Letter from the Manager
It’s so hard to believe that it’s almost April – and that our program has survived our period of staff transition. We are so pleased to welcome new staff members Sarah Dearman and Thatcher Young, and welcome back Mary Talukder from the birth of her first child. Below, you’ll find a new overview of staff responsibilities and contact numbers. This brings our Partnership Program staff to a record of six team members, here to assist you and help us keep this program running and ever evolving to better meet Partner needs. Oh, happy spring!
We’ve just returned from a great 2nd Green Retreat at Callaway Gardens, open to our Red and Blue Level Partners. We had a fantastic turnout this year, with more than 30 total participants, and enjoyed an exciting conversation on the topic of ecosystem services, and how they might be addressed through a facility’s EMS. Stay tuned for a full report out in our April enews, but for now I would like to draw your attention to some basic information on ecosystem services that served as the foundation of our discussions. I encourage you to read up on this next wave of environmental management.
We have a lot of news to share this month. Beyond the deadline announcements, please be sure to read about the many opportunities available to you such as our long-awaited Georgia Industrial Materials Exchange, and join us in recognizing your fellow Partners for their accomplishments and activities. You’ll be hearing from our staff soon on ways we can better serve you. We welcome your input on the program during this exciting time.
Partnership Program Staff Responsibilities
– Suzanne Burnes – Program Manager (personnel, marketing/recruitment, Advisory Panel, grants, contracts, Green Retreat, AgPartners). 404-657-5686, suzanne_burnes@p2ad.org
– Bill Vondersmith – Partner Representative for government/institutional Partners and large manufacturers (outside of carpet sector), Site Visit coordination. 404-657-7446, bill_vondersmith@p2ad.org
– Mary Talukder – Partner Representative for carpet sector Partners, State Innovation Grant coordination. 404-657-7444, mary_talukder@p2ad.org
– Janice Malone – Administrative support for program. 404-651-5120, janice_malone@p2ad.org
– Sarah Dearman – Recognition Coordinator, Partner Representative for White Level. 404-657-7438, sarah_dearman@p2ad.org
– Thatcher Young – Partner Representative for small business Partners (including recreational/hospitality sector). 404-651-5548, thatcher_young@p2ad.org.
It’s APR Time
You will all be pleased to learn that we have delayed our submittal deadline for annual performance reports to May 31. We’ve been taking the past few weeks to fine tune our online application and reporting system to reduce redundancies and streamline the submittal forms. We appreciate your patience as we delay your access to the system. We anticipate the system being accessible by April 15, and will follow up with an email notice when you can log on.
Please note: if you joined the Program in fall 2005, you do not have to submit an APR this year.
White Level Partners – this year we have replaced the requirement for submittal of an APR with a request to respond to a brief Participation Survey and Renewal of Support. Your response to this survey will renew your partner status for the coming year. Sarah Dearman will be in contact with you by April 15 with directions regarding the survey.
Charter Partners – It’s Renewal Time
If you are a Charter Yellow, Red or Blue Partner (enrolled in the Spring 2005 cycle), you are now up for renewal (transition to the next level for Yellow and Red). We’ll be in touch with you all individually with further guidance on the renewal process, so stay tuned. For now, just note that renewal will involve a very brief form, due May 31.
Open Enrollment
Open enrollment is upon us! Do you have suppliers, customers or peers that you feel would be a good fit for the Partnership? Please help us identify these facilities/organizations and we’ll be glad to follow up and get them further information about the program. Applications will be available online effective April 1, and the enrollment period closes May 31.
Twenty-three New Partners Accepted During Fall 2006 Enrollment
We would like to welcome twenty-three new Partners into the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia. The new Partners are:
– Red Level – Atlanta Service Center of Rockwell Collins, Arizona Chemical-Valdosta, US Army Infantry Center-Fort Benning, Fort Gordon
– Yellow Level – Amicalola Falls State Park and Lodge-Dawsonville, Beaulieu Commercial-Adairsville, Beaulieu Fibers-Caltex, Beaulieu Fibers-Dalton, Beaulieu Fibers-Gainesville, Bumper Plus-Marietta, Emory Conference Center Hotel and Emory Inn-Atlanta, George T. Bagby State Park and Lodge-Fort Gaines, Langboard OSB-Quitman, Little Ocmulgee State Park-McRae, Mohawk-Sugar Valley, Mohawk Home-Dalton, Murray Fabrics-Chatsworth, Red Top Mountain State Park and Lodge-Cartersville, Reynolds Mansion-Sapelo Island, Smithgall Woods Conservation Area and Lodge-Helen, T.O.P. Farms-Snipesville – Unicoi State Park and Lodge-Helen
– White Level – Hotlanta Adventures-Atlanta.
Community Outreach Opportunities
Many White Level Partners have upcoming opportunities to help get involved in the community. From educating children at Dunwoody Nature Center, to becoming a certified stream monitor with Adopt-A-Stream, or coordinating volunteer efforts through EarthShare of Georgia, numerous volunteer opportunities are available for you to fulfill your community outreach requirements. Before developing a new community outreach project, we encourage all of our Partners to review our list of White Level Partners at www.p2ad.org/dnr/partners/public, and explore how you might be able to take advantage of the great activities they offer and support a fellow Partner as well.
Georgia Industrial Materials Exchange is Live!
P²AD is proud to announce the availability of its long-awaited Industrial Materials Exchange online at www.scrapmatchga.org. This great new tool will allow users to post materials they are looking for as well as materials they have available to others. By providing an outlet other than the landfill for these materials, the exchange will help its users reduce both raw material and waste management costs. There is no fee associated with participation in the exchange, but all users must register in order to post a listing. Any entity can list a material wanted, however only entities with Georgia addresses can list materials available. Contact Chuck at (404) 1651-5585 for more information.
How does EH&S Auditing Measure Up?
The Auditing Roundtable will address “ the Internal Audit Playbook” at their meeting April 10-12 in Orlando, Florida. Key aspects of the auditing world will be considered first from the Internal Audit perspective, then with EH&S considerations to see how the functions can work together better.
Join the Wildlife Habitat Council for Restoring Greenspace
Learn about the technical nature of implementing restoration projects while understanding social, economic and ecological benefits at the fifth annual Restoring Greenspace conference May 22-23 in Atlanta.
EPA Recognizing “Good Neighbors”
EPA is recognizing businesses that undertake environmental justice initiatives to make a positive impact in a community. Nominations are due March 31, 2007.
Partner Spotlight – Georgia Recycling Coalition, Inc. (GRC)A non-profit organization, the Georgia Recycling Coalition’s mission is
– to complement and coordinate activities relative to recycling;
– to foster communications among professionals, organizations, government agencies and individuals; and
– to promote and enhance reduction and recycling programs throughout the state.
GRC participates in events throughout the year to increase waste reduction and recycling efforts. April 11-12, GRC will hold its 16th Semi-Annual Membership Meeting, Safety & Quality-How do you measure up? As a White Level Partner, GRC helps promote and support the goals of the Program and its Partners.