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The Governor's Steering Committee is pleased to recognize and honor Connecticut's leaders in climate change action.
2009 CLIMATE CHANGE LEADERSHIP AWARDS RECIPIENTS
View press release for 2009 award recipients.
2008 CLIMATE CHANGE LEADERSHIP AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Seven Connecticut leaders were recognized for innovative efforts to address climate change on May 27, 2008. View press release.
- City Seed, New Haven - CitySeed seeks to engage the community in growing an equitable, local
food system that promotes economic development, community development
and sustainable agriculture. The organization operates four farmers'
markets in New Haven, where only products grown or produced in
Connecticut are sold, and established the first year round open-air farmers' market in Connecticut.
In 2007, vendor sales at these markets contributed over $1.6 million to job creation and the local economy; farmers redeemed over $64,460 in WIC coupons and Food Stamps from local families in need, ensuring the markets are accessible to the entire community. Furthermore, CitySeed has launched innovative programs in New Haven and across the state to further engage and connect communities through food, including www.BuyCTGrown.com, a website that offers a comprehensive guide to local food, farms and agricultural products in Connecticut.
CitySeed also developed a pre-school curriculum to help children become healthy readers and healthy eaters and operates a Community Supported Market, at which community members can buy shares and receive deliveries of produce from all of the farmers at the Fair Haven market.
- City of Stamford - Stamford has committed to using 20% clean energy by 2010 and to reducing its greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 20% by 2018. The city is a member of Cities for Climate Protection and signed on to the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Stamford has inventoried their GHG emissions and has a local GHG action plan. Since 1998, the city has reduced energy use by over 11million kilowatt-hours annually through energy efficiency projects in city buildings, saving almost $1.3 million a year.
Some of the specific steps the city has taken to reduce energy use and GHG emissions include: solar installations for lighting at Kosciusko Park and at the recycling center; establishing a $6.1 million energy performance contract in more than 20 schools; reducing street lighting and piloting highly efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) street lights; replacing downtown decorative lighting to achieve a 62% energy savings; and replacing all traffic signals with LED lights.
To continue building on these accomplishments, the city plans to increase the number of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings, focus on greater use of clean energy, develop a green procurement program and look for opportunities to foster transit oriented development.
- Curtis Packaging, Newtown - In 2007, Curtis Packaging became the first deluxe printing and packaging company in North America to go 100% carbon neutral and was the first company in its industry to be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the world’s most comprehensive system for guiding forest management to sustainable outcomes.
The company also purchases wind energy certificates to offset 100% of the electricity used at its facilities. Curtis Packaging structured this purchase to include more than 1 million kilowatt-hours of CTCleanEnergyOptions, which helped its host community, Newtown, earn a free solar electric system under the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund’s Clean Energy Communities program.
The company’s remaining carbon dioxide emissions are being neutralized by investing in the Mynydd-Y-Garnedd forestry project in Wales and the Rhine-Ruhr methane capture project in Germany.
Curtis Packaging is an active member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.
- Green Council at Whitney Center, Hamden - Comprised of seniors from the Whitney Center retirement community, the Green Council has promoted conservation awareness in elderly communities throughout Connecticut. This group of senior citizens created a website at www.grayisgreen.org, which provides information on a wide range of environmental issues including climate change and energy efficiency.
The website also contains a list of films and videos for use by retirement communities and a checklist whereby each community can evaluate its green performance. The group presents at educational forums and has authored and published the “Handbook on Conservation for Retirement Communities.” The Council recently incorporated a new organization, National Senior Conservation Corps, to extend its work. The group now has links with retirement communities in Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and California as well as in many locations in Connecticut.
- ING, Windsor - Environmental stewardship is an integral part of ING’s business philosophy. As such, ING is a carbon neutral company. It achieves this through the purchase of clean energy as well as other efforts. Globally, it reduced its energy consumption by 19 percent between 2006 and 2007.
In 2007 ING in the United States purchased more than 70 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy, which offsets 100% of the electricity used for its facilities nationwide. This represents the largest clean energy purchase by a company headquartered in Connecticut. ING structured this purchase to include more than one million kilowatt-hours of CTCleanEnergyOptions, which helped its former host community, Hartford, to earn a solar electric system under the Clean Energy Communities program.
ING was a recipient of the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund’s Clean Energy Award in 2008. The company’s energy buy also puts it among the leaders of 100% clean power on the EPA Green Power Partnership.
ING’s new 475,000 square foot headquarters in Windsor features numerous green attributes including occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting control systems, and highly efficient air conditioning.
ING has an aggressive recycling program that tracks system-wide data and strives for a 50% recycling rate in 2008. ING also has an extensive employee awareness program that includes promoting national campaigns such as Energy Star’s change-a-light, Americas Recycles and Earth Days. ING encourages employees to use their own mugs and established recycling centers at its locations. Additionally, the company composts food wastes in the office, reduced paper use, and supports alternative transportation.
ING offsets all of its global business travel by supporting the planting and rehabilitation of 300 hectares of degraded tropical rainforest in Malaysia.
- Little People, Big Changes, Wilton - Two young boys and their moms have demonstrated that a small group of committed people – no matter what their age – can have a big impact. This organization in Wilton has signed up more than 120 homes for clean energy under the CTCleanEnergyOptions program and launched a “no idling” campaign to reduce harmful air emissions from cars, trucks and buses. “Little People, Big Changes” has also conducted a number of presentations to schools, town officials, and local community groups on clean energy and global warming, and publishes a column in the local newspaper and in school newsletters. “Little People, Big Changes” was launched when Jordan Reichgut and Alex Scaperotta were eight years old. They are now 10 and still working hard to focus attention on climate change.
- Ridgefield Action Committee for the Environment, Ridgefield - Formed in 2007 to promote sustainability in Ridgefield, the Ridgefield Action Committee led the effort to have this town commit to supporting 20% clean energy by 2010 for all town operations. The committee sponsored a “Mayors Challenge” on clean energy sign ups to six surrounding towns, developed an anti-idling campaign that resulted in 10% reductions, helped decrease energy use in town schools by 12%, and educates the community and schools about recycling and clean energy. The committee also organized a day-long retreat on environmental sustainability attended by 70 Ridgefield town leaders, including town selectmen, planners and commissioners, Board of Education members, school administrators, students, Chamber of Commerce members, people associated with community associations, and business leaders. The Ridgefield Action Committee has worked closely on energy issues with town and school officials, local businesses, and developers. The committee’s work has helped launch a recycling campaign and a program to make bins for composting available to residents.
2007 CLIMATE CHANGE LEADERHIP AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Seven Connecticut leaders were recognized for innovative efforts to address climate change in May 2007 (press release).
Andy Bauer, Portland
Andy Bauer teaches Technology Education at Smith Middle School in Glastonbury but when it comes to raising awareness about climate change, his classroom extends throughout Connecticut. As a result of Andy’s leadership, his hometown of Portland became just the second town in the state to commit to the 20% by 2010 Campaign, the first to make a municipal purchase under the CTCleanEnergyOptions program and one of the first to qualify as a Connecticut Clean Energy Community.
He has shared his expertise on the subject with many other communities, houses of worship and civic organizations throughout the state. He has become a “Johnny Appleseed of clean energy” in Connecticut. In addition, Andy has worked tirelessly to promote energy efficiency and reduce diesel pollution as a citizen leader of the Connecticut Climate Coalition and as Legislative Director for People’s Action for Clean Energy.
Dr. Chales Button, Central CT State University
Dr. Charles Button, an assistant professor of geography at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), is involved in several initiatives aimed at educating colleagues and students about climate change. He developed a coalition of students, faculty, and staff at CCSU to help educate the public and elected officials on the urgency of action to mitigate climate change. As member of the University’s sustainability committee, he is developing a campus sustainability plan that includes analysis of campus energy use and the creation of a campus wide waste reduction and recycling program.
Dr. Button has hosted and facilitated three showings of “An Inconvenient Truth,” created and taught a new course called “Energy Resources and Management,” served as faculty advisor for CCSU’s Earth Week festival, and is helping to coordinate “community conversations” on the role of sustainability in Connecticut schools.
On a personal level, Dr. Button has implemented a number of actions to reduce his own carbon footprint. These actions include the purchase of a hybrid vehicle, replacing all household lighting with compact fluorescent lights, installing automatic shutoff sensors for lights, purchasing 100% clean energy through the CTCleanEnergyOptions program, and planting 30 trees on his property.
Timothy Cipriano, Bloomfield Schools Food Services
As Food Service Director for Bloomfield Schools, Timothy Cipriano is reducing greenhouse gas emissions by buying locally grown vegetables, fruit, and milk for the school cafeterias. Since produce travels an average of 1,500 miles from farm to table in the US, buying food from local farms significantly cuts emissions.
Tim works closely with local farmers and with students to integrate CT Grown foods into the school curriculum. Catering to the large population in Bloomfield from the West Indies, Tim buys produce such as calaloo, a green native to Jamaica, from Jamaican Farmer Mike Buchanan of Auer Farm in Bloomfield. The popularity of these ethnic meals inspired Tim to create a “Jamaican Me Crazy” themed lunch using locally grown products when available.
Bryan Garcia, for work at CT Clean Energy Fund on the CT Clean Energy Communities Program & the CT Climate Change Action Plan
While working at the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, Bryan went well above and beyond the normal call of duty. He helped develop a program to educate state agencies and organizations about climate change issues and he contributed greatly to the development of Connecticut’s Climate Change Action Plan. Bryan also developed programs and established aggressive targets that encouraged the development and use of renewable electricity in Connecticut. One of many successful programs that Bryan developed was the Connecticut Clean Energy Communities Program. This program continues to result in additional solar photovoltaic (PV) installations throughout the state.
Bryan is an extremely dedicated individual who engages and commits to efforts that create an atmosphere encouraging sustainable and efficient behavior. Bryan drives a hybrid car and continues to educate others by being an example regarding simple steps that may be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Bryan recently joined Yale University as the Program Director of the Center for Business and Environment.
Lynn Plant, Fairfield
Lynn Plant drew upon her experience as a marketing communications strategist to change the way people talk and act about climate change in her hometown of Fairfield. Lynn formed “Fairfield Town Green,” an ad hoc committee focused on facilitating, networking and collaboration among the many local groups that were addressing different aspects of climate change. The committee developed a page on the town’s website and sponsored a series of seminars on the impacts of consumer choices on global warming. Lynn’s crowning achievement, however, was the creation of “Tea Talk” parties at which citizens are encouraged to engage in a dialogue with their friends and neighbors about climate
change and sign a pledge card containing ten individual action steps for a “cleaner, greener tomorrow.”
Yale University
Yale University and President Levin have taken a leadership role by calling upon institutions of higher education to take a stance on global warming and set greenhouse gas reduction targets for their campuses. Yale University has challenged itself to aggressively respond to global warming and has committed to the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 10% below 1990 levels by the year 2020 – consistent with the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers mid-term target.
To accomplish its aggressive goal, Yale is replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights, installing occupancy sensors, obtaining energy from a photovoltaic installation atop one of its buildings and powering its fleet of shuttle buses with ultra-low sulfur diesel and 20% biodiesel blend.
The University is also supporting and encouraging student efforts to reduce energy use in residential colleges by applying energy cost savings to the purchase of renewable energy certificates. Yale’s residential colleges reduced their energy consumption by more than 10%, and in return the university purchased RECs to cover 2/3 of the students’ remaining consumption Yale’s energy conservation efforts, coupled with the use of new technology, reduced Yale’s greenhouse gas emissions by 41,000 metric tons of carbon equivalent in fiscal year 2006.
Imani Zito, Alchemy Juice Bar Cafe
Imani Zito, owner of Alchemy Juice Bar Café, runs a “green” business with a low carbon footprint and educates the community on actions to address climate change. Alchemy offers healthy foods grown in a sustainable manner, runs on clean energy, uses biodegradable take out containers, and makes deliveries in a bio-diesel vehicle.
In addition to modeling environmental stewardship, the Café offers educational film series and programs to inspire others to live greener lifestyles. Under Imani’s stewardship, Alchemy is a place of good food, good conversation and good education and has become a very popular community gathering place. 2006 CLIMATE CHANGE LEADERSHIP AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Five Connecticut leaders were recognized for innovative efforts to address climate change in April 2006 (press release):
Sandy Fry of the Capitol Region Council of Governments for creating the Harford area’s “Bike to Work” initiative. The initiative promotes bicycling as a viable form of transportation and promotes and supports bicycle commuting. Participation has increased approximately 16% each year since the program began in 2000, building to 340 bicycle commuters in 2005. Commuters who switch from motor vehicles to bicycles eliminate greenhouse gas pollution from their commutes.
Chad Vincente, a 7th-grade student at Mansfield Middle School, for encouraging fellow students, families, town employees, and the general public to sign up for Connecticut’s clean energy option. With Chad’s help, more than 100 Mansfield residents have signed up for clean energy, making the Town eligible for a free solar installation.
Pitney Bowes, Inc. of Stamford for supporting renewable energy equivalent to 10% of Pitney’s U.S. and U.K. home office electricity use. In addition, Pitney Bowes is a founding partner of The Green Power Market Development Group, comprised of 12 leading corporations and the World Resources Institute, seeking to develop corporate markets for 1,000 megawatts of new cost competitive clean energy by 2010.
The Town of Suffield for its action and commitment to preserve forest and agricultural lands. The Town’s 10-year goal is to preserve 55% of residentially zoned land (50% of the town). Since 2001 the Town has preserved over 700 acres. Trees and soil on preserved land sequester carbon from the atmosphere, valuably countering greenhouse gas emissions.
Colin Bennett from Westbrook for educating students and the general public about climate change and clean energy. Colin’s efforts range from classroom teaching to organizing workshops and training sessions. He has helped organize workshops and environmental initiatives at many Connecticut campuses, including Wesleyan, Southern Connecticut State University, and a regional conference at Yale. His work has engaged many others in taking action to address climate change. For more info, contact us.
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