The school year is coming down the home stretch. But when grade school classes resume in September, a quarter of a million teachers nationwide will have a special assignment
for their students, compliments of an ongoing partnership between office supply king Office Depot and the Earth Day Network.
Recognizing the importance of educating communities on water quality, Office Depot is supporting Earth Day Network's "Water for Life" program by distributing water kits to more
than 2,300 schools across the country. Earth Day is also distributing "What's in Your Water" educational curriculum materials to more than 250,000 teachers. The two-year
initiative is designed to raise awareness of water-related issues and provide practical ways for individuals, communities and corporations to address the world's water crisis.
Office Depot is currently getting feedback from teachers on ways in which it can build on the "Water for Life" program. But for corporations trying to communicate a message
that might not otherwise resonate with the media, the partnership between Office Depot and Earth Day serves as a potential model.
Showered with media attention during the 1980s, Earth Day seems to have fallen off the radar in most newsrooms the last few years. Although media coverage of Earth Day has been
dwindling in the U.S., coverage is growing internationally, says Eric Coppenger, director of program development for the Earth Day Network. To wit, in the last three years the
Earth Day Network's global membership has increased to 5,800 groups from 4,800 groups in 2000.
Although the U.S. media's priorities have changed for what to cover, Earth Day continues to pound the drum.
Making ends meet
The Earth Day Network gets financing from Office Depot to fund the "Water for Life" program, which also enables the environmental group to get word out about how people can
protect the earth.
Providing water-testing materials to 250,000 teachers throughout the country --- as well as distributing Earth Day literature in Office Depot stores and networks -- is a
"tremendous" boon to Earth Day Network's education efforts, Coppenger says. "You're talking about reaching millions of children, and the store plugs are a way to connect with
people and let them know that Earth Day isn't just April 22, but every day."
Yet the partnership, which got mentioned in a press release issued earlier this year by the United Nations declaring 2002 'International Year of Fresh Water,' also offers a
lesson on what appeals to non-profits when they seek out for-profit partners. In this case, it's doubtful Earth Day would have aligned itself with Office Depot were it not for
Office Depot's commitment to improving the environment.
"One of the reasons we partnered [with Office Depot] is because they're taking environmental steps that deserve to be recognized," Coppenger says.
By sponsoring the program, Office Depot has a vehicle to plug its own environmental initiatives, such as -- from a retail standpoint -- implementing its ink and toner
recycling program; converting its copy and print centers to use recycled paper as the default paper type for all black and white copies and as an option on any copy job and making
available more than 2,000 products containing recycled content, such as file folders, pens and paper clips.
"Earth Day is a well-rounded program that has a good reputation," says Mary Wong, director of community relations for Office Depot. "We wanted to do something that would make a
difference aside from writing out a check." Indeed, Earth Day's "Water for Life" project is just one element of a multi-pronged education campaign sponsored by Office Depot.
Office Depot has its own company-wide awareness campaign, "Earth Day Every Day," featuring posters and brochures and other educational materials distributed throughout the
company's 871 retail stores in North America as well as online (http://www.officedepot.com).
The information is "both internal and external," Wong says. "The kids were the launching pad to discuss water and other environmental issues."
Contact: Brian Levine, Director of PR, Office Depot, 561.438.2895; [email protected]; Eric Coppenger, director of program
development, Earth Day Network, 202.518.0044; [email protected]
Playing in the Sand
As part of the 33rd anniversary of Earth Day April 22, the Sandoway House Nature Center, a Delray Beach historic nature center and community resource for Palm Beach County
residents, hosted a special "Earth Day is Every Day Beach Awareness" event on Saturday, April 19, sponsored by Office Depot. Highlights of the free event included:
- Beach Awareness and Safeguard conducted by the Delray Beach Lifeguard Staff
- Palm Beach County residents had a chance to feed the sharks at the Center's giant coral reef aquarium
- Viewing up close the Gopher Tortoise with Veterinarian Dr. Scott McOwen
- An engaging Florida creature's slide presentation hosted by local naturalist expert, Paul Gale.
- Games and activities for the entire family
National Philanthropic Partnerships of Office Depot
Delray Beach, Fla.-based Office Depot's philanthropic partners include nationally prominent non-profit organizations that have a direct impact on South Florida:
- America's Second Harvest - Ending Hunger
- City of Hope
- Code * Adam
- Gifts in Kind
- Junior Achievement
- National Alliance for Autism Research