Awards

Press Release

For Immediate Distribution

February 19, 2008

Global Employee Receives Environmental Award

Maryanne Velez, a contract analyst for Global Investment Recovery, Inc. in Tampa has received a prestigious 2007 Community Water-Wise Award.

Maryanne and her husband Joseph were recognized in Florida by Tampa Water Department, Hillsborough County Water Resource Services, and Hillsborough County Extension for their water-wise landscape design and water conservation techniques as they converted their landscape gardening to adapt better to the Florida climate. Their award was an engraved stepping stone which will be a cherished addition to their yard.

On her job at Global, Maryanne was instrumental with implementing and administering the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and it is now obvious that her personal interest to be environmentally responsible and to improve our environment extends far beyond her job.

At their own expense and on their own time, Maryanne and Joseph attended workshops at a neighborhood home supply store and at the Hillsborough County Extension Service. They learned new techniques to have a Florida friendly yard and decided to convert their yard from grass with unfriendly insects to one of drought resistant gardens that attract butterflies and friendly insects. They replaced their high volume irrigation system with micro-irrigation a technique they feel saves thousands of gallons of groundwater, a precious resource in their locale.

Judges who evaluated Maryanne’s property for this award were very impressed by the inviting landscape, the selection of appropriate plant materials for the site and the diversity of color, low volume irrigation to save water, the use of organic mulch to reduce erosion and preserve moisture and the pervious pathways that allow for infiltration of storm water runoff. Their yard was rated highest in the residential landscape category in the Hillsborough County Water Resource Services’ area.

### END ###