Education and Community Outreach
Education and community outreach are key components in promoting good environmental stewardship. PHI realizes that working with community organizations, civic groups and schools on the importance of enhancing and protecting our valuable natural resources can produce many benefits, including encouraging pollution prevention and instilling the ethic and practice of stewardship.
The Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey Environmental Issues Forum is an example of the many community events supported by PHI. At the 2004 forum, the Chamber, PHI and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection shared views on how to improve business environmental performance and regulatory oversight in the state.
While education and community outreach are important keys to promoting good environmental stewardship, business initiatives that promote economic development also lead to good environmental stewardship. This is evidenced in Delaware Governor Ruth Minner’s business initiative proposed in early 2004. The initiative includes the creation of a Clean Energy Research Center, to focus on fuel cell research and Clean Energy Performance Grants to encourage businesses to manufacture photovoltaic cells, fuel cells and wind-energy components. PHI is a partner with the state in this initiative.
Although PHI employees live with and practice good environmental stewardship as part of their everyday activities, when special events require additional efforts their response is commendable. “Earth Month” in April was an excellent example of employees partnering with environmental organizations in river cleanups. PHI employees, along with other community volunteers, participated in cleanups of the Anacostia, Christina and Potomac rivers, removing several tons of debris from those waters and shorelines.
In addition to river cleanups, employees participated in the Delaware Solid Waste Authority’s 4th Annual Earth Day celebration at Killen’s Pond State Park and the Delaware Natural Resource Education Center’s 15th Annual Beach Grass Planting. Others assisted with tree work and trail maintenance at the Capitol Heights Earth Day Celebration and the Prince George’s County mulch giveaway in Maryland. PHI employees provided an environmental display for the Montgomery County Earth Day Celebration, also in Maryland. Other PHI people celebrated “Earth Month” by being involved in numerous other proactive environmental initiatives throughout the month, including recycling used electronic equipment and tennis shoes, and distributing tree seedlings.
During 2004, PHI provided financial and in-kind services support to more than 50 agencies throughout our five-state region, including the District of Columbia.
