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Tracy Polansky
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The Polansky Group
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St. Louis, MO (June 27, 2013) - Craig Jung, the founder of St. Louis Green, began working in the green community in St. Louis in 1998. He noticed that community members seemed increasingly interested in sustainability but was struck by the lack of information about green businesses, products, and events in the region. In 2005, Craig founded St. Louis Green, Inc. to address the need for more information about green initiatives and sustainable lifestyles.
In 2007, Craig launched StLouisGreen.com, an online resource for all things green in the St. Louis region. What was simply a green resource website in 2007, has grown into a robust non-profit organization with a board of directors, strong partnerships, and multiple funding streams.
Today, St. Louis Green educates the entire region on the environmental efforts of non-profits and companies within the community via a 10,000-person email list, active Facebook and Twitter followings, and a blog on the organization’s website. The website, which receives 17,000 page views per month, has many sponsors who contribute to the long-term viability of St. Louis Green and provide funds for its educational programs. St. Louis Green also creates and distributes videos and TV segments to educate kids and adults about sustainability at home and at work. St. Louis Green volunteers represent the organization and are the face of green education at many events.
As the Founder and now Executive Director, Craig’s vision and drive to create and support a greener, more sustainable St. Louis region brought St. Louis Green into being, but according to him, “the growth and accomplishments of the organization would not have been possible without the team around me, as well as the partnerships we have formed in the community.” With the help of these partnerships, St. Louis Green has further increased its outreach by establishing multiple programs that embrace and execute the organization’s vision:
Community Outreach Education - Weekly education segments on local stations KPLR-11 and Fox2, as well as presentations to local community groups and organizations.
EPS Recycling Program - Currently in development, this program will allow the non-profit to collect and recycle extruded polystyrene (EPS), commonly called Styrofoam.
Furniture and Metal to Food - Diverts corporate furniture/metal waste from landfills (over 6 million since October 2011) by reselling, recycling and reusing these items via designated vendors and agencies. Additionally, 10% of gross proceeds benefit the Operation Food Search Operation Backpack program.
Holiday Light Recycling Drive - Coordinates all aspects of recycling unwanted holiday lights and extension cords in the St. Louis region and statewide. Since the program’s inception in 2009, St. Louis Green has recycled 194,000 pounds of holiday lights otherwise bound for landfills.
Mattress Recycling Services - Launched April 1, 2013, this program was created in response to a demonstrated community need for efficient mattress recycling services for commercial and private parties. In its beginning stages, the program will divert a significant amount of waste from area landfills and create employment in the green jobs sector for underemployed residents of St. Louis.
Partnerships with the Cardinals and the Rams - St. Louis Green helped the St. Louis Cardinals start a recycling program at Busch Stadium in 2008, in conjunction with its “4 A Greener Game” program. The non-profit also partnered with the St. Louis Rams in 2010 to help start a volunteer-supported recycling program at the Edward Jones Dome in conjunction with its “Rams Green Team.”
Plastic Pot Recycling - St. Louis Green has recently begun managing this important initiative, which has been in operation at the Missouri Botanical Garden since 1998. The program assists the gardening public in recycling plastic pots, trays, and cell packs. It is the most extensive residential garden plastics recycling program in the nation. Since the program’s inception, over 1 million pounds of horticultural plastic have been diverted from local landfills. St. Louis Green is eager to continue this critical community effort.
StLouisGreen.com - The website is a hub of education and community activism for sustainability and green lifestyles. It serves as a directory for local green non-profits and businesses, green events, educational outreach, and green jobs and volunteer opportunities. Over 300 partners/sponsors contribute to the site’s long-term viability.
St. Louis Green Jobs - As one of the newest programs, it aims to be a complete resource for information, trainings, conferences, and advocacy related to green careers. Both the Regional County Growth Association and the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment are partnering with St. Louis Green on this dynamic initiative.
St. Louis Green derives its direction and motivation from the goal it shares with the community: the large-scale achievement of sustainability of the St. Louis region and the education of community members about how to lead more sustainable lives. For the next two years, the organization will focus on making its existing programs sustainable. Long term plans are focused around continuing to make St. Louis Green a crucial element of the sustainability of the St. Louis region.
For more information, visit http://stlouisgreen.com.
For more information about the OFS Operation Backpack program, visit http://www.operationfoodsearch.org/services-and-programs/operation-backpack.php.
For more information about the Cardinals’ “4 A Greener Game” program, vist http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stl/community/green.jsp.
For more information about the “Rams’ Green Team”, visit http://www.stlouisrams.com/community/go-green/take-action.html.
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