volunteers bagging trash in forest
eVIP Volunteers at the 2023 Invasive Species Blitz Project at Blanchard Park
Lend a Hand to make a difference in your Orange County environment and community.
Register to Volunteer!
2023 Earth Day Project
Orange County Earth Week logo
Please make plans to join us to celebrate Earth Day! The Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will host a volunteer project the morning of Friday, April 21, at the Dell property near Savage Christmas Creek Preserve. Volunteers will help with a variety of land management projects including trash pick up, invasive plant removal and fence removal. This beautiful Green PLACE property is located in East Orange County in Christmas, Florida. Email [email protected] to RSVP or request more information. Hope to see you there!
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Where Are They Now?
Former Intern, Anisha Gupte
Intern in front of NBC sign in NYC
From Orlando to the Big Apple, Anisha has done it all! Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) was delighted to hear about all the accomplishments Anisha Gupte, our former intern from 2016, has achieved since working with us. When starting her internship, Anisha was a senior in high school, taking dual enrollment classes at Valencia College. She then moved on to Florida State University and earned both a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Production and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.

On what she has been up to: After graduation, I interned at an environmental justice non-profit organization and worked at a creative agency. Currently, I live in New York City and work for NBCUniversal. I am in a rotational program called the Page Program where I work in different departments at the company and help with the late-night shows! My day-to-day life at 30 Rockefeller Plaza varies from helping with movie premieres and screenings to planning events to promote upcoming shows.

On advice for future interns: I would encourage future interns to talk to as many people as possible and ask questions throughout your time at EPD! Be sure to speak up and share what you are interested in, and many more opportunities may arise. Everyone at EPD was so welcoming and made sure I was always learning something new. I am so grateful for the mentorship and guidance I received at EPD and look back on my time there fondly!

On recent notable projects: As of late, I am working for the Peacock team to help plan activations and screenings for upcoming Peacock original TV shows. I also handle audience services for late-night shows, such as Saturday Night Live. This work is always exciting and fun! Read the full interview here.
Thank You Volunteers!
Hunter's Creek Storm Drain Labeling Project
Volunteers installing storm drain labels
Last month, dedicated members of the Hunter's Creek Teen Advisory and Service Committee (TASC) worked to label storm drain inlets in their community. A group of 10 volunteers labeled 46 storm drain inlets. Volunteers removed old, faded labels and placed the newer turtle labels on storm drain inlets to educate the community about stormwater runoff. Thank you for your continued support of this project!
Spring Intern Meet & Greet
March 24, 2023
The Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will host a virtual Meet & Greet on Friday, March 24, at 9 a.m. This networking event is for those interested in volunteering as interns for the summer and fall semesters. At the Meet & Greet, EPD staff will conduct brief interviews with candidates and describe various internship opportunities. Current internship application and enrollment in school is required. Candidates must RSVP to participate.
Fix It! Don't Pitch It!
Saturday, March 4
Fit It Don't Pitch It Image
Pollution Prevention (P2) starts with you! Orange County Environmental Protection Division encourages you to Fix It, Don't Pitch It by attending our upcoming community workshop. This event gives residents the opportunity to have broken items repaired by handy volunteers for free. Save money and the environment by fixing items around your home instead of sending them to the landfill.
 
Orange County Fix It! Don't Pitch It!
Saturday, March 4, 2023
South Econ Community Park
3800 S. Econlockhatchee Trail
Orlando, Florida 32829
Event hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sign Up!
Receive More News From EPD
Photo of EPD building
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.
ONGOING ACTIVITIES
Storm Drain Label
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. This is a great project for scout groups! 
Girls identifying natural specimen with phone app
The Explore Nature Project
The Explore Nature Project provides an opportunity to help clean up natural lands in Orange County and learn about the countless species in these diverse ecosystems. To view recent observations captured by Explore Nature volunteers, visit eVIP's iNaturalist Project page. Then click join to upload and share your finds! Volunteer hours will be verified upon request.

Intern on natural land
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.
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. 
EnviroScape Training and Presentations
Learn how to use the EnviroScape Model to provide fun, hands-on watershed education presentations. Are you an educator? Once trained, classroom teachers and youth group leaders can also "check out" our education materials. Alternately, request EnviroScape presentations for your students. Presentations are scheduled year-round as schedule permits.
Volunteers performing trash pickup
Group 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. 
Thank you for your interest!
If you would like more information on any of the opportunities listed above,
please contact the Orange County Environmental Protection Division Volunteer Coordinator 
Carrie Mohanna at [email protected] or 321-689-8232.
eVIP News and Updates image
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 © 2023. All Rights Reserved.