[Post author: Wayne Duke]
Region 5/Great Lakes Region Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) has been very fortunate to represent 25% of the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) Board the past few years. Four of the 15 Board members are from Region 5 and include:
- Rich Bossingham, Indiana DEM (at large), rbossing@idem.in.gov
- Robert Jackson, Michigan Dept of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth (Region 5 representative and Board chair), jacksonr1@michigan.gov
- Cindy McComas, MnTAP, University of Minnesota (at large), mccom003@umn.edu
- Gary Miller, ISTC, University of Illinois (emeritus/past chair), gmiller@istc.illinois,edu
However, three of these four individuals have terms ending in September 2009 and the NPPR Board needs new pollution prevention blood to serve three-year terms. The NPPR is the largest membership organization in the United States devoted solely to pollution prevention. The mission of the NPPR is to provide a national forum for promoting the development, implementation, and evaluation of efforts to avoid, eliminate, or reduce pollution at the source.
The Board is currently accepting nominations for Region 5 and at-large candidates. Regional Board candidates must be a representative of a local, state or tribal governmental organization. The at-large board positions are open to all voting members in good standing.
The NPPR Board presents fun and challenging opportunities to work nationally on ways to promote and sustain pollution prevention as a fundamental environmental protection strategy that includes involvement with policy, technical, and measurement issues.
Serving on the NPPR Board provides you with opportunities to network, improve leadership skills, be a liaison with your favorite workgroup, and strategize/implement ways to improve NPPR. Board member benefits include networking, leadership opportunities, travel scholarships to the annual Environmental Partnership Summit, ability to set policy and direction of NPPR, the opportunity to contribute on position papers, and being “in the know” on ECOS, EPA, and other national programs and projects.
In return, the Board representatives will participate in monthly conference calls, attend Board meetings in October and May, join a NPPR workgroup or committee, provide views and concerns of NPPR members, and promote NPPR within the Region. The Board term is October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2012.
Please contact any of your Board representatives if you are willing to serve a term on the NPPR Board beginning in October 2009.
“I have served on the Board for four years in a variety of capacities. A highlight has been learning from very bright colleagues about how they “do” pollution prevention in their states and organizations. I have also been able to push my specific interests and get help from others with similar interests. It is gratifying to see the progress we have made and the impact we have as an organization on federal policy, funding for our programs, and in developing new leaders in the pollution prevention movement. We have also been involved in international pollution prevention programs including trips to South Korea, the Middle East, Mexico and Canada. NPPR also has strong, very good staff to work with including Jeff Burke, the Executive Director. Serving as a Director on the NPPR Board has been very valuable to me in more ways than I can count and I recommend it highly. You will be better for it.”
Gary Miller
Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign