Be Recognized For Your Positive Contributions To The Connecticut Environment

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Participate in the GreenCircle Award Program

If you’ve made Connecticut cleaner and greener, you deserve to be a GreenCircle member.

As Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, I am challenging everyone in Connecticut to do a little extra to help improve the quality of life in our beautiful state.

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With this in mind, the DEP established the GreenCircle Award program to recognize businesses, institutions, individuals, and civic organizations who have participated in energy conservation, transportation, pollution prevention or recycling related activities or projects that promote natural resource conservation or environmental awareness.  To date, more than 750 awards have been granted to businesses, institutions, individuals and civic organizations for their involvement in over 1,100 projects.

I look forward to working with each and every participant. Thank you for your commitment to our great state.

Who's eligible?

Any business, institution, individual or group operating or living in the State of Connecticut is eligible to participate.

• Businesses, large and small, in the commercial, industrial, and service sectors
• Government and other non-profit institutions such as municipalities, state agencies, schools, and hospitals
• Individuals, teachers and other volunteers
• Groups: civic, community or public interest

Previous winners are encouraged to apply again for on-going efforts or new projects. Check out the information on previous GreenCircle Award winners and examples of potentially qualifying projects.

Qualifying Projects

Energy Related Projects

• Execute changes that reduce annual energy or water consumption rates by more than 15%

• Design and develop building projects that fulfill Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification requirements

• Implement clean energy generation projects utilizing fuel cells, solar, geothermal or wind power

• Capture and reuse methane from landfills

• Purchase "green-e" certified renewable power that equals or exceeds 20% of energy load of a business, government, or institutional facility; agreement to purchase power must include a minimum contract commitment term of 2 years

• Implement a project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions consistent with Connecticut's Climate Change initiatives in one of the following sectors: transportation; agriculture, forestry or waste; electricity generation; education and outreach

• Complete a greenhouse gas inventory for your municipality, business or educational institution

• Complete an Energy Star benchmarking of a building and/or qualify for the Energy Star program

• Incorporate Smart Growth principles into municipal regulations, ordinances and plans

Transportation Related Projects

• Voluntarily convert or retrofit existing diesel-powered fleet or off-road construction vehicles to significantly reduce air emissions (e.g., retrofit with diesel oxidation catalysts, install diesel particulate filters, convert to ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, etc.)

• Promote or sponsor a company-wide or facility-wide employee commute program

• Convert or purchase fleet vehicles that run on natural gas, electricity, hybrid gas/electricity, or other alternative fuels or vehicles having a mileage rating of greater than 40 miles per gallon and an emission standard level of ultra low or cleaner

Pollution Prevention and Recycling Related Projects

• Install a 100% recycled process or cooling water system

• Certify to ISO 14001

• Implement improved environmental management techniques and procedures that go significantly beyond the minimum requirements for certification as a Clean Marina

• Reduce or eliminate the use of elemental mercury or products containing elemental mercury

• Document and implement a facility-wide pollution prevention plan

• Implement manufacturing processes that eliminate or significantly reduce the quantity or toxicity of a facility’s waste stream

• Implement a facility-wide integrated pest management program

• Voluntarily install a denitrification or UV disinfection program for water treatment

• Successfully implement an innovative and unique pollution prevention plan or recycling program that generates an environmental benefit

• Execute an innovative purchasing program that promotes the procurement of recycled and environmentally preferable products

• Implement recycling specifications for construction and demolition waste in state or municipally funded building projects

• Consistently use more than 40% recycled fiber in newspaper and other newsprint publications

• Separate organic materials at schools or cafeterias for composting or animal feed

• Create or purchase and retire air emission reduction credits beyond minimum compliance requirements

Natural Resource Conservation and Environmental Awareness Related Projects

• Improve public access to shore, waterfront, private lands, or streams through voluntary projects

• Open large tracts of private property for public recreation

• Adopt a vacant lot, park, community garden, stretch of highway, or beach for a year

• Organize a river watch program

• Sponsor a river, beach or neighborhood clean-up day

• Promote conservation and preservation of critical plant or animal habitats

• Implement habitat enhancements for fish or wildlife on public or private property

• Voluntarily contribute significant time or resources to environmental instructional programs, DEP fish and wildlife projects, water quality monitoring programs, or lake, river, or watershed associations

• Donate significant time or resources to assist with environmental projects (e.g., projects or programs promoted by youth groups, community based organizations, businesses, or governmental entities)

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Benefits of the GreenCircle Award Program

Recognition as a member of the Commissioner’s GreenCircle Award program includes a window decal, a certificate of commendation, and listings in press releases, the DEP website, and other promotional materials.

How to Apply

Fill out the applicant information section on the GreenCircle Award program application form (Word document, 863 KB) (PDF document, 162 KB), check off the appropriate project activity type(s), provide a brief explanation of your project, and sign and date the certification. Mail or fax the completed form to:

Applications for the GreenCircle Award program will be accepted for project activities completed within the 18 months before the date you apply. For school projects to be recognized before the summer break, the application deadline is April 15th of that school year. To be considered for recognition at the annual Pollution Prevention ceremony, applications must be received by August 1st. Applicants may apply for more than one of the listed projects. Previous winners are encouraged to apply again for on-going efforts or new projects.

Any Questions?

For further information about the GreenCircle Award program, contact DEP's Office of the Ombudsman at 860-424-3003. We look forward to hearing what you have done to improve our environment!

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Green Circle Award Recipients

Content Last Updated on December 19, 2006