Governor Honors Businesses and Organizations for Creating a Culture of Conservation

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Contact: Office of Communications 404-651-7774

ATLANTA– Governor Sonny Perdue today announced winners of the 2010 Conserve Georgia Awards and the 2010 Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia Awards to recognize initiatives that have produced outstanding conservation achievements.   Governor Perdue started Conserve Georgia with the goal of encouraging a statewide culture of conservation that helps preserve and sustain our natural resources for generations to come.

The Conserve Georgia Awards will recognize those helping to create a culture of conservation through energy, land, and water conservation and the promotion of recycling. The Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia Awards, meanwhile, recognize Partners, including businesses, organizations and municipalities, for excellence in leading the way to a sustainable Georgia.

  “Georgia is blessed with abundant natural resources.  It’s important to the vitality of our state that we protect these resources for the future,” said Governor Perdue. “These businesses and organizations are leading the way in creating a culture of conservation and it is my pleasure to recognize them for their accomplishments.”

 

The 2010 Conserve Georgia Award winners are as follows:

 

Energy Conservation Award

Ecolink, Inc.

(Tucker): Ecolink has reduced their energy use by 35% since taking the Governor’s Energy Challenge just one year ago. They now help others reduce their energy consumption by encouraging employees to conserve and educating other organizations.

Land Conservation Award

ChathamCountyResource Protection Commission

(Savannah): Since it was established in 2008, this Commission has developed policies which have led to the protection of almost 1,000 acres while allowing public access to these beautiful spaces that include the Whitemarsh Preserve, Ogeechee Preserve, and Pennyworth Island.

 

Natural Resource Stewardship Award

Georgia Tech

(Atlanta): Through reforestation projects, nearly waste-neutral dining halls, reducing energy use by 15% since 2007, and collecting millions of gallons of water in cisterns across the campus, Georgia Tech is taking a comprehensive approach to conservation and is a hallmark of environmental stewardship.

Recycling Award

Keep Cobb Beautiful

(Marietta): Cobb County Government extended its single-stream recycling program and now recycles 15 percent of its waste while saving the county $41,000 a year. Keep Cobb Beautiful also started battery recycling, collecting 900 pounds of batteries in just six months.

Water Conservation Award

TOTO USA

(Morrow): TOTO is leading the way in water conservation by developing more efficient plumbing fixtures, ensuring the highest levels of efficiency in their Morrow facility, and educating their employees, community and fellow businesses on water conservation.

 

The 2010 Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia Award winners are as follows:

Advocate of the Year

Design That Works

(Atlanta): Company president Linda McCullough provided significant assistance to the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia’s communications efforts while also recruiting new members to the Partnership.

Outreach and Employee Involvement Award

AtlantaRegional Commission

(Atlanta): ARC engages staff through an environmental team and by conducting environmental education at every agency staff meeting. ARC also established the “Green Communities Program,” a voluntary certification designed to help local governments in the 10-county Atlanta Region reduce their overall environmental impact.

Rising Environmental Steward Award

Ecolink, Inc.

(Tucker): In just one year, Ecolink aggressively pursued development of their Environmental Management System.  They reduced their waste to landfill by almost 30,000 pounds, and reduced over 6,000 pounds of packaging materials annually.

Rising Environmental Steward Award

ignition, Inc.

(Atlanta): In just one year, ignition reduced their energy use from lighting by 47 percent, diverted almost 28,000 pounds of waste from a landfill, and worked with clients to reduce their impacts on the environment.

 

Environmental Performance Award

John Deere

(Augusta): John Deere exceeded all of their performance commitments with nearly a 30% reduction in waste to landfill, 30% reduction in total energy use, and worked to conserve and enhance 6 acres of nesting habitat.

 

Innovation Award

UnicoiState Park

(Helen): Unicoi State Park coined the phrase “Being Green on a Dime,” and implemented several environmental programs with little or no funding that include converting old oil drums to recycling bins; installing a rainwater harvesting system made from reclaimed materials; and even using lint from their laundry to teach a fire building class.

 

Partner of the Year

TDK Corporation

(Duluth and Peachtree City): Over the past year, they have decreased their discharge of toxics to water by nearly 6%, hazardous material use by nearly 10%, energy consumption by about 10% and total water use by 27%. They also implemented an environmental purchasing program that drives sustainability into their supply chain.

 

The www.ConserveGeorgia.org website serves as an information portal with links to dozens of conservation programs that are implemented by state agencies and additional resources. For more information on the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia, visit www.GASustainability.org. 

A Culture of Conservation

The Conserve Georgia program was developed to foster a culture of conservation throughout the state of Georgia. Nine state agencies and authorities are working together with businesses, civic leaders, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and residents to make Georgia’s air, land, water, energy and wildlife resources more sustainable now and for generations to come. The program’s website – www.ConserveGeorgia.org – serves as a portal to help Georgians find information on a wide range of conservation resources and programs.

 

Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia
Free and open to any business, the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia was established by the Sustainability Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to foster environmental leadership and recognize superior environmental performance.  The Partnership offers a variety of incentives, including cost savings through increased efficiencies, potential regulatory flexibility, free technical assistance and training, and access to networking and mentoring among peers, state and local officials. For more information, visit www.GASustainability.org.

             

 

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