|
National Recycling Coalition Names Outstanding Recycling Programs for 2006, Awards Scholarships to Students Studying Resource Conservation
October 6, 2006 (Washington, DC) – The National Recycling Coalition (NRC) has selected eleven of the nation’s top programs and people in the recycling field to receive a 2006 NRC Annual Award. Awards will be presented during NRC’s 25th Annual Congress & Expo, the nation’s premiere conference for recycling professionals, October 22-25, 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia.
“NRC’s award winners are a diverse group, from small nonprofits to global corporations, but they all share an entrepreneurial spirit, boundless energy, and an appreciation for creativity and partnerships,” says Kate Krebs, NRC executive director. “They look at the everyday problems that waste creates and they turn them into innovative solutions that benefit society in many ways, including protecting the environment and contributing to our economy.”
The following awards will be presented during the Opening Plenary Session of the Congress & Expo at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, October 23, 2006:
Outstanding Recycling Organization: Indiana Recycling Coalition (Bloomington, Indiana). The Indiana Recycling Coalition, an NRC affiliate, launched an edgy and bold multimedia e.Scrap campaign to encourage electronics recycling.
Recycler of the Year – Lifetime Achievement: Pete Grogan (Federal Way, Washington). For thirty years, Pete Grogan has advocated for recovering more recyclables as a way of boosting environmental and financial benefits for all sectors of society.
Tim McClure Award for Outstanding Environmental and Community Leadership: Assistive Technology Exchange Network (Tinley Park, Illinois). The Assistive Technology Exchange Network provides refurbished computer equipment to Illinois K-12 students with disabilities.
Beth Brown Boettner Award for Outstanding Public Education: Denver Recycles - “ReThink Recycling” (Denver, Colorado). The City and County of Denver’s public education campaign, “ReThink Recycling. Easier Than Ever,” helped increase material collected by 24% in the first nine months of the campaign.
Outstanding Community or Government Program: Vandenberg Air Force Base (Santa Barbara County, California). Vandenberg Air Force Base has achieved a 92% recycling rate through the development of a comprehensive materials management program that emphasizes waste prevention.
Best Elected Recycling Leader: New Mexico State Senator Dede Feldman (Albuquerque, New Mexico). Senator Dede Feldman is the leading advocate for recycling in the New Mexico State Legislature, where she has sponsored creative legislation to promote recycling.
Fred Schmitt Award for Outstanding Corporate Leadership: Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. (Marysville, Ohio). Honda has achieved a 67% reduction in waste disposal and a 95% reduction in hazardous waste generation through product and production redesign, resource reduction, and reuse.
Outstanding K-12 School Program: The District School Board of Pasco County (Land O’ Lakes, Florida). The District School Board of Pasco County has one of the longest running school recycling programs in Florida and operates a variety of creative recycling programs that go beyond the traditional materials.
Outstanding College or University Program: Lane Community College (Eugene, Oregon). Lane Community College has expanded its comprehensive recycling program to include a variety of innovations, reaching a nearly 61% recycling rate and posting significant financial savings for the college.
Outstanding Recycling Innovation: Pacific Biodiesel, Inc. (Kahului, Maui, Hawaii). Every year, Pacific Biodiesel recycles over 5,500 tons of FOG (fats, oils, and grease) into fuel on Maui. Prior to the company’s start-up, there was no economically viable way to recycle this problem material.
Outstanding Market Development: EnviroGLAS Products Inc. (Plano, TX). EnviroGLAS is the only company that makes recycled glass and porcelain epoxy terrazzo countertops and rectangular tiles using materials such as crushed glass and toilets.
NRC will also present $1,000 scholarships from its National Recycling Trust Fund to four Atlanta-area students who are pursuing degrees related to resource conservation: Katherine Nixon (Environmental Studies, Emory University), Saritha Vishwanathan (Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology), Jordan Sarver (Environmental Studies, Morehouse College) and Calvin Greene, II (Environmental Studies, Morehouse College).
About the National Recycling Coalition
The National Recycling Coalition (NRC) is a 501(c)(3) membership organization of recycling professionals and advocates from every region of the country, in every sector of the waste reduction field. Local recycling coordinators, state and federal regulators, corporate environmental managers, environmental educators and advocates, and waste management professionals are all members of NRC. Founded in 1978, NRC’s objective is to eliminate waste and promote sustainable economies through advancing sound management practices for raw materials in North America. For more information, please visit www.nrc-recycle.org.
|