Volvo Rewards Local San Diego Groups for Healthier Planet Program
27 May 2000
Volvo Cars Rewards Local San Diego Groups On May 27 for Participating in the Drive for a Healthier Planet Program
SAN DIEGO--Volvo will be announcing the winners of the San Diego Drive for a Healthier Planet program on Saturday, May 27 at 11 a.m. at the San Diego Volvo dealership, located at 5350 Kearny Mesa Road.The Drive for a Healthier Planet program, sponsored by Volvo Cars, is raising awareness for a cleaner future by initiating local clean-up projects in San Diego. The president of the San Diego BayKeeper, Sandor Kaupp, and Johan von Porat, special projects manager for Volvo Cars, will be speaking at the event.
The grand prize winners will receive an all expense paid trip to Columbia University's BioSphere 2, the largest closed ecological system in the world, located near Oracle, Ariz. The four runner-up teams will receive cash grants to support their further environmental initiatives.
The Drive for a Healthier Planet program was launched on April 8 at the San Diego Volvo dealership in Kearny Mesa and has involved 15 local schools, youth and environmental organizations in an effort to create a cleaner city. The groups could choose one of Volvo's suggested clean-up programs or develop their own project.
The suggested projects included Neighborhood Clean-Up, Recycling Drive, Mapping of a Natural Area or Adopt a Stream/Beach. The organizations were encouraged to develop objectives, an action plan, a timeline and report results.
The groups received $500 in Eco Grants from Volvo and had five weeks to complete their projects. Volvo representatives then evaluated all 15 projects and will award the top five projects this Saturday, May 27.
"Volvo Cars is proud to have been part of this successful, result-oriented program," said von Porat. "The Drive for a Healthier Planet program proves that education and commitment is all it takes to create a healthier and more enjoyable planet for everyone. Volvo commends each and every participant in this project."
The participating groups have developed and initiated a wide range of environmental projects including, watershed restoration, a beach cleanup, schoolyard beautification, an in-house recycling program and a fully functional eco-garden.
The Drive for a Healthier Planet is dedicated to education, action and results of all environmental issues. It is intended to inspire individuals and groups to take an active, ongoing role in developing environmental projects to benefit their communities.
