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The Maryland Green Registry, a Smart, Green & Growing program, has won a national award for preventing pollution by helping businesses and other organizations adopt environmentally sustainable practices.
The Green Registry received a Most Valuable Pollution Prevention (MVP2) award. The National Pollution Prevention Roundtable presented the award September 21 at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Governor Martin O’Malley created Smart, Green & Growing in 2008 to foster a smarter, greener, more sustainable future for Maryland families. The Initiative brings together state agencies, local governments, businesses and citizens to revitalize communities, improve transit, create green jobs, address climate change, conserve energy, preserve land, and restore the Chesapeake Bay.
“The Maryland Green Registry owes its success to businesses that are adopting efficient, environmentally sound practices that benefit the bottom line,” said Laura Armstrong, coordinator of the Maryland Green Registry. “The annual cumulative results demonstrate the clear economic and environmental benefits of adopting even simple measures to improve efficiency and use resources wisely.”
The Roundtable’s awards recognize outstanding and innovative pollution prevention projects and programs that demonstrate measurable results and optimization of available project resources. They are presented to help mark National Pollution Prevention Week, which was September 20 to 26, 2010.
Awards are given out for four categories. The Maryland Green Registry was honored in the project/program category. The program promotes pollution prevention through waste reduction, energy and water conservation, transportation efficiency, and other best practices. It facilitates the adoption of these practices by providing information on pollution prevention resources, including free on-site technical assistance, and by allowing organizations to share their effective environmental practices with one another. The success stories bring recognition to member organizations and inspire others to take similar steps.
Along with MDE, this year's winners for Projects/Programs were AW Chesterton, BAE Systems, IBM Burlington, IBM Fishkill, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, and the U.S. Forest Service. The Publications Award was presented to the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center for their publication, “Kentucky Forum: Carbon Sequestration through Agriculture and Forestry Management.” Dr. Tim Lindsey with the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center and Phil Kaplan, a recent retiree with U.S. EPA Region 5, took home the awards for P2 Champion. Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Andy Bray from the Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association.
“These organizations have clearly demonstrated that pollution prevention is beneficial to both the environment and the economy,” Jeffrey Burke, Executive Director of NPPR, said. “They are being recognized for their leadership and commitment to promoting a sustainable future.”
To join, visit the Maryland Green Registry website and complete a best practices profile. The registry includes checklists for best practices in the areas of: environmental management and leadership; waste reduction; energy and water conservation; transportation; and green building design. The checklists offer examples of activities to be included in the organization’s profile, as well as inspiration and ideas for future efforts.
Participating organizations may display the official Maryland Green Registry logo and share their profiles on-line to provide details of their environmental commitment.
Click here for more information on the 2010 MVP2 winners, the awards, and NPPR.
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