2010 Speakers Series

More than 250 project leaders and company representatives attended the four-workshop Speakers’ Series, featuring nationally and international experts in the field.  The goal was for participants to leave with actionable ideas to take back to their work places.  Speakers included walking advocate Mark Fenton, community based social marketing guru Doug McKenzie-Mohr, Bank of America executive Lisa Shpritz, and Executive Director of The Clean Air Campaign, Kevin Green.

On Track for Cleaner Air: Success Begins with You 
September 22, 2010

Held at NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum

Kevin Green, Executive Director of Atlanta's highly sucessful Clean Air Campaign discussed the critical role that industry and business have played in the success of Georgia's clean air initiatives.

Here are a few key points from Kevin’s presentation:



  1. The support of senior management is a key element in the success of clean commuting initiatives.  



  2. Telecommuting: this tends to be more feasible than people sometimes think.  Atlanta just completed their first “Try It” week for telecommuting and had great results.


Sheila Holman, Director of NC Division of Air Quality, discussed the new EPA standard for ground level ozone and its possible effects on Charlotte area businesses.

Approximately 70 attended this workshop that took place at the NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum.



Designing Green Programs: Putting Ideas into Practice
July 22, 2010

Hosted by Bank of Amer

Lisa Shpritz, Senior Vice President of Corporate Workplace and Director of the Environmental Risk and Sustainability Group

Bank of America's Lisa Shpritz took a corporate sustainability policy and turned it into a way of life at Bank of America.  Approximately 65 people attended and Bank of America provided complementary transit passes. Following Lisa Shpritz’s talk on BOA’s sustainability program, a group discussion was led by Dawn Reeves in order to generate a list of actionable items for project leaders to take back to their organizations.  Some ideas of note included: 

  • Offer banking, dry cleaning, and postal services on-site

  • Renegotiate the pest management program: cease use of the “spray and pray” method in favor of an inspection-based program

  • Use Environmental Ambassadors to help promote and execute initiatives company-wide

Click here for a copy of the presentation.

 

Building Effective Programs
May 10, 2010

Hosted by Harris Teeter

Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr

Clean Air Works!and NC Air Awareness presentedthe pioneer of Community-based Social Marketing (CBSM), Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr.  For more than two decades, he has worked to incorporate scientific knowledge on behavior change into the design and delivery of community programs.  Dr. McKenzie-Mohr collaborates with  governmental and non-governmental agencies, assisting them in identifying the barriers to behavior change and in developing community based social marketing initiatives to overcome these barriers.  His book, Fostering Sustainable Behavior, is requisite reading for those who deliver programs to promote sustainable behavior.

While many initiatives to encourage sustainable behavior rely on information campaigns, Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr’s work in community based social marketing suggests that more is required to actually change behaviors.  In the workshop, Doug suggested focusing more effort on identifying the barriers specific to the behavior you want to promote, and then tailoring your program accordingly. 

For more information:

Motivating Employees to Move and Improve Air Quality

March 25, 2010

Hosted by AXA Equitable

Mark Fenton

Mark Fenton, called "America's Walking Guru" by USA Today, gave a rousing talk to 45 project leaders and guests about motivating employees to move and improve air quality.

Mark Fenton is an entertaining, engaging, and knowledgeable walking advocate and host of the PBS series America’s Walking.  Most recently, Mark has become a recognized authority on public health issues and the need for community, environmental, and public-policy initiatives to encourage more walking and bicycling. Mark has several  years of experience empowering individuals to make healthy lifestyle changes and helping businesses develop successful wellness programs that encourage employee participation and exceed expectations.

Click below to view a You Tube video of the workshop and for Mark's handouts.