2008 Environmental Award Winners

Government: Clermont County Office of Environmental Quality

 The Clermont County Office of Environmental Quality, under the direction of Paul Braasch, is improving the efficiency of recycling within the community.  There are currently 35 recycling centers throughout Clermont County that accept all types of mixed paper, glass, and aluminum cans.  OEQ’s efforts help to save taxpayer money and ensure recyclable materials don’t end up in landfills. 

 
 Business:  Emersion Design

Emersion Design is an architectural and engineering firm that appreciates the link between the built and natural environment.  The firm operates from a LEED registered office with a Platinum Potential Rating, designed to take advantage of natural light, using 35% less electricity than average, and employs two LEED accredited architects, both board members of the local U.S. Green Building Council. Emersion Design also makes a difference in the workplace; employees help remedy landfill overflow with a vermicompost, where worms eat their coffee grounds and other leftovers.

Student:  Liz Trotta, Archbishop McNicholas High School

Liz Trotta, a senior at Archbishop McNicholas High School, applied for and received a $500 grant from Keep Cincinnati Beautiful to aid the school’s recycling program.  Since October 2005, the student-run program has recycled almost 30 tons of paper.  This effort has saved over 500 trees from being cut down, over 7,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, and 11,248 gallons of oil – a total savings of $26,000 in crude oil.

 
Teacher: Dr. Virginia Rhodes, principal, Aiken University High School

 Halfway through its first year with a specialized environmental science course, Aiken University High School is establishing a standard for “green” education. The environmental courses link students to similar courses at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and job possibilities at government agencies and environmental businesses. As the principal and mastermind behind the revamped science effort, Dr. Virginia Rhodes is building a new generation of workers with credentials in math and science. Some students are even learning about career options they never knew existed.  Eventually, the goal is to have lessons on sustainable design, environmental preservation, and resource management included in the curriculum.

Citizen: Brianne Fahey

Brianne is the founder and lead contributor of the “Live Green Cincinnati” website. The website provides an important service to the community with links to articles, local events, green resources, and ideas for “living green.” By inspiring, informing, and inciting change and action, Brianne is building momentum for the green movement in the city of Cincinnati.