Outstanding Business: Marine Corps Air Station - Beaufort

The Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort is a great example of a business exercising positive environmental practices. This military facility established an energy management system that significantly reduced energy usage throughout the base. It has conserved energy, saved money and provided approximately 700 families and employers with energy-efficient lighting and geothermal heat pump equipment.

The Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort successfully:

• Replaced inefficient equipment:
  • Installed a cogeneration system to replace two fuel-fire boilers
  • Installed a low plumbing in 100 buildings
  • Installed seven energy chillers
  • Increased the number of buildings with a geothermal heat pump system
• Achieved an energy savings of $188,000 during its 2010 construction period
• Saved approximately $1,000,000 in energy costs per year
• Served as a model for municipalities and large corporations
• Reduced air pollutant emissions (annual calculations):
  • CO2:
    • 24,979,091 pounds (energy management system)
    • 14,760,236 pounds (geothermal)
  • SO2:
    • 200,047 pounds (energy management system)
    • 65,796 pounds (geothermal)
  • NOX:
    • 65,794 pounds (energy management system)
    • 10,996 pounds (geothermal)

Congratulations to the Marine Corps Air Station as one of the Outstanding Business recipients for the 2010 Spare the Air awards program!

The Marine Corps Air Station was also recently featured in their local newspaper for their efforts at improving the environment.

For additional information contact Alice Howard via email at alice.howard@usmc.mil .

Outstanding Business: Abitibi Bowater in Catawba

Abibiti Bowater - Catawba Operations is committed to improving air quality for the benefit of the region. By doing so, this manufacturing facility has improved the quality of life for community residents, employees and is making a significant impact through sustainable initiatives.

Actions taken by Abitibi Bowater included:

• Planned and implemented several initiatives
  • Carpooling
  • Anti-idling
  • Air quality alerts
• Increased participation among carpoolers, program currently has more than 90 participants
• Reduced facility's total energy usage and purchase energy use by 10 percent
  • Installed permanent stickers on all light switches which encourages employees to turn off lights
• Lowered VOC emissions by conducting gas cap checks and replacing leaking caps
• Reduced NOX emissions by over 20,000 pounds per month by:
  • Loading shed electric power during high demand periods
  • Shut-off all non-essential office lighting every day
• Increased employee awareness by providing events and training
• Utilized and burned more biofuels and less fossil fuel

Abibiti Bowater - Catawba Operations was also featured in a recent local newspaper article for their efforts.

Outstanding Local Government: Pickens County

Pickens County is being honored for its initiative in developing a successful biodiesel conversion project. This project has saved the county money on fuel cost, improved the air quality as the result of using cleaner fuel, and promoted a healthier environment for its employees who drive and maintain these vehicles.

Pickens County was able to achieve the following:

• Established a biodiesel project
  • Designed/installed equipment to produce biodiesel
  • Collected biodiesel from several local restaurants and thirteen schools within the school district
  • Retrofitted more than 16 vehicles to use this fuel
• Reduced an estimated 1,000,000 pounds of carbon emissions
• Developed a guidance manual for others to follow
• Served as a model for other counties and municipalities interested in developing a similar project
• Featured in the "Traveling Trash Bash" program (a local education program, sponsored by the Beautification and Advisory Committee in which third graders throughout Pickens County School District are encouraged to become environmental stewards)
• Provided presentations throughout the state regarding the program's effectiveness

Pickens County was also recently featured in their local newspaper for their efforts at improving the environment.

For additional information please contact Carla Whitlock, Special Projects Coordinator at carlaw@co.pickens.sc.us .

Outstanding School: Dover Elementary School - North

Dover Elementary School, located in North, is a great example of the power of teamwork and partnerships. Dover Elementary implemented the Breathe Better (B2) program , which educates individuals about idling and its harmful affects on the human health and the environment. Thanks to their efforts, the Dover Green Team and the Clean Air Patroller were able to transform a positive change within their community.

Dover Elementary was able to achieve the following:

• Reduced idling from 72 percent to approximately 3 percent
• Adopted and implemented an anti-idling policy on campus; school bus drivers complied 100 percent
• Developed a plant policy to help replenish the oxygen level around the school
  • Planted approximately 15 cedar trees
  • Each class room has adopted a tree and provides a monthly report
  • Every year two new years are planted to honor the teacher and staff support person of the year
• Created a separate dismissal time for preschoolers, kindergarteners and their siblings to reduce idling
• Selected as the Greenest School in Orangeburg County
• Promoted long term impact on parents, staff, students and the community by reducing idling on and off campus and promoting anti-idling by displaying a vehicle decal
• Reduced fuel emissions for approximately 9,000 cars and 1,250 school buses
• Worked to expand the B2 program throughout the school district

The school was also recently featured in their local newspaper for their efforts at improving the environment.

For additional information please contact Cynthia Strozier or Jennifer Fanning.

Dover Elementary School
1411 Bedford Avenue
North, SC 29112
(803) 247-2184