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USPS EnvironmentalCommittee |
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Objectives:
- Educate
membership
- The boater's beneficial contribution in supporting environmental stewardship
- Boating best management practices in the environment
- Specific environmental issues/legislation and their impact on recreational boating
- Publicize/share internally successful stewardship programs between squadrons
- Publicize externally, USPS contribution to environmental stewardship
The USPS Environmental Committee was formed at the January 2004 National Meeting.
A USPS Environmental poster has been designed for your use at Squadron events and is available for download (see link in left column). Free copies are also available at national meetings.
News:
Grant Opportunities from BoatUs Foundation: (08/20/09)
BoatUS Foundation Clean Water Grants period is now closed but go to this link to sign-up for their newsletter when the next application will be released. http://www.boatus.com/foundation/cleanwater/grants/
14th Annual Youth Poster Contest (03/29/11)
Membership teams with the Environment.
Read all about it, fill out the form and GET INVOLVED.
"2011 Youth Poster Contest - "Be a Survivor - Wear It"For rules, application and to view prior winners and photos visit the Youth Poster pages on the Membership website.
USPS promotes coastline, beach, and waterway clean-up efforts through the volunteer efforts of our membership. Boaters help especially by removing trash and debris found in waterways that cannot be accessed directly from the shore.
Some states have a spring and fall coastal clean-up effort but annual events usually coordinate with the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Clean-up held each year in September. Members should also look into specific state and watershed-led programs as many rivers, bays and lakes have their own individual clean-up initiatives.
USPS is proud of their Squadrons as many have adopted shoreline and beach areas year around and have been instrumental in educating public stakeholders in environmental stewardship. Need more information about a clean-up in your State or District? Email the USPS Environmental Committee Chair!
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USPS partners with
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USPS Environmental Best Practices Brochure Is now available at USPS headquarters. Squadrons may order copies free, plus shipping and handling charges ($4 handling fee/order + actual shipping costs). Contact Customer Service at 888-367-8777, or fax your request to: 888-304-0813. The brochure has space for individual squadron contact information on the back. This is a great handout for boat shows, classes, and VSCs. The brochure can also be downloaded. This is a low resolution .pdf file, but will produce a decent print for handouts. For a high resolution graphics file appropriate for professional printing, email the EnvCom chair using the link in the column to the left. |
USPS encourages boaters to collect a bag of maritime litter each time they go out, or at least more often than the once or twice-a-year “trash bashes” held in many coastal communities. Since ± 80 percent of the trash in the marine environment is from land-based sources, the campaign message is: “it doesn’t matter how the trash got there, let’s all make an effort to get it out of our boating environment”. Eventually EnvCom hopes to provide Unsplash That Trash trash bags for the campaign accompanied by an educational bookmark. The bookmark is complete and is available for download. Click on the link above. We encourage squadrons to hand these out at boat shows and other local festivals, boating classes, and while conducting VSC's. |
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USPS EnvCom Project PrimerA guide to help your squadron get started on an environmental project |
Committee reports:
2008 Annual Report
2007 Governing Board Report - Norfolk
2007 Annual Report
2006 Governing Board Report
2006 Annual Report
2005 Fall Governing Board Report
2005 Spring Governing Board Report
USPS is now a partner in the ANS (Aquatic Nuisance Species) Task Force public awareness campaign "Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers," sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Coast Guard. Details, procedures and educational information can be found on the campaign website at www.protectyourwaters.net. Contact the EnvCom Chair for high resolution graphics of customizable campaign brochures, stickers and banners. Individual squadrons can use these materials and take credit for the message!
In progress at this time...
Seeking grant funding for USPS "Unsplash That Trash" campaign.
The Educational Department Marine Environment Committee is working on a new learning guide called the
Mariner's Environment.
Efforts to publicize some current squadron projects.
The committee is looking for hard-working members!
What is your squadron doing? We want to hear!
Got some good ideas? Let us know!
Want to work with us? Contact the committee chair!
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