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Corporate and Community Partnerships Watershed Education Strategies. Alyssa Hawkins Claire Hayes Chris Boehle Director Director Environmental Engineer
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Corporate and Community PartnershipsWatershed Education Strategies Alyssa HawkinsClaire Hayes Chris Boehle Director Director Environmental Engineer Earth Force Dunwoody Nature Center General Motors
Corporate – Community Partnerships • Education and Outreach Initiatives • Community Partnerships • GREEN Program Overview • GREEN Program Structure • Local Programs • Program Development
Corporate – Community Partnerships • Mutually beneficial programs • An opportunity for corporations to meet real community needs • Programs that give corporations clear channels to contribute to the local communities they work in • Relationships that go beyond financial support
Corporate – Community Partnerships • Advances the corporate mission • Increases employee satisfaction • Supports local educators • Watershed protection requires watershed partnerships
GM Environmental Principles • We are committed to actions to restore and preserve the environment. • We are committed to reducing waste and pollutants, conserving resources, and recycling materials at every stage of the product life cycle. • We will continue to participate actively in educating the public regarding environmental conservation. • We will continue to pursue vigorously the development and implementation of technologies for minimizing pollutant emissions. • We will continue to work with all governmental entities for the development of technically sound and financially responsible environmental laws and regulations. • We will continually assess the impact of our plants and products on the environment and the communities in which we live and operate with a goal of continuous improvement.
GM Environmental Milestones • 1989 GREEN Program Initiation • 1991 Environmental Principles • 1994 Waste Wise Partnership • 1995 Climate Wise (RCPP) • 1998 ISO 14001 • Supplier Environmental Advisory Team • Greening the Supply Chain (Saturn) • 2000 Design for the Environment • 2001 Supplier Communication • Environmental Statement of Requirements • 2002 Supplier Partnership • 2003 Global EMS • 2004 Waste Wise Hall of Fame • 2005 Global Automotive Declarable Substance List
EMS Achievements • ISO 14000 Facility Certification (98.8%)
Earth Force Mission Earth Force engages young people as active citizens who improve the environment and their communities now and in the future.
Earth Force • Six Step Community Action and Problem Solving Process • Key: Educator Support • 8 Field Offices, 22 Local Partners
Earth Force Among Earth Force students 74% report an increase in the skills needed to effect changes in their community. 78% report a better understanding of environmental issues. 76% report that their Earth Force experience makes them want to learn more.
Dunwoody Nature Center Improve, and preserve twenty-two acres of DeKalb County’s Dunwoody Park as a natural classroom for environmental education.
Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School seeks to provide a superior program that encourages intellectual, social, spiritual, and physical growth. The School emphasizes learning as a lifelong process and strives to accommodate the individual learning styles of students. The religious program provides knowledge of Christian teaching while fostering respect for and understanding of other beliefs. Environmental Sciences Education • Long Island Creek • 4 years of sampling with Adopt-a-Stream program
Identifying Your Community • What is a Community? • People, places, shared ideas, common heritage… • Who makes up your community? • Your family members, your co-workers, your neighbors… • Where is your community? • Your neighborhood, your church, your watershed…
GM Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economics (CERES) Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) World Environmental Center (WEC) Nature Conservancy Global Rivers Environmental Education Network (GREEN) Earth Force Community Action and Problem Solving (CAPS) Earth Force After School (EFAS) Michigan Civics Initiative DNC Boyscouts/Girlscouts Seasonal Camps and Classes Adult Lectures School Field Trips Community Involvement
GM Education Development • Curriculum • Weekly Reader, Keystone, Jr Achievement • Classrooms • World in Motion, GREEN, Pre-College Engineering Program • Tours • SPACE Exhibit, Technology Tour • Competitions • MathCounts, Challenge X, DOE Science Bowl
DNC Education Development DNC’s educational philosophyincludes: • Opening eyes and minds to the beauty of nature • Providing information about the plants and animals native to Dunwoody • Exploring the relationships among all inhabitants of the area, and the impact human activities have on the environment • Training children to be “backyard naturalists” • Providing educational experiences that appeal to different learning styles
GREENGlobal Rivers Environmental Education Network Citizens can and SHOULD play an active role in watershed protection Dr. William B. Stapp
GREEN Structure Community & Corporate Volunteers Educators and Students Earth Force Local Environmental Partner
GREEN Development Partnerships • Regulatory Agencies • EPA • GA DNR • Professional Societies • American Society of Civil Engineers • National Society of Professional Engineers • Certified Hazardous Materials Managers • Educational Institutions
Georgia GREEN Structure GM Doraville Holy Innocents Episcopal School Earth Force Dunwoody Nature Center
P2AD Partnership • White Level Partner Any organization may participate as a White Level Partner. These Partners promote and support the goals of the Program by providing training, consultation or other services to Partners. White Level Partners include organizations such as community groups, trade associations, citizen advisory panels, environmental organizations and consultancies. • Yellow Level Partner The Yellow Level is the entry point for most applicants to the program, and Partners at this level are just beginning to develop proactive environmental policies, procedures and educational efforts. • Red Level Partner Red Level Partners already are putting their programs in place. These Partners are proactively involved in pollution prevention and cost-saving strategies and are actively integrating environmental stewardship into their daily business operations. • Blue Level Partner A Blue Level Partner has reached the highest achievement level and is a model environmental leader. Blue Level Partner programs integrate robust pollution prevention efforts, community outreach. Companies that are already enrolled in the National Environmental Performance Track program may complete an abbreviated Partnership application for the Blue Level. Membership at the Blue Level is unlimited in years, but organizations must demonstrate continual improvement.
GREEN and General Motors • Nationwide in 2005 • 58 General Motors Facilities • 24 Communities, 12 States, 1 Province • 312 GM Employees • Over 8,500 Students in 281 Classrooms • Georgia in 2005 • 26 GM Employees • 60 students in 4 classrooms • ASCE, DNR P2AD, GA Adopt a Stream
GREEN Programs • Partnership • Earth Force • Non-Profit Environmental Education • Corporately participating since 1985 • Involved GA in 1995 • Engaging Education • Classroom and Field Studies • Water Quality • Pollution Prevention • Community Activism
Georgia GREEN ActivitiesField Sampling 8 water quality monitoring events in 2005
Georgia GREEN ActivitiesClassroom Curriculum GREEN Partnership members give classroom presentations on: • Hybrid Technology • Public Policy
Georgia GREEN ActivitiesCommunity Events Dunwoody Nature Center Events • Mother Earth Day • Butterfly Festival
Accomplishments The ultimate goal of these programs is to foster enthusiasm about these issues through a combination of innovation, technology, and partnerships that support the following principles: • Enlightenment: Help students develop an awareness of science, math, and technology issues. • Knowledge: Reinforce with solid concepts and real-world applications. • Attitudes: Help students personalize their relationship with the global environment. • Action: Help students learn how to make a difference.
Chris Boehle Chris.boehle@gm.com www.gmability.com Claire Hayes claire@dunwoodynature.org www.dunwoodynature.org Alyssa Hawkins ahawkins@earthforce.org www.earthforce.org Renee Gracon Renee.gracon@hies.org www.hies.org Thank you!