Spectrum Brands Employees Volunteer at Public Land Sites in Three States to Protect Water Quality in Their Communities and Beyond
MIDDLETON, Wis. (PRWEB) May 18, 2016 -- This week, employees of Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPB), the parent company of market-leading brands such as Rayovac®, Remington®, Kwikset®, Cutter®, Nature’s Miracle®, George Foreman®, and Armor All®, will take to their local communities in Danbury, CT, Middleton, WI, and St. Louis, MO for a company day of service focused on water stewardship.
The day of service event, “Clean Land, Clean Water, Better Community,” aims to build on Spectrum Brands’ work in south-central Wisconsin and increase awareness and educate about how caring for the land through actions such litter cleanup, planting trees, and removing invasive plants, can help protect the quality of nearby bodies of water, the communities around them, and the wildlife that call them home.
“We are grateful to partner with two outstanding organizations and make a difference in our communities through our employees’ efforts,” says Spectrum Brands Division Vice President of Global Sustainability Daniel Hutter. “We are excited to build upon the great work we have done near our corporate headquarters in Middleton, Wisconsin and expand our environmental efforts to other Spectrum Brands locations.”
The company’s passion for water improvement is rooted in its partnership with the Clean Lakes Alliance, a Madison Wisconsin-based nonprofit devoted to improving the water quality of the lakes, streams, and wetlands of the Yahara watershed. As a Sustaining Founder of Clean Lakes Alliance, Spectrum Brands has put a larger emphasis on protecting water quality in the Madison area for the last six years.
“Spectrum Brands is a great example of how a company can work successfully with a nonprofit, and community and business leaders to make a difference,” says Clean Lakes Alliance Executive Director James Tye. “Lake health in Madison has improved thanks to their work in our watershed, and that positive impact means cleaner water leaving our lakes and ultimately entering the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.”
This is the first national employee day of service for Spectrum Brands, with a focus around water quality. To strengthen the impact and educational value of the day, Spectrum Brands has partnered with the NEEF (National Environmental Education Foundation). A leader in lifelong environmental education, NEEF will be on the ground at all three volunteer sites to provide educational take-away materials and a series of family-friendly activity guides focused on water stewardship for Spectrum Brands employees.
“We believe that private sector companies, like Spectrum Brands, can play a valuable role in environmental education through employee engagement,” said Diane Wood, President of NEEF. “We commend Spectrum Brands for embracing water stewardship in their communities and extending the lesson beyond one day of service by providing employees with actions they can take to protect and conserve water at home.”
Each location’s event will have a different focus and project related to protecting water quality. Clean Lakes Alliance, which has hosted Spectrum Brands volunteer events in greater Madison, WI area for the past four years; will again host the company headquarters day of service, with a focus on removing invasive plants from Pheasant Branch Creek – a major tributary to Lake Mendota and the Yahara watershed – and Bock Forest. Employees in Danbury, CT will be removing invasive plants, litter and other debris at Tarrywile Park & Mansion. In St. Louis, MO, employees will volunteer at Gateway Greening’s Urban Farm where they will be weeding, planting, harvesting vegetables, and tending to crops with Gateway Greening, a local organization focused on strengthening communities through gardening and urban agriculture.
To extend the impact of its day of service, Spectrum Brands has committed a total of $10,000 in grants for community partners to support follow-up volunteer opportunities in each city that will engage employees and broader community members in water stewardship activities. Grants administration will be provided by NEEF.
Spectrum Brands operates with a commitment to the environment, sustainability, and corporate responsibility and plans to involve employees throughout the year in environmental education and community engagement.
Amanda Hoffman, National Environmental Education Foundation, https://NEEFusa.org, +1 202-261-6483, [email protected]
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