The Alderson Green Team was presented with an award on May 25, for Education and Community Involvement at DEP Headquarters.
Randy C. Huffman, Secretary of the West Virginia Department if Environmental protection, presented the award.
The Green Team was formed as a result of a Community Energy Planning grant provided to the Town of Alderson by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
In partnership with Downstream Strategies, the Green Team initiated a stakeholder outreach process that brought community members together to begin discussing a vision for greening Alderson through energy and environmental initiatives.
Since early 2011, The Green Team has been successful in developing the first ever Alderson recycling program; helping numerous local businesses and non-profit organizations receive energy assessments from West Virginia University; developing tools and resources used in outreach and educational effort, including a "Solar for your Home," web tool; and starting the "Go Green Machine" student organization at the Alderson Elementary to explore themes of sustainability.
Members organized education and outreach activities, including a Green Team "float" and recycling program for Alderson's July 4th celebration and the first ever Alderson Family Energy Fair.
The fair featured 26 companies, agencies and non-profit organizations focusing on various aspects of sustainability and attracted more than 200 community members from Alderson and beyond, many of whom received home sustainability kits donated by West Virginia Sustainability Communities.
Accepting the award on behalf of the Alderson Green Team were ARC project Director, Margaret Hambrick and Fritz Boettner of Downstream Strategies.
The award was sponsored by DEP employee, Jennifer Garlesky.
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