The Erie County Environmental Management Council (“EMC”), an advisory board that collaborates with the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning on various environmental issues, has announced its 2021 Environmental Excellence Award Winners.

The 2021 Environmental Excellence Award recipients are:

• Buffalo Heritage Carousel, Inc. – The KeyBank Roundhouse

• Buffalo Sewer Authority, Community Action Organization (CAO) of Western New York and Joy Kuebler Landscape Architect - Water WORX Community Education

• Imagine: Hamburg – Butt Kickers Committee

The Erie County Environmental Management Council Environmental Excellence Awards Program began           in 2015 to recognize exceptional projects carried out by municipal and non-profit organizations in Erie County that stand to have a significant and lasting positive impact on the natural environment. The awards program is designed to help showcase and publicly promote projects that can be replicated in community throughout the Western New York region.

Following is a detailed description of each awardee:

Buffalo Heritage Carousel, Inc. – The KeyBank Roundhouse

The Buffalo Heritage Carousel, Inc., is opening this year, has worked to include education about renewable energy technologies, conservation and preservation into the design of the Key Bank Roundhouse.  Their thoughtful design stimulates life-long learning about our past, the environment and the responsible use of our natural resources through play and hands-on experiences.  For more information, visit: https://www.buffaloheritagecarousel.org/ .

Buffalo Sewer Authority, Community Action Organization (CAO) of Western New York

 Joy Kuebler Landscape Architect - Water WORX Community Education

The Buffalo Sewer Authority partnering with Community Action Organization (CAO) of Western New York, worked Joy Kuebler Landscape, to engage and educate youth, utilizing its newly designed green infrastructure project for Buffalo’s Willert Park Neighborhood as a living laboratory.  The program is designed to inspire the next generation of green infrastructure designers, installers and planners. For more information, visit: https://raincheckbuffalo.org/project/water-worx-stormwater-education-program/ .

Imagine: Hamburg – Butt Kickers Committee

Imagine: Hamburg volunteers have engaged their community to prevent cigarette butt litter. Many people believe that cigarette butts are biodegradable, but they are actually made of plastic. The volunteers created an informational brochure that they delivered to more than 100 village businesses and established receptacles.  They also joined a regional effort around this issue organized by Roswell Park.  For more information, contact:  https://imaginehamburg.org/meetings-contact-us/ .

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