KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL TO PRESENT THE 2002 IRON EYES CODY AWARD TO JIM STEELE

Keep America Beautiful, Inc. has announced that Jim Steele, Chairman of Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, is the recipient of the 2002 Iron Eyes Cody Award, in recognition of his decades of commitment to environmental education for youth and adults, and his leadership role in increasing public awareness about activities that preserve and enhance natural resources and minimize waste.

Keep America Beautiful, Inc. has announced that Jim Steele, Chairman of Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, is the recipient of the 2002 Iron Eyes Cody Award, in recognition of his decades of commitment to environmental education for youth and adults, and his leadership role in increasing public awareness about activities that preserve and enhance natural resources and minimize waste.

Steeles work stretches back 35 years, when as a young engineering graduate he first built schools using state of the art practices to minimize erosion, reduce waste, conserve water and use building materials wisely. In the 1970s he saw the need for environmental education in his community, and so formed Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful (GC&B) with other concerned citizens. For decades, Steeles tireless involvement and positive influence on GC&Bs Citizens Advisory Board has helped GC&B become a regional and national leader in providing grassroots environmental solutions.

His goals for educating his community are based on sound science. Steele has helped educate more than one million citizens about conserving natural resources, waste management, and water and air quality issues. He developed the Clean Schools program to educate all 190,000 students and 10,000 faculty on ways to keep schools clean.

Steele was also instrumental in implementing the Waste in Place and Waste: A Hidden Resource curricula in each of Gwinnetts 87 county schools. Through this effort, the eighth class of students has graduated after completing 13 years of comprehensive environmental education. As school systems director of public safety, he has led the county-wide effort to establish a Graffiti Hurts coalition.

Steele spearheaded the effort to design and construct the Recycling Bank of Gwinnett. Currently, more than 120 community groups, 13,000 individuals and 60 businesses use the Bank. This recycling facility has grown from a 2,000 square foot center to a 20,000 square foot, 100 ton per day intermediate processing center for recyclables. It is a state and national model for recycling facilities and is the seventh largest recycling facility in Metro Atlanta.

Steele believes in involving volunteers and saving tax dollars. He led the effort to develop and implement a comprehensive solid waste management plan for Gwinnetts 600,000 citizens. Due to his work the county saved $250,000. His leadership in litter prevention programs also resulted in a sustained 70 percent or better reduction of litter in major areas. During the past 12 months his efforts have involved more than 195,000 volunteers and returned more than $30 in benefits to citizens for every $1 invested by county government.

Jim Steele has served as chairman of GC&B since 1989, and has received many accolades while he helps Keep America Beautifuls presence grow. In 1990, he was awarded Keep America Beautifuls first Chairman of the Year Award, and in 1998 he received the Keep Georgia Beautiful Man of the Year Award. Steele donates his time to help other communities develop their own Keep America Beautiful affiliate programs. He helped found the Metro Atlanta Keep America Beautiful Partnership, which includes 16 affiliates.

Jim Steeles leadership ability has made a dramatic difference in the environmental practices of thousands of young people and adults," said KAB President G. Raymond Empson. Like Iron Eyes Cody, he is an example of the power of an individual to be a catalyst for change through his actions."

The Iron Eyes Cody Award was named in honor of Keep America Beautifuls landmark public awareness campaign of the 1970s, People Start Pollution. People Can Stop It," which features the iconic face and tear of Iron Eyes Cody and is credited with awakening the environmental consciousness of an entire generation. This award honors outstanding men for their leadership in raising public awareness of the importance of litter prevention, community beautification and improvement, responsible solid waste management, and preserving and enhancing natural resources and public lands.

Keep America Beautiful, Inc. is a nonprofit organization whose network of more than 500 local, statewide and international programs educate individuals about litter prevention and ways to reduce, reuse, recycle and properly manage waste materials. Through partnerships and strategic alliances with citizens, businesses and government, Keep America Beautifuls programs motivate millions of volunteers annually to clean up, beautify and improve their neighborhoods, creating safer and more livable community environments.