For Immediate Release

Contact:  Bob Hume

April 18, 2007

bob.hume@stpaul.gov

651-266-8518

651-247-0768

Mayor Coleman Presents Sustainable Saint Paul Awards

Mayor honors individuals and organizations for environmental action

(Saint Paul) – Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and the City Council presented the City’s first round of “Sustainable Saint Paul” awards for environmental stewardship.  Mayor Coleman established the Sustainable Saint Paul Awards to honor outstanding achievements of individuals, businesses and organization that are protecting and restoring the environment in Saint Paul.  

“This is a great opportunity to honor the valuable work of individuals, businesses and organizations,” said Mayor Coleman.  “Thanks to the work of countless individuals, Saint Paul is a national leader on environmental policy.”

The awards pay tribute to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to environmental stewardship through leadership in their respective categories. By sponsoring these awards, Mayor Coleman hopes to encourage all residents, businesses, community groups and non-profits in Saint Paul to implement similar projects.  Replication of these efforts will further enhance the City’s quality of life and make Saint Paul the Most Livable City in America.

Mayor Coleman has taken bold action to make Saint Paul one of the greenest cities in the country.  After hiring the City’s first Environmental Coordinator, Mayor Coleman signed the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and is investing more than $1 million to retrofit City buildings for energy efficiency and cost savings. Recently, the City Council unanimously passed a new “green building” resolution for new public buildings.  

2007 Sustainable Saint Paul Award Winners:

Energy Efficiency Award:  Saint Paul Public Schools

During the last two years, Saint Paul Public Schools has participated in Hallberg Engineering’s Schools for Energy Efficiency program.  With the assistance of Hallberg Engineering, Saint Paul Public Schools has reduced their energy use by more than 10 percent with total avoided costs of over $1 million.

Water Quality or Conservation Award:  Capitol Region Watershed District’s Arlington Pascal Stormwater Improvement Project

The Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) along with the Cities of Saint Paul, Falcon Heights, Roseville, and Ramsey County worked cooperatively to fund and construct stormwater facilities to address flooding problems in residential areas in the Como Park neighborhood and water quality problems due to excess phosphorous entering Como Lake in Saint Paul.  

Clean-up and Beautification Award:  Arlington High School “Urban Stewards” Students & Teachers

In 2006, the outdoor classroom in Arlington’s Backwoods was expanded to promote greater use by the school and the community at large. The students also wrote and obtained funding for their projects from Eco Education.  The students designed 5 murals and 3 trash bins educated the school community about the environment and prevented litter.  Habitat for birds, bats, butterflies and other species was also created and enhanced.

Transportation Options:  HourCar
Operated by the Neighborhood Energy Connection, HourCar is Minnesota’s first car-sharing program.  HourCar works to reduce congestion and emissions from automobiles.  HourCar members have access to a fleet of 16 hybrid gas-electric vehicles on an hourly basis. 

Commercial Green Building Design:  Flannery Construction
Flannery Construction’s new headquarters, located at Hamline Ave. and I-94, use 37% less energy than traditional architecture and actively promote healthy indoor air quality.  Based on this assessment, Flannery Construction estimates that there will be a 7-8 year payback on their investment.  Flannery Construction will also be building the new Western District Police Station.

Waste Reduction and Recycling:  Saint Paul Public Schools

In fall 2006, Saint Paul Public Schools launched district-wide cafeteria food waste recycling in all elementary schools. By May 2007, a total of 50 elementary schools in Saint Paul will participate in cafeteria food waste recycling. SPPS partnered with the Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Project, and the Saint Paul-Ramsey County Department of Public Health to implement this program. As of March 9, 2007, Saint Paul Schools had diverted 253 tons of food waste from the garbage stream during to livestock feeding, with a 31% reduction in the volume of school garbage – creating the opportunity to reduce the level of garbage service and costs.  

Green Spaces Award:  Great River Greening
Four hundred Great River Greening volunteers and ecologists, City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation staff and the DNR are working together to leverage their resources to restore the wooded Mississippi bluffs on the east end of Mounds Park. Invasive shrub removal began in an area surrounding the existing high-quality oak savanna in the eastern end of the park.  The 2006 event was also a kick-off for the Million Acorn Campaign, promoting many other efforts in Saint Paul to restore vanishing oak forests and oak savanna over the next five years.

Environmental Education and Awareness Award:  Farm in the City
Farm in the City operates five organic gardens in the heart of Saint Paul. Besides the Dunning and children's gardens, there's a labyrinth on the adjacent Concordia University campus, a farm garden near Hamline Ave. and I-94, and a community garden at Highland Park High School.

Youth Leadership Award:  Ororpa Yang
Ororpa Yang, a junior at Arlington High School, participated in a project working to provide organic vegetable gardens to individuals, schools, and anyone that could show a need through a project designed by Eco Education.  Ororpa helped to beautify the yards of three senior citizen homes by planting these gardens.  The seniors who participated in the project are part of a larger senior organization named Mac-Groveland Seniors.  Volunteers visit the homes of seniors to assist garden-owners in watering and harvesting flowers and vegetables, supplying the seniors with access to healthy, fresh organic produce, as well as the volunteers that helped them. 

Sustainable City Staff:  Saint Paul Police Department Impound Lot

A large part of the Impound Lot’s operation involves recycling abandoned car bodies.  4,500 cars were scrapped in 2006.  The Impound Lot recycles battery jumper cables, keys, wire, scrap steel, aluminum license plates, and aluminum ladders.  They set up a windshield washer recycling station using bottles of washer fluid found in the cars.  Lot staff recycled over $11,000 worth of material that otherwise would have been disposed of as waste.

Citywide Environmental Achievement:  Rick Person, Public Works

Mayor Chris Coleman and the Saint Paul City Council recognize Rick Person, Public Works Department, for his over 25 years of service and efforts to make Saint Paul a recognized environmental leader.  Rick has managed the City’s recycling program since its inception.  Under his leadership, the City has participated in local and national plans combating global warming. Rick has represented the City at numerous state and national conferences and has actively participated in numerous industry groups including the National Recycling Coalition, The Recycling Association of Minnesota, The Solid Waste Association of North America and many other national and grass-roots community groups.  

For more information about Sustainable Saint Paul, go to:  http://www.stpaul.gov/initiatives/sustainable

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