News Releases - 2003

“Green Pays On Green Days” Ends With Toyota Prius Presentation

Springfield, Ill. -- Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Renee Cipriano recognized program sponsors and presented keys to a 2004 Toyota Prius, an electric hybrid vehicle, to the Grand Prize Winner of the 2003 Green Pays on Green Days program.

The Green Pays on Green Days closing reception was held at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Thursday evening and honored the many companies and individuals who were essential in making the program a success.

Henry Kowalski of Chicago was drawn as the Grand Prize Winner of a 2004 Toyota Prius, donated by the Chicagoland/Northwest Indiana Toyota Dealers. His name was randomly drawn by NBC5 weather anchor Tammie Souza from the Green Day winners selected throughout the contest. Mr. Kowalski and his family were participants in the Green Pays on Green Days program last year also. When asked about his participation, he said that he and his wife do what they can to help the environment.

This is the second year for Green Pays on Green Days, sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Partners for Clean Air. The program is an educational initiative targeting Chicago area residents to take actions to reduce air pollution and improve air quality. The program, which ended on September 1st, received thousands of “clean air pledge” entries from Chicago area residents.

Green Pays on Green Days awarded environmentally friendly products to individuals who “took the clean air pledge” to reduce air pollution. Each day the air quality was forecasted to be “green” or good, one name was randomly selected from the entries received. Each of the remaining daily winners received a bicycle valued at more than $300 with assistance from Richards Bicycles in Palos Heights.

“Our primary focus for Green Pays on Green Days was to reach out and educate individuals in the Chicago area on the impacts we all have on air quality,” said Director Cipriano. “Our common goal to improve air quality in the Chicago Metropolitan area is being reached through the dedication of many local residents as well as the partnerships formed through this program.”

Green Pays on Green Days was open to residents of Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties in Illinois who pledged to take “green actions” such as carpooling, taking public transportation, and conserving energy at home.

Green Pays on Green Days was made possible by financial and product contributions from Illinois businesses and organizations.

Green Pays on Green Days Winners

Sherry Van der Elst, Chicago
Rosalie Romeo, Clarendon Hills
Nancy Rosman, Skokie
John Brunner, Downers Grove
Chad Davis, Mokena
Kathy Crow, Glen Ellyn
Jaime Seagraves, Aurora
Denise Upton, Elmhurst
Renee Hash, Chicago
Donna Leonard, Bensenville
Beth Metropoulos, McHenry
Randall Piant, Park Ridge
Tom Reynolds, Itasca
James Sineni, Chicago
Eddie Garner, Chicago
Lynn Goeppinger, Palatine
Christine Lacbain, Chicago
Beatrice Fagan, Dolton
Sandra Ray, Oak Park
Chris Pawlak, Geneva
Kelly Williams, Midlothian
Jean Bosak, Chicago
Rob Rasmussen, Lake in the Hills
Carol Rhodes, Round Lake Beach
Pamela Sells, Bolingbrook
Darlene Whyte, Mokena
Sheila Malina, Glenview
Robert Badzioch, Buffalo Grove
Stephenie Haehnel, Oswego
Catherine Holmes, Franklin Park
Henry Kowalski, Chicago
Norman Seiff, Elmwood Park

Green Pays on Green Days Sponsors

Chicagoland/Northwest Indiana Toyota Dealers
3M
AAA-Chicago Motor Club
ADM
Abbott Laboratories
BP
Blitz USA
Car-X
The Clean Energy Community Foundation
City of Chicago
Commonwealth Edison
Corn Products
The Dow Company
E.W. Inman—NORBIC
Envirotest Illinois, Inc.
ExxonMobil
Illinois Corn Growers Association
Midwest Generation
Owens-Corning
Plano Metals, Inc.
Regional Transportation Authority
Reliant Energy
Sears, Roebuck and Co.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Special Recognition

American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago
Clear Channel Communications, Inc.
The Honorable John Cullerton, Illinois State Senator
Kane County Cougars
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
John Richards, Richards Bicycles
WMAQ-TV/NBC5 Chicago