Volunteers Planting Trees at Winter Garden Station |
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Lend a Hand to make a difference in your Orange County environment and community.
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Winter 2021
Virtual Volunteer Opportunities
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The Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) wants to make it safe and convenient for volunteers to remain engaged and earn volunteer hours during these challenging times. We are piloting new ways for volunteers to assist the Green PLACE program, including a virtual hike, social media postings and clean ups. Email today to request more information on the opportunities available. Volunteers can take part in one or more of the projects. See below for details on storm drain labeling, another popular activity that can be done safely. Students seeking volunteer hours will need to gain preapproval from their schools to verify the eligibility of community service hours. |
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Where Are They Now?
Former eVIP Intern Update
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Recently, the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) caught up with past eVIP intern, Neuveaux Williams. Wow! Neuveaux continues to do exciting things since graduating with a bachelor's in Environmental Studies at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and completing her internship in 2019. The photo to the right with legendary primatologist Jane Goodall, hints to where she is currently focusing her efforts:
On what she has been up to: I have relocated to the Washington D.C. area, where I began my career in environmental advocacy with the Jane Goodall Institute. At the Institute, I was hired as a program fellow for our youth education and empowerment program, Roots & Shoots. After 10 months with the Institute, I joined the team full time as the Roots & Shoots Program Assistant.
On notable projects: Last year I worked on this Learn from Home activity guide, shown by Dr. Goodall on the Jimmy Kimmel Show and our newest Project-In-a-Box, a guide for protecting and creating green spaces within your community. As I look ahead at 2021, I am excited by the opportunities proposed by the upcoming administration, and I think it could be a time of ingenuity for all of us in the environmental field.
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Orange County
Sustainability Plan
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Following the direction of Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and with guidance from Chief Sustainability and Resilience Officer Jeff Benavides, departments and divisions throughout the County pulled together to evaluate what it will take to make internal operations even more sustainable and resilient. After County subject matter experts provided initial input, a draft plan was presented to an external team of local business and organization leaders to provide peer review. A final draft of the Orange County Sustainable Operations and Resilience Action Plan (SORAP) was presented to the Board of County Commissioners last month. View the SORAP document to learn more and see how eVIP volunteers and donors are helping to meet a few of the short and long term goals.
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30 Years of Pollution Prevention (P2)
Paper Shredder Maintenance
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Pollution Prevention (P2) starts with you and the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) would like to encourage you to Fix It, Don’t Pitch It! During our last Fix It event our clever volunteer fixers brought three shredders back to life. Did you know when shredders overheat they will stop working? You may think your shredder is broken when in fact it has shut down due to overuse. If you wait 30 minutes to one hour and allow your machine to cool down, it will reset and you can resume your shredding session. Take a few moments to watch Steve perform basic maintenance on a shredder. You can make a difference when you reduce, reuse, REPAIR and recycle in your home. For more information about Pollution Prevention (P2), visit Residential Environmental Initiatives.
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Volunteer Impact
Fiscal Year 2019-2020 eVIP Report
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Check out all the good work that was completed by eVIP volunteers in 2020. Last year, 320 eVIP volunteers spent 2,354 hours on projects with Orange County. That equates to $54,918 value in donated time. Even in a year that made volunteering and getting together more challenging, eVIP volunteers rose to the occasion and found ways to remain engaged. Review the Annual Report Infographic to see the breakdown of all you collectively accomplished. As always, thank you to all the volunteers who helped Orange County make a difference. We appreciate your efforts!
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My Yard My Springs
Wekiva Springshed
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The Wekiva Springshed covers 286 square miles across Lake, Orange and Seminole counties and is known to recharge the waters in our natural springs. Nitrogen fertilizer washes off our yards and drains into our springs, contributing to water pollution and algae growth. Help keep our lakes, rivers and springs clean for wildlife and recreational purposes. This winter season, think warm thoughts…plan your spring-friendly garden! Save time and money by replacing part or all of your lawn with easy-to-maintain Florida-friendly shrubs or flowers. Learn more about how you can help to protect the Wekiva Basin.
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Sign Up!
Receive More News From EPD
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Would you like to learn more about the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD)? EPD is excited to share a variety of information about events, sustainability, the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge, regulatory updates, lake management, water quality and more! If you would like to be included on the email list, please fill out this brief sign-up form.
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Storm Drain Labeling
Spearhead a storm drain labeling project in your community. Orange County eVIP provides all the supplies, a one-hour training session and the support to create an enjoyable and meaningful service project for your group. Please help us keep our surface water clean and our storm drains functioning properly. Great project for scout groups!
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EnviroScape Training Workshop
Learn how to use the EnviroScape Model to provide fun, hands-on watershed education presentations to youth in Orange County. Are you an educator? Once trained, classroom teachers and youth group leaders can also "check out" our education materials. One-on-one trainings can be arranged to accommodate your schedule.
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Internship Program
To learn more about the program, send an email stating your interest. Internships are competitive and applications are accepted year-round. Students can earn service hours, college credit and meaningful work experience. Interns who complete a three-month unpaid internship are eligible to apply for paid internships as available.
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Orange County Water-Quality Monitoring
Orange County partners with the UF/IFAS LAKEWATCH program to provide volunteers with training and equipment for water-quality testing on local lakes. Volunteers need lake access, a few hours each month to collect samples, transportation to deliver samples, a canoe or watercraft and a one-year-plus commitment to sampling.
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In-School, After-School and Summer Camp Presentations
Teachers and youth group leaders interested in watershed education can request EnviroScape presentations for their students. Presentations are approximately 25 minutes long and are scheduled throughout the academic year and summer months as schedule permits.
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Community
Cleanup Kit
Is your group looking for an environmental project? eVIP has a new kit that helps individuals lead a cleanup and assist in keeping Orange County free of pollution. eVIP provides the supplies, training and support. The project is a good fit for volunteers of all ages and groups of all sizes. Educational materials will be provided as requested.
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If you enjoyed being an eVIP volunteer, please help us get the word out through social media. You can also provide your feedback and offer ideas for improvement! Scan the QR code or click on this link to access the short survey.
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If you are interested in any of the opportunities listed above, please contact the Orange County Environmental Protection Division Volunteer Coordinator
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Orange County Environmental Protection Division
407-836-1430 | Cell 321-689-8232 | Fax 407-836-1499
3165 McCrory Place, Suite 200, Orlando, FL 32803
Serving our community by conserving, protecting and enhancing the environment for current and future generations.
Copyright © 2021. All Rights Reserved.
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