Vocational Service Committee
Vocational Service
Ron Margolis of the Rotary Club of Kapa‘a congratulates Beth Tokioka, representing the County of Kaua‘i, and Diann Hartman and Chris Valentino, representing the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa, on being recipients of the 5th Annual Rotary Club of Kapa‘a 2011 Kaua‘i Green Innovation Awards on Wednesday at the Courtyard by Marriott at Coconut Beach.
The Rotary Club of Kapa`a announces the call for entries for its newly revamped Kauai Green Innovation Awards to honor local businesses, individuals and government agencies that have adopted and/or have exhibited leadership in developing the most innovative, green practices over the past 12 months. This is the seventh year the Rotary Club of Kapa`a has sponsored a green awards program.
“We’ve had increasing levels of positive response over the past seven years with our Kauai Green Business Initiative Awards as well as our Kauai Green Giant Awards (for individuals) last year, that we decided to raise the bar this year and focus on what is new and innovative,” say Ronald Lemay, chairman of the club’s Vocational Committee. “This year’s awards will be judged on a combination of innovation, environmental impact and overall effectiveness and the criteria will be the same for businesses as well as individuals. We are fortunate on Kauai to have so many innovator’s passionate about sustainability practices,” Lemay proclaimed.
Entries should describe in detail the most innovative green initiative taken over the past year, how it broke new ground, and how it has benefited the environment, i.e., reducing/recycling/reusing, energy efficiency, renewable generation and leadership (i.e. zero waste, leading/educating others, climate change). Entrants are welcome to complete an entry for each innovative initiative.
“I was impressed at the extent to which the winners went to implement their eco-friendly initiatives — from reusing materials, which diverted thousands of tons of materials from Kaua`i’s landfill, to using recycled cooking oil to run equipment and saving electricity by using photovoltaic metering systems,” said Rodney Pascua, past president of the Rotary Club of Kapa`a. “This year we’re looking for what’s n innovative in terms of implementation, environmental impact, effectiveness and scale. As public awareness continues to increase, innovators will constantly be raising the bar regarding their sustainability practices”.
The guidelines and entry form for the 2014 Kauai Green Innovation Awards program can be accessed online at www.kapaa.rotary.org in the Vocational Service section. The deadline for entries is March 31, 2014. Winners will be honored at a luncheon at the end of April.
For more information, contact: Ronald Lemay, Vocational Chair, at 346-2924 or email him at ralemay694@gmail.