Neighborhood Environmental Partners Program An Environmental Community Service Program

Purpose: To increase dialogue and interaction between businesses and citizens, regarding local environmental issues by promoting and implementing local environmental projects and improvements.

NEP The NEP Program will award business, citizen groups and municipalities that work together to implement environment projects in their neighborhoods.

Who can participate? Businesses Businesses Citizen Groups Citizen Groups Municipalities Municipalities

Benefits to Business Improved relations with neighbors Attain corporate environmental goals Recognition and good publicity Possible marketing campaign Employee Pride

Benefits to Neighbors Cleaner, safer, and more attractive neighborhoods Confidence in local businesses Sense of empowerment Neighborhood Pride

Recognition Levels Participants can apply to receive a Neighborhood Partners Award or Neighborhood Partners - Gold Award by choosing from a toolkit of activities. Participants can also suggest and use their own creative ideas. Participants can apply to receive a Neighborhood Partners Award or Neighborhood Partners - Gold Award by choosing from a toolkit of activities. Participants can also suggest and use their own creative ideas.

The activities fall into three general categories: (1) environmental education, (2) environmental improvements, and (4) environmental mentoring. Applicants can choose or suggest ideas that fit any of the above categories Activity Categories

Activity Levels Level I: Neighborhood Partners Award Introductory, one-time activities, few or no partners. Level II: Neighborhood Partners - Gold Advance, ongoing activities, multiple partners.

Environmental Improvements Environmental Education Environmental Mentoring Level l: Neighborhood Environmental Partners Activities Collect and recycle abandoned tires in the neighborhood or set up recycling stations at local parks and other neighborhood areas. Host or sponsor a neighborhood tour of a local business that explains environmental impacts, EMS’s, and other issues of environmental significance. Make a presentation to trade association or local Chamber on community environmental activities, EMS benefits or implementation, and/or pollution prevention. Level II : Neighborhood Environmental Partners-Gold Activities Work with a local business or a neighborhood group, to build a public green-way, or develop and implement a waste reduction program for the neighborhood. Work with a local business or neighborhood group, to hold an annual summer environmental awareness camp for local children. Form a coalition of those who are regularly available to provide direct assistance, or commit staff and/or funds to have an ongoing environmental mentoring program. SAMPLE TOOLKIT

Example Activity: Environmental Improvement Businesses and citizen groups cooperatively sponsor a household hazardous waste collection day or thermometer exchange

Environmental Improvement Businesses and citizen groups cooperatively sponsor a neighborhood beautification/cleanup day such as a tree planting, river cleanup, drain-stenciling, litter clean up, water-quality testing, painting a mural with an environmental theme, or other environmental type activity Example Activity:

Environmental Education Businesses and citizen groups work together to offer yearly scholarships for community youth going into environmental fields Example Activity:

Example Activity Environmental Mentoring Commit staff and/or funding to mentor another business through the process of developing and implementing an EMS

All NEP Participants Must Have a Published Environmental Policy/Mission Statement Businesses and citizen groups can work together to establish an environmental policy or mission statement. NEP Program Requirement

Recognition Recognition would be provided for each achievement level by sending the participating partners a certificate or poster of achievement and a sticker with the NEP “Neighborhood Partners“ logo. The stickers will be year specific… Neighborhood Partners 2005 or Neighborhood Partners 2005 or Neighborhood Partners 2005 – Gold Level

Recognition Cont. NEP Participants will also be recognized on the DEQ website and press release. A letter on recognition will be sent to local area municipality and chamber of commerce.

Case Studies Outstanding, noteworthy, or especially creative or effective projects/activities will be written up as Case Studies and/or added to the next edition of the toolkit to increase the number of project ideas for future participants.

Phase I: Clean Corporate Citizens The NEP program will initially be rolled out to Clean Corporate Citizens

Program Schedule Phase 1 June 2004-January 2005: DEQ accepting applications from C3’s. March 2005: First Awards Issued Phase 2 Roll out to all business, local government and neighborhood groups.

NEP: Coming to a Neighborhood Near You!!!