewardship in the Yuma agricultural community. Growers were allowed to bring
any unwanted or obsolete pesticides in for proper disposal. Jack identified a
location in Yuma to hold the event, while Jose identified a location in San Luis.
Both publicized the events, developed a registration form that could be used for
both collection events and conducted crucial pre-registration process for
participants. Pesticides collected were either cancelled or severely-restricted.
Many of the waste pesticides collected had not been stored properly, packaging
had degraded, and children were playing in or near some of the waste piles.
Since the collection event, Jose has kept the issue of collection of waste
pesticides on the forefront in Mexico. As a direct result of the project, Mexico’s
environmental officials have asked each local plant health official to inventory
their growers to determine the extent of waste pesticides held on farms
throughout the country.
Paula Stigler and Lenore Volturno, Pala Band of Mission Indians
Javier Ceseña, Mike Wilken and Horacio Gonzales Moncada of the Native
Cultures Institute of Baja California
Kathleen Coates Hedberg, Aqualink Water System
Hiram Sarabia, JA JAN Coalition
Pala, California
Thanks to an extraordinary partnership among Mexican and U.S. tribes, grassroots
organizations, government agencies and volunteers, indigenous communities in
Baja California, Mexico have much-improved drinking water. Following a 2005
assessment revealing severe water contamination in these rural, indigenous
communities, the Native Cultures Institute of Baja California sought funds for
drinking water infrastructure enhancements in the communities. The E.P.A. Border
2012 plan provided $66,000 and Mexico provided $900,000 to construct new
drinking water wells and water distributions systems in San Antonio Necua and
San Jose de la Zorra. With additional E.P.A. Border 2012 funds, the Pala Band of
Mission Indians is coordinating the participation of U.S. tribes and local water
agencies in Baja California to train communities on how to properly operate and
maintain the new water systems -- protecting public health of the people for
many years to come.
Kathryn Fergus and Chester Sergent
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
Las Vegas, Nevada
In the fastest growing state in the country, southern and northern Nevada
recycling coordinators Kathryn Fergus and Chester Sergent have made huge strides
in increasing Nevada’s recycling rates. In 2005, the pair’s efforts
resulted in the recycling of In excess of 900,000 tons of municipal solid waste --
an increase of In excess of 22 percent from the previous year. In 2006, Fergus and
Sergent coordinated 3 electronic waste recycling events and a Christmas tree
recycling event to divert approximately 50,000 pounds of electronics and 10,187
trees from landfills. The pair also released a recycling guide for businesses
and public agencies and revamped Nevada’s recycling Web site.
David Assmann
Bay Area Recycling Outreach Coalition
San Francisco, California
Nationwide, In excess of 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water are used
annually to produce junk mail. In 2006, Bay Area Recycling Outreach Coalition’s
Stop Junk Mail campaign motivated In excess of half a million residents to take
action to reduce unwanted mail. By pooling outreach funds, the unique coalition
of 110 cities and counties in the Bay Area produced and funded a highly
effective media campaign with radio spots heard In excess of 8 million times by
Bay Area residents in the campaign’s 1st month. The ads encouraged Bay
Area residents to download the stop junkmail kit from the coalition’s Web
site, stopjunkmail.org, or order the kit by phone. In 2006, over 672,000 Bay
Area residents visited the Web location and the hotline received over 3,400 calls.
Ken Norton & Forest Blake
Hoopa Valley Tribe E.P.A.
Hoopa, California
Under the guidance of environmental director Ken Norton, the Hoopa Valley Tribe
E.P.A. expanded its water quality plan and joined
the Klamath Basin Water Quality work group. The agency also developed an air
quality plan that established air quality monitoring stations throughout the
reservation. Ken also made it a point to reach out to the community on
environmental matters, whether by conducting radio interviews or participating
in school programs including the yearly elementary school “Save the Salmon”
presentations. Forest Blake, a water quality planner for the Hoopa Valley Tribe,
individually designed an innovative winch and pulley system that made open dump
cleanups safer and more economical. The system, called the “Blake
Apparatus,” has enabled Hoopa Tribal E.P.A. crews to cleanup up four large open
dumps on a dangerously-sloped hillside and resulted in the removal of 44 tons of
trash, appliances, and scrap metal from the reservation. Forest and the Hoopa
Valley E.P.A. have shared the design of this innovative tool with neighboring
tribes that also struggle with costly illegal dumping on steep slopes and
riverbanks.
The Yurok Tribe Environmental Plan
Klamath, California
The Yurok Tribe Environmental Plan produced environmental results, built
partnerships, and developed innovative techniques to protect water, air, land,
and cultural resources throughout the Klamath Basin. The Plan formed a five-tribe
partnership to study water quality and established the 1st and most extensive
network of consistent real-time water quality monitoring stations in the Klamath
Basin. In less than 2 years, the tribe also advanced its air quality
monitoring Plan to the point where real-time air quality advisories and
health warnings are issued during wildfires. The Yurok tribe also made progress
in enforcing against illegal dumps and formed a cultural resources Plan to
conduct surveys that link the river's health to the health and culture of
its people.
Lesley Clark
University of California
Oakland, California
Thanks to the leadership of Lesley Clark, the University of California recently
integrated environmentally preferable purchasing requirements and requirements into
its contracts, which will affect $1.3 to $2 billion in University purchases over
the next 5 years. Recent contracts for environmentally-friendly office
supplies, computing equipment, janitorial supplies, furniture, carpet, organic
food and food disposables, lab supplies, and travel have accounted for
$900 million in spending. In addition, the university’s commitment to
Green Building has resulted in 76 LEED registered plans resulting in dramatic
energy efficiency, recycled-content product usage, and locally-produced building
materials. The University of California has shared their environmentally-preferable
purchasing expertise through its yearly Sustainability Conference and by working
with other colleges and universities across the country.
Mervin Yoyetewa
Village of Mishongnovi
2nd Mesa, Arizona
Early in 2006, Mervin Yoyetewa became the Community Services Administrator for
the Village of Mishongnovi, located atop 2nd Mesa on the Hopi Indian
Reservation. For generations, villagers disposed of wastewater by tossing
buckets and pans of wastewater from the mesa’s edge. Over time, this
practice created a significant environmental and human health hazard. Mervin
promoted and provided matching funds that enabled the installation of a new
disposal system, which now carries wastewater directly to the village’s
wastewater treatment facility. To preserve the architectural heritage of the
ancient village, a rock retaining wall fashioned from native rock by traditional
Hopi stone masons supports the new disposal system. Yoyetewa successfully
improved the health and safety of his home village while honoring traditional
ways of life that are centuries old.
Individual
Dennis Washburn
Mayor, City of Calabasas
Calabasas, California
Over the last twenty years, Mayor Dennis Washburn of Calabasas, California has
served in numerous leadership positions and community roles to promote
environmental protection and stewardship in the greater Los Angeles area. As
mayor, he is leading the effort to construct a gold LEED certified Civic Center
in Calabasas with an adjacent 15-acre park and trailhead system. His energy and
leadership on multiple local and environmental councils have resulted in
numerous restoration projects, including the restoration of Malibu Creek and Las
Vigenes in the Santa Monica Mountains Countrywide Recreation Area. He also played a
pivotal role in the acquisition of the 5,500-acre Ahmanson Ranch, the 600-acre
Gillette Ranch, and the 360+ acres at the National Park Service’s
Paramount Ranch, all of which became parklands and open spaces that now benefit
the Southern California public.
Linda Nimer
Wawona Middle School
Fresno, California
Through her vision and perserverance, Linda Nimer cultivated environmental
awareness and action, not only in her classroom, but throughout Wawona Middle
School and the city of Fresno. In order to develop a comprehensive recycling
Project for her school and a curriculum to teach her special education students how
to be environmental stewards, Nimer applied for and received a $10,000 grant
from British Petroleum and used the grant to initiate one of the 1st school
recycling programs in Fresno. Under her direction, the Plan began in the
classroom, where special education students developed a traveling puppet shows
to teach elementary students and others about recycling. Because of her
inspirational work in integrating recycling into everyday activities at Wawona
Middle School, the city of Fresno’s Recycling Plan now looks to Nimer’s
classroom and school as a pilot for future programs.
Chris Larson
Mattole Restoration Council
Petrolia, California
Chris Larson, executive director of the Mattole Restoration Council, has led the
council’s staff of 29 in a multitude of plans to enhance water quality,
forest health, and habitat for threatened salmon and steelhead in northwestern
California’s rugged Mattole River watershed. Over the past 7 years,
Larson directed a highly successful Plan to reduce soil erosion from poorly
designed roads and logging operations, working with 460 landowners and 8
state and federal agencies to stabilize In excess of 800,000 cubic yards of
sediment at In excess of 1,000 sites. The Plan also created incentives for low-impact
forestry, organized the planting of 48,000 trees and the removal of twelve acres of
invasive plants, and removed 9 salmon migration barriers, restoring 4.75
miles of high-quality habitat. Thanks to this effort, voluntary water quality
compliance has become widespread among large and small timber owners in the
watershed.
Ray Carroll
Tucson, Arizona
Pima County, Arizona Supervisor Ray Carroll has been the inspiration and
mainstay for the Sonoran Desert Conservation Project and its implementation. He
supported a Co. Transfer of Development Rights program, and the county’s
2004 Bond measure, which authorized $174.3 million for open space acquisitions.
This enabled the Co. to acquire In excess of 25,000 acres in 2 years,
including land with the endangered Pima Pineapple Cactus, and wildlife corridors
that run from the Santa Rita Mountains to the Santa Cruz River.
Dr. Ruihong Zhang
University of California Davis
Davis, California
The University of California at Davis’s Dr. Ruihong Zhang may be the
Thomas Edison of trash. She worked for years as part of the Davis Biogas Energy
Plan to develop a system that converts up to 8 tons of food waste, yard
waste, manure, and rice straw per day into compost, C02, and enough methane to
generate power for 80 homes. Dr. Zhang’s “Anaerobic Phased Solids
Digester” is an innovation that can help local communities worldwide
simultaneously reduce solid waste AND greenhouse gas emissions that contribute
to global warming. The new system is already working at the Davis Biogas
facility, thanks to a public-private partnership between UC Davis and Onsite
Power Systems Incorporated The potential is huge -- in California alone, 5 million
tons of food scraps are dumped in landfills each year.
Laurie Bauer, RN, MPH
Ravenswood City School District
East Palo Alto, California
Laurie Bauer, RN, a nurse for the Ravenswood City School District in East Palo
Alto, has worked tirelessly since 2002 to enhance the health of the district’s
In excess of 4,500 students -- especially those with asthma, who frequently miss
school and are at increased risk of asthma attacks. With backing from an E.P.A.
Tools for Schools grant, Laurie developed a district-wide Plan to identify
and assess the agents of asthma in schools, and provide asthma education to
students and families. She led indoor air quality assessments of schools and
conducted asthma classes for district staff, parents and students to enhance
indoor air quality. She chaired the East Palo Alto Asthma Task Force and led the
development of a strategic Project for addressing asthma in children. Bauer’s
collaborative efforts with medical providers, government, community
organizations, parents and funders have created healthier school environments
for children in the district.
Frank Mitloehner
University of California at Davis, Department of Animal Science
Davis, California
California’s San Joaquin Valley has 3.5 million people, In excess of a
million dairy cows, and some of the nation’s worst smog. While dairy
products are the state’s most valuable agricultural commodity, dairies are
the biggest contributor to the valley’s ozone problem. UC Davis’s Dr.
Frank Mitloehner has worked to identify how dairies contribute to air pollution,
and help dairy owners reduce emissions through practical control measures. He
created an air quality curriculum for the state’s Dairy Quality Assurance
Plan and used it in 20 workshops attended by 800 California dairy operators –
60 percent of the total. He helped develop the EPA’s Countrywide consent
arrangement with the livestock industry on air emissions, and co-authored the EPA’s
dairy air emission measurement protocol. His work has helped the dairy industry,
government, and community and environmental groups work together to enhance air
quality.
Enrique Villegas of the Secretariat for Environmental Protection
State of Baja California, Mexico
Enrique Villegas of Baja California’s Secretariat for Environmental
Protection has been an exceptional leader and partner in the Border 2012: U.S./Mexico
Environmental Program. Enrique has leveraged resources to complete a number of
plans with significant and measurable results, including cleanup of an
abandoned (U.S.-owned) hazardous waste location in Tijuana, removal of 2,500 tons of
hazardous waste, the removal of 1.8 million tires from 2 of the biggest
abandoned tire piles along the border, transfer and operation of the Baja
California Air Quality Monitoring Network, and development of an unprecedented,
real-time air quality website. As a leader in the California/Baja California
regional workgroup, Villegas has kept Border 2012 task forces and plans
focused on measurable results that have brought significant environmental
enhancements for California and Baja California residents.
Business, Industry, Trade and Professional Organizations
Jack Groh
Countrywide Football League
Warwick, Rhode Island
As Plan Director for the Countrywide Football League's Environmental Program,
Jack Groh has taken the environmental message to millions of people across the
country. By working with sports fans, he has been slowly but surely converting
many to the need and value of good stewardship. For years, Groh has worked to
green the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl. It started with just recycling, but in
recent years has expanded to include addressing the carbon footprint of these
large sporting events. Through a combination of renewable energy purchases and
tree planting, Groh has made the last 2 Super Bowls and this year's Pro
Bowl carbon neutral events. He always involves the local community in these
Plan and has worked literally hand-in-hand with the Boys and Girls Clubs of
many cities, and in particular has worked sorting recyclable materials at the
past 2 Pro Bowls.
OK Produce
Fresno, California
OK Produce, a full service wholesale company located in Fresno, Calif., has
moved on many fronts to become more efficient and essentially “green.”
With one of the biggest solar power systems in California’s Central Valley,
OK Produce has generated over one million kilowatt hours of energy and prevented
334 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere, the
equivalent of planting 94 acres of forest. The company also has energy-saving “cool
roofs,” light fixtures with motion sensors, hybrid cars for its sales
representatives, and biodiesel tractor trailers. OK sends all of its plastic
materials, cardboard, wood pallets, and paper to local recycling facilities and
composts all damaged produce at a local green waste facility. To benefit the
local community, OK has also planted 50 trees around downtown Fresno and donated
to Tree Fresno, a local organization committed to promoting environmental
stewardship.
The Boeing Company
Mesa, Arizona
The Boeing Company in Mesa, Arizona maintains a robust pollution prevention
program. For the last five years Boeing has implemented plans that resulted in
significant air emissions reductions, including: reducing volatile organic
compound emissions by 66 percent, a 93 percent reduction in hazardous air
pollutants, and an 8,000 pound reduction of emissions by using pre-saturated
solvent wipers. Although production increased at the facility, actual emissions
decreased due to the implemented emission reduction initiatives. Boeing also
introduced a “P2 Shop Floor Deep Dive” process -- an aggressive
method of searching for pollution reduction opportunities in manufacturing areas.
Boeing Mesa is also the 1st military location within Boeing to start a Design for
the Environment Plan by providing training and tools to engineers on-site.
The successful result was the creation of a class, on-line tools, and life-cycle
matrix analysis of environmental impacts.
PG&E, CleanAir Transport, and Quality Terminal Services
Port of Oakland Clean Vehicle Partnership
San Francisco, California
The Port of Oakland Clean Vehicle Partnership, Pacific Gas and Electric,
CleanAir Transport, and Quality Terminal Services have teamed up to reduce on-road
diesel truck emissions from the country’s 4th busiest container port.
By replacing aging diesel trucks with cleaner burning natural-gas vehicles, the
partnership has effectively reduced the environmental and health impacts of the
port on the West Oakland community. Natural gas trucks are up to 2 times
cleaner than diesel trucks, and they emit zero diesel particulate matter, which
is a carcinogen. Each of the 11 vehicles burns no petroleum, saving about 5,000
gallons of diesel fuel each year.
Eiko Risch
Ricoh Electronics, Incorporated
Tustin, California
Orange County, Calif-based Ricoh Electronics, Inc., is one of the world’s
biggest manufacturers of office automation equipment, thermal media and imaging
materials. Last year, the company achieved the goal of zero waste to landfill,
or 100 percent resource recovery. In doing that, Ricoh reduced solid waste by 2,514
tons, saving the company $1.7 million. Ricoh’s 1,219 employees are
partners in the company’s environmental efforts. Each year, Ricoh gives
Environmental Excellence Awards for employees’ ideas that reduce
environmental impacts and costs. Examples from 2006 include, replacing
disposable silicon mixing and testing cups with reusable beakers, installing new
boiler controls to conserve energy that saved $17,000 a year, and converting
In excess of 2,000 tons of paper waste to specialized mulch. In addition, Ricoh
staff are spreading the techniques of becoming a zero waste business to their
suppliers.
For the complete list of winners, visit:
http://www.epa.gov/region09/awards