The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will recognize seven organizations for their innovative programs and commitment to environmental sustainability, social responsibility and economic viability at DEC’s upcoming 12^th Annual Environmental Excellence Awards ceremony. The event will take place at the Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s NanoFab South Rotunda and Auditorium in Albany at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 17.

The event will showcase organizations with outstanding innovative and sustainable projects or programs that are improving and protecting New York State’s environmental resources and contributing to a stronger economy. This year’s award recipients include a national sports league reducing its environmental footprint and engaging fans and supporters in environmental stewardships, a large convention center’s sustainable transformation and a small Adirondack preserve’s high-tech approaches to climate change research and monitoring.

The event will also include an update about the Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s role in building New York’s innovation-driven economy as a global leader in high-tech education, research and development.

Following the awards ceremony, there will be a tour of the University at Albany. The University, an award recipient in 2011, continues to demonstrate its environmental leadership by implementing a multi-faceted sustainability program that is reducing energy consumption, increasing energy efficiency, promoting alternative energy and involving the entire campus community in environmentally responsible actions.

The awards ceremony and the tour are open to the public, however, space is limited and those wishing to attend must pre-register at http://on.ny.gov/EnviroExcellence2015.

DEC established the Environmental Excellence Award in 2004 to recognize and give visibility to selected businesses, schools, municipalities, governments and not-for-profit organizations achieving outstanding environmental sustainability, social responsibility and economic viability. Since then, DEC has recognized 66 organizations.

For more information about the awards ceremony, contact DEC at awards@dec.ny.gov or (518) 402-9167. To register for the event and the tour of University at Albany, go to http://on.ny.gov/EnviroExcellence2015. Space is limited.