Project Grant 02J13901

DESCRIPTION:THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL IMPROVE POLLUTION PREVENTION (P2) OUTCOMES, PROVIDE INCLUSIVE ACCESS TO BILINGUAL TRAINING AND RESOURCES, AND STRENGTHEN ECOLOGICAL BUSINESS PROGRAM (ECOBIZ) PARTNERSHIPS. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL TRAINING VIDEOS AND WORKSHEETS FOR AUTOMOTIVE AND LANDSCAPING BUSINESSES, CREATE A REGULAR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM TO SHARE P2 NEWS AND CASE STUDIES, AND MIGRATE ECOBIZ TRACKING AND METRICS COLLECTION TO THE NATIONAL GREEN BIZ TRACKER. ECOBIZ CERTIFIES ECO-FRIENDLY AUTO REPAIR AND BODY SHOPS, LANDSCAPERS, AND CAR WASHES IN OREGON. CERTIFIED BUSINESSES MEET HIGH STANDARDS TO REDUCE TOXICS, PREVENT POLLUTION, AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. EACH CERTIFIED LOCATION HAS BEEN VISITED AND EVALUATED BY ECOBIZ PROGRAM STAFF, AND CERTIFIED BY THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND THE LOCAL WATER AUTHORITY. USING AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LENS, TRAINING WILL BE DEVELOPED AND PROVIDED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND WILL COVER TOXICS REDUCTIONS, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS MANAGEMENT, STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION, AND OTHER POLLUTION PREVENTION PRACTICES IN THE LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER ESTUARY. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO EXPAND THE VISIBILITY OF ECOBIZ TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH ADVERTISEMENTS AND WILL CONVENE REGIONAL MUNICIPAL PARTNERS TO COORDINATE POLLUTION PREVENTION EFFORTS. ACTIVITIES:ACTIVITIES AIM TO ELIMINATE OR REDUCE POLLUTION AND UTILIZE SAFER CHEMICALS, REDUCING TOXIC USE WITHIN THE LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER ESTUARY AND SUPPORTING SECTION 123 OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT. THESE OBJECTIVES WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: ACTIVITY 1: DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING MATERIALS - PPRC WILL DEVELOP P2 EDUCATIONAL TRAINING MATERIALS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ECOBIZ CERTIFIED AUTOMOTIVE AND LANDSCAPING BUSINESSES IN OREGON. PPRC WILL DEVELOP A SERIES OF BILINGUAL EDUCATIONAL TRAINING VIDEOS AND ACCOMPANYING WORKSHEETS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH THAT WILL BE HOSTED ON THE ECOBIZ.ORG WEBSITE AND YOUTUBE. FOR AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR TRAINING, PPRC WILL CREATE 25 VIDEOS IN ENGLISH, TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH WITH ACCOMPANYING PRINTED WORKSHEETS FOR STAFF TO DISCUSS IN MEETINGS. ACTIVITY 2: INCREASED ECOBIZ BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS. PPRC WILL DEVELOP A REGULAR PROGRAM-WIDE COMMUNICATION MECHANISM TO BUILD CONTINUITY AND INCREASE BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION. THIS WILL INCLUDE AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR NEWSLETTERS SENT EVERY OTHER MONTH, ALTERNATING WITH LANDSCAPING SECTOR NEWSLETTERS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, WHICH WILL FEATURE P2 SUCCESS STORIES, TRAINING CONTENT, BEST PRACTICE TIPS AND REMINDERS, AND EVENTS. ACTIVITY 3: ECOBIZ ADVERTISEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION. ECOBIZ WILL BE PROMOTED VIA TARGETED SOCIAL MEDIA, CHINOOK BOOK, AND GOOGLE ADS TO INCREASE CONSUMER AWARENESS AND DRIVE BUSINESS TO ECOBIZ LOCATIONS. PPRC WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE GOOGLE NONPROFIT MARKETING IMMERSION, WHICH PAIRS NONPROFITS WITH VOLUNTEER STUDENT GROUPS TO BUILD GOOGLE AD CAMPAIGNS. ADDITIONALLY, PPRC WILL DEVELOP ARTICLES AND ADVERTISEMENTS FOR THE CHINOOK BOOK, A REGIONAL MOBILE OFFERS APP AND GUIDE FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABLE LIVING. PPRC WILL ALSO COORDINATE AND FACILITATE QUARTERLY POLLUTION PREVENTION OUTREACH (P2O) TEAM MEETINGS. APPROXIMATELY 20 PARTNERS ATTEND MEETINGS VIRTUALLY FROM OREGON WATER JURISDICTIONS, SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, NONPROFITS, BUSINESSES, AND OREGON DEQ. MEETINGS INCLUDE ECOBIZ PROGRAMMATIC UPDATES, NEW CERTIFICATION SECTORS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES, AND CURRENT REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE P2 EFFORTS. ACTIVITY 4: IMPROVE ECOBIZ TRACKING. PPRC WILL MIGRATE CERTIFICATION TRACKING TO THE NATIONAL GREEN BUSINESS TRACKER (GREENBIZTRACKER) TO ENHANCE METRICS REPORTING, IMPROVE BUSINESS EXPERIENCE, AND INCREASE CERTIFIED BUSINESS VISIBILITY.SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: 25 AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR TRAINING VIDEOS AND WORKSHEETS IN ENGLISH, 25 AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR VIDEOS AND WORK