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Environmental Champions
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Choose
Environmental Excellence–Gateway Region recognizes local
environmentally pro-active companies: Boeing, SSM Health
Care and Parkway School District.
By Mike Alesandrini
In an effort to bridge the gap between those “expressing
interest” in becoming more environmentally sensitive and
those actually doing something, Choose Environmental Excellence–
Gateway Region (CEE-GR) was recently founded in St. Louis.
The group’s mission of “encouraging simple steps toward
environmental excellence” is accomplished by increasing
awareness of opportunities and resources available within
the region and by publicly recognizing the performance of
those companies that are already implementing environmentally
sensitive practices.
While CEE-GR’s primary function is the collection and dissemination
of information about environmental programs, resources and
technical/financial assistance, recognition of local environmental
champions is also a high priority. The purpose of such recognition
is twofold. First, the process draws attention to those
taking the initiative and expending the resources necessary
to take simple (or not-so-simple) steps toward environmental
excellence. Second, by recognizing those success stories,
a network of mentors has formed for those in the community
who are “interested” in learning how to become more active.
“Speaking personally, professionally and on behalf of CEE-GR’s
Board of Directors, I could not be more pleased with the
quality, as well as quantity, of nominations for this year’s
Award’s program,” notes Larry Long, director of Process
Impacts for Anheuser-Busch Inc. and first president of Choose
Environmental Excellence–Gateway Region. “It was gratifying
to have such a large pool of companies to select from our
very first year, especially given the range of efforts from
major institutional process changes to much smaller initiatives
at the individual and neighborhood levels.”
Held at the World’s Fair Pavilion in Forest Park, nearly
200 individuals gathered in early June to recognize the
inaugural class of Choose Environmental Excellence–Gateway
Region award winners. By category, those winners included:
1. Ferguson—Florissant School District
2. Flynn Park Elementary School
3. New City School—Sixth Grade
4. Parkway School District
5. Washington University School of Medicine
1. Cathy Yost
2. Barry Siegel
1. Citizens for Modern Transit
2. Ridefinders
3. SSM Health Care
4. St. Louis Teachers Recycle Center
1. City of Kirkwood – Francis Scheidigger Recycling Depository
1. Boeing – St. Louis Military Aircraft & Missiles
2. Environmental Recycling, Inc.
3. Enviro Pak, Inc.
4. Murray Print Shop
1. Bi-State Development Agency
2. Missouri Department of Transportation
3. Donohue Recycling
4. Equilon Enterprises & Laclede Venture Corp.
5. Ethyl Petroleum Additives, Inc.
6. Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc.
7. Ladue News
8. Mallinckrodt
9. Memorial Hospital
10. NaturaLawn of America
Information about all of these award winners can be found
on the CEE-GR website at www.ceegr.org. Summaries of three
of those winners’ efforts, demonstrating significant commitment
to the goal, are provided below (from CEE-GR Awards 2000
program):
1. Reduced hazardous waste by 73% between 1987 and 1999.
Reduced toxic air emissions by 81% between 1989 and 1998.
Established a target reduction of 90% for emissions, using
1989 as base.
2. Recognized for environmental efforts in energy efficiency
and waste-water treatment, including a 1999 Missouri Governor’s
Pollution Prevention Award.
3. Operates vanpools with 141 vans used by 1,000 employees
daily, reducing the number of single-occupancy vehicles
traveling each day by 850.
4. Recycled more than 10.6 million pounds of materials in
1999, including 1.4 million pounds of white paper, 1.25
million pounds of solid aluminum, 7,310 pounds of aluminum
cans and 28,000 pounds of lead.
1. Established the Preservation of the Earth (POE) committee
system in 1990 with a mandate to do what they can to preserve
the earth.
2. Recycling and energy efficiency efforts are made at all
department levels from administration to the cafeteria.
3. Paper recycled in 1999 saved an equivalent of 42 trees.
4. POE sponsored a textile-recycling project for employees.
5. Has a Clean Air Coordinator in charge of informing all
employees of air quality and providing emission-reducing
tips.
6. Recycles a variety of materials, including toner cartridges.
7. Encourages waste minimization steps such as using cloth
diapers, making double-sided copies, using small fax cover
sheets and purchasing products made with recycled content.
Saves $700,000 annually in utility costs with energy efficiency
programs that use less water, gas and electricity. Minimizes
pollution by avoiding use of electricity that would result
in byproducts of 7,439 tons of carbon dioxide, 44 tons of
sulphur dioxide and 19 tons of nitrous oxide.
On receiving the Environmental Excellence Award, Sr. Mary
Jean Ryan, FSM, president and CEO of SSM Health Care, notes,
“I am very pleased that the Environmental Excellence Award
recognizes the efforts of SSM Health Care employees throughout
our system. At each of our 20-plus entities, Preservation
of the Earth Committees have devised a host of creative
ways to champion the environment. We see this system-wide
effort as reflective of our commitment to non-violence in
all aspects of life, as well as fidelity to our mission
of being good stewards of our precious resources.”
At local, state and federal levels, the greater St. Louis
metropolitan area is well served by agencies and organizations
able to assist with technical resources and information
necessary to achieve a variety of environmental objectives.
The difficulty frequently lies in the ability of those “interested”
parties to access the right programs, information, or resources
necessary to meet their specific needs. The role of CEE-GR,
and its staff, is to help the business community and the
general public make the right connections. With a full-time
staff, active volunteer support and an interactive website,
CEE-GR provides both real and virtual assistance to address
real time questions and environmental challenges. In addition
to the awards and assistance programs, CEE-GR is developing
a formal peer-to-peer mentoring program and a speakers’
bureau.
Choose Environmental Excellence– Gateway Region is a not-for-profit
entity borne of a Missouri statewide effort to replicate
Kansas City’s Choose Environmental Excellence program. Initial
funding for development and operations was provided by the
St. Louis Jefferson Solid Waste Management District and
the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Ongoing support
will need to be generated from within the metropolitan community.
The initial Board of Directors is comprised of representatives
from the following organizations:
Anheuser-Busch Inc.
KMOV Channel 4
MERP (Mid-America Energy & Resource Partners)
Missouri Environmental Fund
Provident Counseling
St. Louis RCGA
St. Louis Jefferson Solid Waste
Management District
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Schnuck Markets, Inc.
The Fox Group
CEE-GR is not a “dues paying” membership organization. Of
the four categories of membership, only one involves financial
sponsorship. The first three are based on participation.
At the very basic level of involvement, a member can be
added to CEE-GR’s mailing list, for either electronic or
conventional mailings. At the next level, a member makes
a “pledge” to take “simple steps” to improve the environment.
The next level up includes members who pledge to take simple
steps, actually reporting outcomes, and participating in
the mentoring program. Finally, CEE-GR does welcome, and
actively solicits, contribution of time and financial support
in a sponsorship member category.
“We went to great lengths to be sure that membership is
all about participation,” emphasizes Joanie Taylor, director
of consumer affairs for Schnuck Markets, Inc. and CEE-GR
board member. “We have an opportunity to do something special
for the long-term health and well being of our region. The
most important ingredient is community participation. It
helps to have a central information source, cheerleader
and facilitator all in one.”
For details about CEE-GR, membership and program information,
contact Laura Neuman, executive director of CEE-GR at 314/772-8787
or visit the website at www.ceegr.org.
You may also contact the author at 314/444-1144 or at drini@stlrcga.org.
Mike Alesandrini is the director of Environmental Affairs
at the RCGA |
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