Introduction
Submittal, Deadline and Judging
Award Categories
Entry Form Instructions
Spare the Air Awards: 2014 Application Form and Instructions
Spare the Air Awards Nomination Period Extended to April 20, 2015 .
Introduction
The 2014 Spare the Air Awards are presented annually by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to recognize innovators, environmental leaders or peers in our state that have gone above and beyond the call of duty to protect the environment and improve air quality.
Since 2008, DHEC has honored some of the top businesses, community groups and individuals for implementing successful air quality initiatives in local communities throughout South Carolina. Past winners include:
- The SC State Ports Authority, Midlands Biofuels, and Upstate Air Quality Advisory Committee (2013)
- Bosch Anderson, City of Rock Hill, and Daniel Island Academy (2012)
- The City of Greenville and Greenville County, iRide Committee (Santee Cooper), Boeing South Carolina, and Williams Middle School (2011)
- The Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Abitibi Bowater Catawba Operations, and Dover Elementary (2010)
- Bridgestone Aiken, Cindy Lilly (Ocean Bay Middle), St. John's Lutheran Church (Walhalla), Furman University, Open Burning Pilot Project (Chesterfield and Darlington Counties), WCRE Radio & The Link Newspaper, and EA Region 4 (2009)
- Glenn Wiles (Fountain Inn Elementary), Synithia Williams, Tom Falvey, Furman University, Lexington Medical Center, Greenville County, and Lexington County Council & Lexington Fire Service Division, (2008)
Now, you have an opportunity to join this group of exceptional environmental leaders and showcase your success! A call for nominations is underway for the next round of outstanding air quality projects. Activities should have occurred between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014.
If you know an employee, community group or business that has made a positive difference in South Carolina by developing a model air quality project, please tell us about it. Nominate them today!
All entries must be received by the close of business on Monday, April 20, 2015 .
Who is Eligible?
Any South Carolina organization, business, community group, facility, school, local government or individual that has demonstrated a commitment to environmental stewardship and has developed a project that can be replicated is eligible to apply.
All previous winners are eligible to reapply. However, if you enter the same project into the contest as before, your nomination form must include a detailed description of how your project has expanded or improved.
Who May Nominate?
- Any organization, business, community group, facility, school, local government or individual may nominate themselves.
- A third party may make a nomination.
Submittal, Deadline and Judging
To nominate someone or enter the competition yourself, simply answer the questions in the application form and press the 'Submit' button at the end. Please email any supporting documentation separately to SpareAir@dhec.sc.gov .
If you'd like a printed copy of your entry form, copy and paste the completed form into a Word document and save it to your computer.
All entries must be RECEIVED by the close of business on Monday, April 20, 2015.
Entries will undergo a multi-step judging process that includes a compliance review. Please note, if you have had a compliance issue within the last five (5) years, this could affect your overall score and ranking. The final award determination will be made by DHEC staff.
Award Categories
Outstanding Business/Industry
This award recognizes a business that has implemented on-site air quality improvement strategies beyond DHEC regulatory requirements. This could include voluntary emission reductions to an industrial process and/or implementing emission reduction strategies for employees.
Outstanding Employee(s)
This award recognizes an employee(s) who has successfully organized and/or implemented program(s) on the job to improve air quality through peer education, awareness campaign promotion, training, etc.
Outstanding Local Government
This award recognizes an outstanding local government (county or municipality) that has helped improve air quality in their area through local regulatory actions, policy changes and/or voluntary programs including education and outreach efforts.
Outstanding School or District
This award recognizes a school or school district for their efforts to implement or expand an air quality improvement program or campaign through the leadership of faculty, staff, parent(s) or student(s).
Outstanding College or University
This award recognizes a college or university for their efforts to improve air quality on campus and in the surrounding community through voluntary programs, including education and outreach efforts.
Outstanding Community Improvement Campaign
This award recognizes efforts of a person, group or organization (civic, environmental, faith-based, nonprofit organizations, communities/neighborhood associations, etc.) that has directly or indirectly addressed a local air quality issue or concern.
Entry Form Instructions
DHEC values big and small projects that have a positive impact on our state. If you are aware of a project, employee or community group that has gone above and beyond the call of duty to improve air quality, let us know about. Celebrate their success by submitting a nomination, today! Here are the entry form instructions:
Nominator
- Name: Name of the person that is submitting the nomination application for a 2014 Spare the Air Award
- Phone: Nominator's 10-digit telephone number
- Email: Nominator's email address
Nominee
- Name: Name of the South Carolina organization, company, community group, facility, school, local government or individual being nominated for a 2014 Spare the Air Award (Nominee)
- Phone: Nominee's 10-digit telephone number
- Email: Nominee's email address
- Mailing Address: Nominee's mailing address, including street number or P.O. Box number
- City: State: Zip: Nominee's city, state abbreviation, and zip code
Project Information
- Project Title: Title of the project you are entering for the 2014 Spare the Air Awards program
- Award Category: Select one of the six Award Categories for the 2014 Spare the Air Awards program. If you are a previous recipient of the Spare the Air awards, please indicate whether this is an existing project or a new project. All previous recipients of the Spare the Air awards must describe how the scope of their program has evolved, improved and/or expanded.
Project Description
Describe your project by answering these questions:
- How did you select your air quality project idea?
- Please explain in detail the scope of the project, including outreach activities, informational materials developed, partnerships established, policy changes, emission reduction strategies, etc.
- What challenges did you experience and how did you overcome them?
- What measurable (documented) benefits were achieved?
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- Behavioral changes
- Collaboration/partnership building
- Increased awareness, education and/or motivation
- Quality of life
- Conservation strategies/emission reduction
- Emission reduction (e.g., fuel savings, anti-idling, CFL change out/relamping, etc.,)
If you have problems submitting your entry form online or questions about the contest, please call L. Nelson Roberts, Jr., Section Manager office: (803)898-4122 or emal robertln@dhec.sc.gov .
Remember, all entries MUST BE RECEIVED by the close of business on Monday, April 20, 2015.
To enter, complete online entry form , and email any supporting documentation separately to SpareAir@dhec.sc.gov . Good luck!