Outstanding School: Williams Middle School

From left to right: Buck Graham (SCDES), Sheila Barnes and Leon McCray, Principal
Williams Middle School, located in Florence, is a great example of a collaborative partnership between the school employees and staff from SCDES's Bureau of Air Quality and Bureau of Environmental Services Region 4 to educate students and parents about important environmental issues by planning, designing, and constructing an Environmental Education Kiosk.

Williams Middle implemented the Breathe Better (B2) program, which educates parents, students and teachers about and the potentially harmful effects of vehicle idling. The Environmental Educational Kiosk has kept parents informed about the school's anti-idling policy and encouraged them to modify their behaviors by turning their engines off while waiting in line to pick up students. It also serves as a vital tool in reaching a broader audience on various environmental issues that affect our state such as open burning, stormwater runoff.

Williams Middle was able to achieve the following success:

• Reduced the number of vehicles idling down to zero during after school pick up
• Reduced air pollution/exhaust emissions in the school zone
• Increased environmental awareness

Congratulations to Williams Middle School as the recipient of the 2011 Spare the Air Outstanding School Award!

Williams Middle School
1119 North Irby Street
Florence, SC 29501
(843) 664-8162

Outstanding Employees: iRide Committee

The iRide Committee of Santee Cooper's Commuter Benefit Program, located in Moncks Corner, is a great example of the collaborative efforts of employees that have gone well beyond the call of duty by impacting communities throughout the South Carolina Lowcountry.

The iRide program is an unique alternative rideshare initiative developed and implemented by the Santee Cooper Human Resource Department in September 2008. It has not only saved employees money on fuel and vehicle maintenance cost, but has significantly impacted the lives of local residents and businesses by offering them options for their daily commute to work.

The actions of the iRide Committee included:

• Planned and implemented several initiatives:
  • preferred parking for carpoolers
  • payroll deduction of pre-tax dollars to purchase bus passes
  • discounted bus passes
  • provided free bus transportation during lunchtime to area restaurants for all employees
• Established express bus service options through a successful public/private partnership with Tri-County Link, the rural public transit provider for the area:
  • services open to the general public
  • available routes in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties
  • access to wireless internet
• Increased employees awareness by providing incentives:
  • 583 employee participate in the program
• Utilized electronic software, AlterNet Rides, to track carbon emission reductions:
  • saved 1,651,740 lbs of carbon dioxide gas emissions
  • successfully logged 4,849,371 miles
  • reduced carbon footprint

The iRide program is a model for other businesses to follow. The committee members are true experts in this field. They have shared their experiences, offered insight and have selflessly given of their time and energy promoting this initiative. Businesses that have shown an interest in the iRide program include: Lexington Medical Center, SCANA, SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT), Newberry Council on Aging, Lower Savannah Council of Government, Santee Wateree Regional Transportation Authority (SWRTA) and Berkley, Charleston, Dorchester Council of Government.

Congratulations to the iRide Committee members of Santee Cooper's Commuter Benefits program, Wendy Cruce, Glen Brown, Laura Varn, Marc Tye, Allison Dennis, Nicole Wren, Mollie Gore, Liz Kress, Dean Creed, Henry Schweers, and Ray Smith as the 2011 Spare the Air Outstanding Employee Award winners!

For additional information, please contact Wendy Cruce, Chairwoman.

Santee Cooper
1 Riverwood Drive
Moncks Corner, SC 29461
(843) 761-8000

Outstanding Business: Boeing South Carolina

Boeing South Carolina, located in North Charleston, is a great example of a business demonstrating positive environmental practices through the power of change.

Boeing South Carolina fabricates, assembles and installs systems in the construction of new airplanes. They perform thousands of processes each day, often utilizing many different chemicals that contain air pollutants known as Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). In 2010, they began an aggressive campaign to reduce the amounts of these chemicals used at this facility. Through an extensive review of each process, Boeing discovered ways to make the most efficient changes.

As a result, Boeing updated their operating procedures, with the following results:

• Reduced air emissions
  • lowered VOC emissions by 15 percent
  • lowered HAP emissions by 65 percent
• Increased business performance
  • enhanced inventory control practices
  • improved hazardous materials management
  • reduced waste disposal cost with smaller containers for chemicals
• Improved employee performance and productivity
  • reduced time requirements for technicians to obtain materials
  • reduced handling of bulk materials
• Served as a model for other businesses

Congratulations to Boeing South Carolina as the recipient of the 2011 Spare the Air Outstanding Business Award!

Boeing South Carolina was also recently featured in their local newspaper for their efforts at improving the environment.

For additional information, please contact Whit Hoover, Environmental, Health and Safety

Boeing South Carolina
5400 International Blvd
MC 7830-NE34
North Charleston, SC 29418
(843) 641-1603

Outstanding Local Government: City of Greenville and Greenville County

The City of Greenville and Greenville County is being recognized for their efforts in developing and implementing green initiatives throughout the community. This current project has impacted the quality of life and has stimulated economic growth.

The City and County of Greenville's Electric Vehicles Ecosystem Pilot Project is providing local companies and citizens with access to electric vehicles as well as a network of charging stations throughout the area.

The City of Greenville and Greenville County successfully:

• Saved cost and energy
• Increased consumer awareness
• Encouraged behavior changes
• Maximized job creation and economic benefits
• Served as a model for other municipalities and businesses
• Established a successful public/private partnership with Enterprise Rental Car, General Electric, Greenville Spartanburg International Airport and Thurso Power System:
  • 10-15 electric vehicles available
  • provided access to electric vehicles and charging stations
  • doubled the number of charging stations to approximately 40
  • convenient locations throughout the community
• Reduced harmful emissions
  • reduced the number of gasoline powered vehicles on the road
    • For every public car shared it is estimated that 14 private cars are taken off the road
  • reduced carbon footprint (assuming driving 14,000 miles per year; 10-15 electric vehicles):
    • 16,330 - 24,495 grams of NOx
    • 21,000 - 31,500 grams of non-methane organic gas
    • 979,900 - 1,469,985 grams of carbon monoxide
    • 2,330 - 3,495 grams of PM reduction
    • 4,200 - 6,300 grams of formaldehyde

Congratulations to the City of Greenville and Greenville County as the recipients of the 2011 Spare the Air Outstanding Local Government Award!

For additional information, please contact Michael Kerski (City of Greenville) and Sandra Yudice (County of Greenville).

City of Greenville
P.O. Box 2207
Greenville, SC 29602
(864) 467-4442

Greenville County
301 University Ridge, Ste 2400
Greenville, SC 29601
(864) 467-7409

Air Director's Award: Sandra Yudice

The Air Director's Award recognizes the actions of an individual that has been extremely instrumental in the development of a program and has actively worked to educate and motivate others to modify their behavior for improving air quality.

Sandra Yudice with Greenville County is being recognized for her outstanding contributions to improve air quality throughout her community. She has remained enthusiastic, dependable and committed to serving others.

Sandra has successfully:

• Coordinated and participated in community wide air quality events such as Lawnmower Exchanges, Car Care Clinics, school health fairs, festivals, and planting events,
• Developed and maintained a strong public/private partnership with schools, nonprofit organizations, and businesses in support of air quality improvement,
• Conducted presentations and lectures for public and private organizations, municipality planning committees and city councils to increase their awareness of issues related to air quality, and
• Participated as an expert panelist in sharing ideas and actions for improving local air quality at local and national conferences and workshops.

Congratulations to Sandra Yudice as the recipient of the 2011 Air Director's award for her personal pledge to improve air quality and the environment in the South Carolina Upstate!