One Environment Network
Organization Information:
- Organization Name:
- Environmental Federation of North Carolina dba Earth Share of North Carolina
- City & State:
- Durham ,
- North Carolina
- Organization Website:
- www.earthsharenc.org
- Organization's Mission Statement
- The mission of Earth Share of North Carolina is to strengthen its participating organizations' capacity to preserve and enhance the natural environment.
Submission Information
- Impact Essay
- With the help of Adobe CS3 purchased from TechSoup, Earth Share of North Carolina (ESNC) is now able to promote greener practices in workplaces across NC. Through the One Environment Network (OEN), employee groups are provided with a structure and resources to implement sustainable practices in a fun way, network with other workplaces to share their experiences and challenges, and inspire co-workers to adopt small changes that make a big difference. ESNC is a coalition of 64 environmental organizations working to preserve the environment. Our purpose is to strengthen the capacity of these organizations by partnering with workplaces to connect individuals with the work of our organizations through education, involvement in volunteer activities, and workplace giving programs. WHY the OEN? With the heightened environmental awareness of the last few years, ESNC has gotten a lot of feedback from employees who want to do their part, but aren’t sure what to do. Navigating our daily lives and making choices that are ‘green’ can be difficult. In response, ESNC took advantage of our new Adobe design software and created the OEN as a web-based resource for employees who are interested in promoting and implementing greener practices at work and in their daily lives. On the website, users can download a step-by-step guide for starting a workplace green team, get project ideas, register their team and set-up a profile. Users can also view green team videos, photos and articles, and participate in discussion boards. In the pilot phase of the program, employees at Self-Help Credit Union implemented a paper-saving challenge to reduce paper consumption in their office. They developed strategies related to their printing needs and reduced their overall consumption by 42 percent. The OEN is being officially launched for use by the public this week. ESNC will leverage the OEN web based program to increase volunteerism and efficiently inspire and educate a broader range of people to consider the environment when making decisions day to day. For example, another pilot participant, the NC State Treasurer’s Department, involved 15 people in a river clean up and conducted 3 workshops to help 90 employees learn how to reduce the use of toxins. Through the educational and volunteer activity sections of the website, the OEN will facilitate increased involvement in the work of our member groups. The OEN provides businesses with a resource that is appealing, timely and socially responsible. As such, it serves as a platform for creating new workplace giving partnerships. As new partnerships are formed, more employees are given the opportunity to learn about and support our members as volunteers and donors. ESNC is comprised of a staff of 3 with a limited budget. Our low operating costs ensure that the maximum amount of money collected through workplace giving is passed on to our member organizations. If we did not have the benefit of Adobe’s technology to design and implement this program that made it possible to avoid contracting fees, we could not have developed the OEN as a robust resource.
- Submission Category
- Environmental Impact Other Media
