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Sunnyvale Recognizes Environmental Achievements
Sunnyvale, CA --
Each year, around the celebration of Earth Day, the City of Sunnyvale presents awards to a select group of businesses and residents who have taken a leadership role in protecting our environment. This year the winners of awards in three categories (businesses/organizations, adults, and youth) were presented at the City Council meeting of April 24, 2001.
"The City of Sunnyvale has a major commitment to environmental protection that is formalized in our general plan. But these policies are only part of the picture. It’s the residents, the businesses and the organizations that serve Sunnyvale that bring these policies to life and make our community one with high environmental standards and accomplishments," stated Mayor Jack Walker in presenting the awards.
The business/organization winners are:
Amdahl Corporation
This Sunnyvale company is being recognized or extraordinary achievements in maintaining successful waste reduction and recycling as well as tracking the costs and benefits of such a program. Amdahl has achieved more than a 50% recycling rate and has even earned up to $1 million in a year from the resale of recyclable and reusable material.
De Anza College
For outstanding work in the planning, coordinating, and designing of an environmentally protective "green" building to serve the community. This was a long-term commitment and De Anza showed considerable persistence and commitment to the environment to see it through. The De Anza Environmental Studies Center will provide exemplary environmental science education and a focal point for energy management training and policy development.
From Drycal Corporation, Royal Cleaners
Royal Cleaners is being recognized for making environmentally-friendly decisions leading to the purchase of capital equipment that reduces pollution in the air, water, and soil.
Fara’s Hallmark Shop
Fara’s is being recognized for showing the dedication of a small business in taking direct action and motivating employees to recycle and conserve resources.
Maple Tree Inn
For highly significant achievements in energy efficiency and transportation with more than 65% of the employees using alternative means of transportation to get to work.
Menlo Equities
For outstanding design and construction practices that protect the environment from heavy metal and other types of potential groundwater pollution.
Resource Area for Teachers (RAFT)
This area non-profit takes unneeded equipment and materials from businesses and distributes them to educators and non-profit organizations for continued use – thus preventing unnecessary landfill and waste.
Silicon Valley WAVE
The WAVE shopping center developed, initiated and marketed a cardboard recycling program for its merchants. Since January of 2000, over 109 tons of cardboard has been collected.
Savory & Sweet, Inc.
This catering company has made an extraordinary commitment to environmental sustainability including composting. They have reduced their garbage volume by more than 60% in the past year.
Telesensory
For exemplary accomplishments in waste reduction and recycling by cutting their waste in half and having a high degree of dedication to conserving resources.
In addition to the business/organization awards, citizens were encouraged to submit essays on how they enhance or protect the environment. In the adult category, the winners of the essay contest are:
Charles Coston
Lee Dobyns
Kevin Jackson
Alice Kawash
Arlene Schmidt
Carol Wong
The following are the youth winners who wrote essays about how they and their families cooperate to protect the environment:
Robert Anderson
Claire Flanegin
Yukti Gangwani
Shaheen Jeeawoody
Sriya Malladi
Natasha Mehta
Kenneth Mendes
Sara Mokhtary
Anthony O’Malley
Chelsea Ranche
"Thank you all for starting early and setting an example for all of us to remember our obligation to preserve the environment for your future," Walker said to the youth.
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