Anne Jaffee-Holmes - State Environmental Award

Anne Jaffe-Holmes, Director of Education & Sustainability at the Greenburgh Nature Center in Scarsdale, was recognized for her commitment to recycling and the environment. Jaffe-Holmes is a Master Composter/Recycler of Westchester County, a member of the Green Policy Task Force in her community and a founder member of an initiative to retain fall leaves on properties to reduce hauling and to recharge the soil (LELE). At the Greenburgh Nature Center (GNC) she has organized meetings to bring together members from multiple municipalities to network, share best practices, discuss challenges and tell of success in the area of materials management. She was instrumental in setting up a composting operation at the GNC, has helped setup up waste reduction practices in local schools and provided extensive training and support to them.  Thanks to her longstanding efforts, the Town of Greenburgh will be opening a food scrap drop off program supported by the Anne and the GNC with a heavy reliance on them for public outreach and education.

 

David Lupinski - Lifetime Achievement Award

David Lupinski, recently retired Director of Recycling and Waste Reduction for the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority (OHSWA) was recognized by his peers at the NYSAR3 statewide conference in Cooperstown.

Since the opening of the Oneida-Herkimer Recycling Center in 1991, Lupinski played a major role in the success of the Authority's comprehensive solid waste and recycling system. Throughout his tenure, he has managed the residential and commercial recycling programs that serve the 78 municipalities throughout the two-county region. In 2011 he oversaw the implementation of the Authority's conversion to singlestream recycling "RecycleOne - One and Done."

Through Lupinski's focus on market development, he has spearheaded regional recycling programs for electronics, household hazardous waste, bulky rigid plastics and hardcover books, resulting in thousands of tons of materials diverted from the waste stream. He has also contributed to the success of the Authority's green waste composting program and organics. Lupinski previously served as president of NYSAR3; assisted with the statewide textiles recycling campaign; and was named Volunteer of the Year in 2011 from Utica's Boilermaker Road Race.

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Gary Feinland - State Recycling Leadership Award

Gary Feinland, an Environmental Program Specialist at the state Department of Environmental Conservation, was recognized as a top New York state recycler when he was presented with the award for 2017 Recycling Leadership, Public Sector. Feinland's enthusiasm for recycling and organics were noted, as well as participation in many community venues. He has started successful composting programs at DEC's offices, his church - and readily participates in multiple associations, including NYSAR3, and leads many working groups related to organics for these groups. In addition, he speaks and participates with many community groups and school districts on his own time, to educate and help. 

"Gary Feinland both talks the talk and walks the walk," according to his nomination from a co-worker at NYSDEC. "He is the worm man. For composting and compost use in New York State, he is our cheerleader at DEC. Gary thinks inclusively and acts to always reach out to all interested parties." He has written multiple articles for newsletters, including a BioCycle article on medium scale on-site composting systems. Developed the "Easy Home Composting!" poster, which received honorable mention for the DEC Swinn Clear Communications Award in 2014.
 
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Heather Coton - Recycling Leadership, Private Sector Award

Heather Coton, environmental manager at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs was recognized for her commitment to recycling and sustainability with a statewide award. Delaware North operates the Gideon Putnam in Saratoga Springs, NY and is committed to integrating sustainable and stewardship practices throughout operations. Coton was called a champion of Green Path®, a comprehensive environmental management system used at the hotel, and it was noted she personifies sustainable and stewardship ideologies at The Gideon Putnam. Her actions include waste reduction through diversion, re-use, and recycling of such items as carpet, ceiling tiles, guitar strings, pillows, shampoo bottles, uniforms and more. Water and energy conservation; composting organic has also been under Coton's radar. She continually networks with local groups to partner on stewardship programs; most recently she arranged a donation to The Giving Circle to help with Hurricane Harvey Relief.  Additionally, instead of dumping 600 used pillows into the landfill, Heather arranged for their diversion.  A local group involved with animal rescue made 100 of those pillows into dog beds.

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Union College Sustainability Group - State Recycling Award

U-Sustain, the Sustainability Committee at Union College in Schenectady, was recently recognized for their outstanding job addressing many environmental issues at a statewide recycling conference in Cooperstown. 

Union College composts all pre-consumer and post-consumer food waste from its dining halls, recently implemented post-consumer food waste collections, and works to promote food waste diversion at many campus events. The group hosts student campus-move out collections to reclaim unwanted but salvageable materials which is redistributed first to students and then diverted to many community charitable organizations.
 
The U-Sustain Committee (Garnet Goes Green) is made up of 70 students, faculty, and staff who engage and educate the campus community about ways to live, work, and enjoy college in the most eco-friendly way possible. The students are especially devoted to promoting recycling on campus and can be seen doing campus engagement, waste diversion, and outreach education at Union College events. Union has special recycling programs to collect textile waste, electronics, batteries, and light bulbs from the students throughout the year, promoting responsible disposal and environmental stewardship in the student body.

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