Six Local Organizations Help Keep SLO County Clean!
NEWS RELEASE -- September 22, 2006
Media Contact: Aeron Arlin Genet -- 781-5998
Pollution Prevention Award Ceremony- SLO County Government Center Plaza (Monterey Street)
September 27 at 9:00 a.m.
Winners recognized by the Air Pollution Control District Pollution Prevention Week (P2) are being held across the nation from September 18 – 24, providing the opportunity for individuals, businesses and organizations to highlight and promote their P2 activities and achievements, expand current P2 efforts, and commit to new actions. On Wednesday, September 27 at 9:00 a.m. the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) will recognize six local organizations that have proactively reduced pollution to enhance the quality of the environment, the economy and our health. This year’s P2 Award winners were selected from an impressive field of over 15 community nominations. All honorees represent pollution prevention practices that range from clean energy technologies, sustainable agriculture practices, community outreach programs, waste minimization, and green building techniques and availability.
This year’s P2 winners include:
- Cayucos Lioness Club
- Central Coast Vineyard Team
- Green Goods
- San Luis Coastal Unified School District
- San Luis Sustainability Group
- William Deneenn
Please see information below for descriptions of the P2 winners’ individual efforts. The special recognition ceremony is a great opportunity to meet with the local organizations and learn more about the steps they’ve taken to preserve our natural resources and protect the air we breathe. Honoree displays are on exhibit at the SLO County Government Center through September 29.
Please join us on September 27 to recognize this year’s honorees, whose actions send the message that we can all reduce our impacts and contribute positively to clean air and the environment. APCD celebrates Pollution Prevention Week by honoring local leaders for their innovative and progressive efforts, hands-on education, preventative practices and environmentally-kind production techniques. Over the past thirteen years, more than 50 organizations in San Luis Obispo County have been honored with Pollution Prevention Awards for environmentally friendly business practices.
For more information on how to implement a Pollution Prevention Program at your home or workplace, please contact the APCD at 781-5912 or visit our website at www.slocleanair.org.
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2006 POLLUTION PREVENTION AWARD WINNERS:
Central Coast Vineyard Team: The Central Coast Vineyard Team (CCVT) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote environmentally and economically sustainable vineyard practices on the Central Coast. CCVT represents a collaborative partnership of growers, wineries, consultants, researchers and natural resource professionals. A recognized leader in “green” vineyard management methods, CCVT accomplishes its mission through educational programs and workshops that increase awareness on energy efficiency, alternatives to pesticides and other sustainable agricultural practices that benefit the environment while maintaining productivity and profitability.
Green Goods: Green Goods opened its doors in June 2005 and is a small Atascadero business that sells environmentally friendly products for the construction and operation of homes and work places. From flooring, cabinets, paints, insulation, windows and doors, products offered by Green Goods are designed to increase energy efficiency, improve indoor air quality and conserve natural resources. Green Goods also conducts workshops and provides consultation services to increase awareness of responsible building practices that reduce pollution, reduce raw material use and preserve healthy ecosystems.
Lioness Club of Cayucos: Founded in 1950 as a women’s service club, the Lioness Club of Cayucos, is receiving the first ever Pollution Prevention “Spirit Award” for their collaborative efforts to clean up pet droppings throughout their community. The group has installed 23 mutt mitt stations in Cayucos, which house biodegradable disposable bags that are used by pet-owners to pick up droppings before they reach our beaches, creeks, parks and groundwater. The Lioness Club maintains this pollution prevention practice with fund-raisers that are held throughout the year. Pet waste is more than smelly and unsightly - it is a health risk to pets, bodies of water, and people, especially children. The efforts of the Lioness Club of Cayucos to reduce pet waste help to preserve the environment and overall health of the community.
San Luis Coastal Unified School District (SLCUSD): Over the past 12 years, the SLCUSD has reduced exposure to diesel exhaust by operating twelve (12) school buses that are powered on compressed natural gasoline (CNG). Not only do these buses provide a cleaner environment for the 1800 children who ride them daily, they also reduce greenhouse gases and displace a number of vehicle miles traveled that would otherwise be generated by parents who drive their children to and from school. Children are especially susceptible to the adverse effects of air pollution, and SLCUSD’s efforts to reduce their exposure to harmful bus emissions provides long-lasting health benefits.
San Luis Sustainability Group: Since 1976, the San Luis Sustainability Group has focused on designing a variety of building types with the common thread of being environmentally friendly with regard to function, process, and composition. Their buildings range in size from small cottages of 400 square feet to large scale commercial complexes that incorporate energy efficient design techniques such as passive solar heating, passive cooling and day lighting, as well as the use of green building materials and/or integration of photovoltaic electricity generation. In addition, San Luis Sustainability Group provides planning, research and consultant services that promote building practices to better integrate human activities with the natural environment.
Mr. William Denneen: Chosen as an award recipient in the individual category for Pollution Prevention, Bill Denneen has long demonstrated environmental leadership in San Luis Obispo County through active involvement in local environmental issues and personal choices that incorporate sustainable practices in his everyday life. Mr. Denneen has inspired and educated countless individuals by conducting interpretive hikes, horse rides and bike treks throughout the Nipomo Dunes and down to Point Sal, and through numerous letters and articles on environmental topics and specific development projects. His influence extends well beyond the county borders through his ongoing efforts at his international hostel to make visitors aware of the human impacts to the natural environment and how to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. Mr. Denneen is also the founder of Citizens for a Vehicle Free Nipomo Dunes, a group whose primary mission is to eliminate motor vehicle use on Ocean Beach and the Nipomo Dunes.
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