Environmental Progress - Fall 2004

Illinois EPA and Partners For Clean Air Award "Green Pays on Green Days" Grand Prize Toyota Prius

Citizens and companies recognized for Clean Air efforts: no "Pollution Action Days" needed for 2004

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Chicago area Partners for Clean Air recognized program sponsors and presented keys to a 2005 Toyota Prius, an electric hybrid vehicle, to Gene Surace of Mount Prospect, the Grand Prize Winner of the 2004 Green Pays on Green Days program. It capped a summer of exceptional outdoor air quality in the Chicagoland area, the first in 10 years in which no "Ozone/Pollution Action Days" were called.

"Actions by area businesses and individual citizens continue to be an essential part of the ongoing efforts to improve our air quality by Governor Blagojevich, Illinois EPA and the companies, local governments and associations that participate in Partners for Clean Air," said Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Renee Cipriano. "This year has been particularly successful as air quality improved to levels where no Air Pollution Action Days were called, the first time since the Partners for Clean Air program started a decade ago."

This was the third year for the nationally-award-winning "Green Pays on Green Days."

Gene Surace of Mount Prospect was one of a record 41 "Green Day" winners whose names were entered in a closing drawing on Sept. 27 for the Grand Prize. The entrants pledged to take voluntary actions, such as carpooling and deferring lawnmowning, to reduce potential pollutants that could contribute to smog. The "Green Day" winners were chosen on days when air quality in the area was forecast to be "green" or "good."

The lucky winner indicated the Prius would allow him to save money on gas and reduce pollution from the frequent driving he does in his job in sales. The drawing and presentation was made at the Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago, with NBC-5/Chicago weathercaster Tammie Souza acting as emcee.

"Green Pays on Green Days continues to be a great success in the Chicagoland area, registering more than 63,000 clean air pledges from area residents," added Director Cipriano. "We are pleased to offer this program and award residents for doing their part for cleaner air."

The evening also included Partners for Clean Air and Rideshare Excellence awards presented to several Chicago area businesses for their efforts to reduce air pollution in the Greater Chicagoland area.

Awards were also presented to eight entities for their participation in air quality improvement programs. The recipients for Partners for Clean Air awards were the Village of Northbrook, the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago, E.W. Inman, Ltd., and Abbott Laboratories. Rideshare Excellence award winners were Blue Cross Blue Shield, Prairie Stone Transportation Management Association, the Federal Aviation Administration, and CDW Corporation.

To achieve the greatest air quality benefits, Green Pays on Green Days engages individuals in areas that do not meet current national air quality standards. The contest was open to residents in Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties in Illinois who pledged to take "green actions" to reduce air pollution.

Green Pays on Green Days has been funded for three consecutive years from financial and product contributions from numerous Illinois businesses and organizations.