(l to r) Brian Clark, Board Chairman, Former Rep. Ellen Bard, Rep. Carole Rubley, Sen. Mary Jo White and Larry Myers, PRC Executive Director

“Environment, Education, Energy and Economics: The 4 Es” was the theme of the Pennsylvania Resources Council’s annual fundraising and awards dinner. The event, which honored statewide leaders in the 4 Es, was held November 17 in West Conshohocken.

The honorary dinner chair was Howard B. Stoeckel, CEO of Wawa, Inc. and the keynote speaker was Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango), chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Almost 200 business, government and community leaders attended.

Sen. White recognized the importance of a continuing goal of PRC--that of bringing people, business and government together to solve environmental problems.

“As chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, I know firsthand that forging consensus on environmental policy is not easy. It combines two issues that, individually, stir passions: environment and money,” said Sen. White.

Sen. White reminded the audience of several key issues where consensus was reached over the last year including Growing Greener II, measures to promote alternative energy, and soon the establishment of the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education.

Individual, companies and honored by PRC include—

Giant Eagle – Leader in the Environment: Giant Eagle’s Conservation Department has upheld a commitment and corporate responsibility to the environment by participating in both internal and external recycling efforts, implementing energy-saving technologies in new and existing stores and supporting the education efforts of local and national environmental organizations.

Waste Management – Leader in Education Award: Waste Management promotes hands-on environmental learning opportunities for students and communities through programs like the Pennsylvania Waste Watchers Award, the Earth Force environmental education program and partnerships with organizations like school districts and the Audubon Society and participated in the Governor’s Institute for Environment and Ecology and the Department of Education’s Environmental Education Council.

Former State Rep. Ellen Bard – Leader in Energy Award: During her five terms in the House of Representatives, Rep. Bard was a leader in promoting energy efficiency, development of clean, alternative energy, chaired the Subcommittee on Energy of the House Environmental Resources, promoted public awareness of environmental and energy issues through the non-profit Earthright organization she founded and through her current activities as host of “Bard Means Business” and serving on the Boards of a variety of environmental, energy and civic organizations.

Judy Wicks – Leader in Economy Award: As the owner and founder of the White Dog Café, Ms. Wicks became a national leader in the local living economies movement and co-chair of both the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia and the national Business Alliance for Local Living Economies and has won numerous awards for her blend of doing business in an environmentally sustainable way.

Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC – Leader in Sustainable Design and Planning: For over 40 years WRT has had a commitment to sustainability as a core value in its corporate culture that has lead to over 250 awards for its work and is evident in the design of the firm’s own new headquarters office in Philadelphia which received a Gold rating under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Commercial program for sustainable and energy efficient design.

For 67 years, PRC has been working to create solutions to environmental challenges and to reach out to the community through its educational programs that include resource conservation, environmental summer camps, recycling, composting, environmental lifestyle choices, watershed and air quality education, and a variety of litter prevention programs.

For information, visit the PRC website.

11/25/2005