City of San Diego - Environmental Services Department Awards
EIA Driver of the Year
Environmental Industry Association (EIA) selected Sanitation Driver II
Junius Hawkins for the 2006 Driver
of the Year Award, a national award honoring waste industry drivers
who are committed to safety, quality and service. Hawkins is the fourth
San Diego driver selected for the honor in the past seven years that the
City has participated in the competition.. Johnny Rushing won the City's
first award in 1999, followed by Michael Maloney in 2000 and Enrique Rojas
in 2002. No other city or private-sector waste company in the EIA competition
has produced more than two Driver of the Year winners.
Fleetowner Magazine Vocational Fleet of the Year
FleetOwner magazine named the Collection Services Division "2005 Vocational Fleet of the Year" to give public
recognition for a "truly innovate approach to truck fleet management."
An article
in the December 2005 magazine said that "few if any have rose to the multifaceted
challenge" of municipal fleet management, and cited three initiatives
launched in 2005 that benefit San Diego residents and lowered operational
costs: rerouting of trash trucks, which will save $10 million over ten
years from the City's General Fund; environmental “credits”
secured form the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in recognition
of the fleet's pioneering and ongoing efforts to field lower-emission
vehicles; and shortening the collection vehicle operational cycle from
seven to five years to save on maintenance costs. The magazine, which
is written for executives and managers of commercial trucking fleets,
also recognized the Division's expertise in emissions technology and pioneering
efforts to run lower-emission vehicles such as ultra-low sulfur trucks.
Flex Your Power Award
The City of San Diego's energy conservation and management program was
recognized on as a leader in energy efficiency with a 2005 Flex
Your Power Award, presented by Flex Your Power, California's statewide
energy efficiency campaign. A total of 35 businesses, local governments
and institutions were selected from a highly competitive pool of over
260 applications. On October 23, 2005, a congratulatory advertisement (PDF: 219K)
appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The City's energy program saved 24 million kilowatt-hours and $3.5 million
annually since 2001. As part of its program, San Diego requires that all
municipal construction meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) Silver standards. In 2005, the city renovated its police headquarters
making it virtually energy independent. The building uses multiple-speed
fans, window tinting, and an energy managment system. Cogeneration and
photvoltaics provide much of the facility's electrical, heating, and cooling
needs.
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