The Pennsylvania Environmental Council Tuesday celebrated its collaborative work and dedication to the protection and restoration of the natural and built environment of Pennsylvania at its 43rd Annual Philadelphia Environmental Partnership Dinner at the Crystal Tea Room in the Wanamaker Building. 

“PEC is one of the oldest and most effective environmental organizations in the country, with a multitude of benefactors, volunteers, and supporters,” said Paul King, President of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.  “The Partnership Dinner is a way for us to recognize and celebrate the copious amount of work done by all those involved.”

This year, the keynote speech will be delivered by Fred Krupp, President of the Environmental Defense Fund.  

Deputy Mayor for Environmental and Community Resources and Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks & Recreations Michael DiBerardinis; and Joan Reilly, President and Chief Operating Officer, Mural Arts Program, received the Curtis Winsor Award, honoring their lifelong commitment and accomplishments connecting people with the environment at the city, state and national levels. 

Mr. DiBerardinis has worked with recreational programs since 1992 and currently serves as Deputy Mayor of the City of Philadelphia for Environmental and Community Resources.  As Commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Parks & Recreation he raised over $34 million in grants, guided the merger of the former Fairmount Park Commission and Department of Recreation, and prepared and implemented Green2015: An Action Plan for neighborhood open space in underserved areas of the City in Philadelphia.

For over forty years, Ms. Reilly has worked to bolster her community and to find common ground to solve complex problems.  As Senior Director of the Philadelphia Green program of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society she built a civic movement to ‘green’ Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. 

Ms. Reilly is a founding member of City Parks Alliance, a national urban park advocacy group based in Washington, DC.  She is currently the President and COO of the Mural Arts Program, using public art and the art-making process as well as innovative partnerships to gather and build community and to transform Philadelphia’s public spaces.

“The Winsor Award is granted to Michael and Joan with the highest esteem,” said Patrick Starr, PEC’s Executive Vice President.  “They have devoted their careers to the improvement of their surroundings.  By aggregating individuals into communities bonded to their environment, they have enhanced the environment throughout this region and across the state.”

Mr. Krupp is widely known as an influential leader in climate and energy, having served as President of the Environmental Defense Fund since 1984.  He is widely recognized as a pioneer in harnessing market forces for environmental ends, such as the market-based acid rain reduction plan in the 1990 Clean Air Act that The Economist praised in 2002 as “the greatest green success story of the past decade.”

Krupp also broke new ground by engaging companies to lessen their impact on the environment. Strategic partnerships with FedEx, McDonald’s and Walmart, among others, have resulted in the development of hybrid electric mid-size trucks, the elimination of millions of pounds of packaging waste and the improvement of energy efficiency across the global retail supply chain. 

He is also the co-author of Earth: The Sequel -- The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global Warming with Miriam Horn. 

6/24/2013