Wekiva Island, UCF, Casselberry Recognized with Clean Air Awards
Posted on: July 15, 2016 in Air Quality & Environment
The 2016 Clean Air Award competition is spotlighting success stories in air quality throughout the region during May – Clean Air Month. The Central Florida Clean Air Team will present three awards to regional organizations in various types of air quality activities.
Wekiva Island, an environmentally friendly education and recreation venue, is the top award winner, while UCF’s Parking & Transportation Services and the City of Casselberry received honorable mentions.
Every year, MetroPlan Orlando and the Central Florida Clean Air Team give the award to an organization that demonstrates innovative or unique contributions to preserving our region’s air quality. Because of the wealth of excellent entries in recent years, Honorable Mention awards have been presented along with the Clean Air Award. The winner of the 2015 Clean Air Award was Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) Transportation Division.
2016 Clean Air Awards: From left, Seminole Cmsr. Bob Dallari, Wekiva Island owners Mary Sue and Bob Weinaug, Seminole Cmsr. Lee Constantine.
Wekiva Island, located near Longwood in Seminole County, strives to be a carbon-neutral recreation destination — the first of its kind in Florida. The organization’s environmental philosophy goes by the acronym CERO — standing for Conservation, Efficiency, Renewable and Offset. Since 2008, Wekiva Island has drastically reduced its carbon footprint, and provides education and environmental partnerships along with its unique recreation offierings. It also boasts Seminole County’s first LEED Platinum building — the Mike Barr Education Center, where local environmental non-profits use for free. An award presentation is planned for the last week of the month.
An Honorable Mention Award went to the UCF Parking & Transportation Services, which manages 10,000 shuttle boardings every class day, helping alleviate congestion and pollution around the UCF campus. The vehicles also strive to reduce idling and use alternative fuels to further cut emissions. The UCF Parking & Transportation Services will be presented with the award on May 25 at a campus meeting.
An Honorable Mention also was awarded to the City of Casselberry for its asphalt standards on major city paving projects. Casselberry became the first city in Florida to require what is known as warm-mix asphalt, a process that uses less energy, produces fewer emissions and creates a healthier work environment than traditional hot-mix asphalt. The City will receive its award at a Casselberry City Commission meeting on May 23.
Earlier in the year, 2016 Student Clean Air Awards were presented to students at Lake Brantley High School and St. John Vianney Catholic School. Learn more about our student winners here.
Find out more about the Clean Air Award program and history here.
For more information about the 2016 Clean Air Award winners and recognition events, please contact Ms. Mary Ann Horne: mhorne@metroplanorlando.com or 407-481-5672, ext. 305.
Congratulations and thanks to all our Clean Air winners for their work in supporting the region’s air quality.