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Mayor Bob Foster Announces That Long Beach Will Become the State of California's First and Flagship City to Implement The 'EcoZone(SM)' Program

Posted on: Wednesday, 4 October 2006, 21:00 CDT

In a unique public/private partnership designed to forge solutions to Long Beach's most critical environmental challenges, Mayor Bob Foster today announced that the city will become the first city in California and the first in the Western United States to launch the 'EcoZone,' program designed to fund important technologies and solutions to measurably improve the local environment in the areas of air, water, energy and greenspace -- at no additional cost to taxpayers.

Mayor Foster praised the program by stating that, "EcoZone is a win-win situation for the environment and the City of Long Beach and is another in a long line of environmental leadership initiatives Long Beach has implemented. EcoZone will build on the success of the work we began with Adopt A Waterway and will help my office tackle some of the most urgent environmental challenges in our city at no additional cost to taxpayers."

Paul Polizzotto, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, EcoMedia, added: "We applaud Mayor Foster's vision and commend him for his commitment to the quality of life in Long Beach by joining forces with businesses to launch the state's first EcoZone program. The mission of EcoZone is 'media with meaning and strategy with substance' -- it is only by offering our cities and states real solutions to overwhelming environmental problems while at the same time connecting them with educated and motivated sponsors that we can afford to keep bringing the additional funding in and execute the messages and solutions."

Initial corporate sponsors for the Long Beach EcoZone program include: Comerica Bank; AbTech; Long Beach Airport; Waste Management; Miller Children's Hospital; Laserfiche; Sport's Chalet; Matson Navigation; Goodwill; Catalina Express and 1900 Ocean Apartments -- A Lyon Management Community. Government agencies that will lend their support include NOAA, California EPA and the Department of Energy.

Mayor Foster made the announcement at a press conference at the Long Beach Lighthouse adjacent to the Aquarium of the Pacific. The lighthouse serves as a beacon for environmental change and both structures are symbols of the lovely and versatile shores of Long Beach's thriving port community. Among those joining the Mayor were Paul Polizzotto, founder and CEO of EcoMedia; Betty Karnette, Assemblymember, 54th District; Terry Tamminen, Former Cabinet Secretary, Governor Schwarzenegger's Office; Fran Diamond, Vice-Chair, California EPA; Alan Davidson, first vice president, Comerica Bank and Glenn Rink, founder/president/CEO AbTech Industries, Inc.

The city of Long Beach has entered into an agreement with EcoMedia to implement the EcoZone program. EcoMedia is a leading environmental media company that brings together government and industry to forge solutions to pressing environmental problems. The initiative will be funded solely through corporate sponsorships, with half of all EcoZone revenues generated from educational outdoor signage going to fund the city's pre-determined environmental and clean energy projects in each of the EcoZone's four signature areas: air, energy, water, and greenspace.

Assemblymember Betty Karnette, 54th District, who attended the launch: "Working hand in hand, Long Beach and EcoZone have some very interesting programs and products that can immediately impact community actions and clean-up efforts. I'm excited that Long Beach will be the first city on the West Coast to launch this program."

"EcoZone continues to secure support and recognition from Federal and State environmental and legislative bodies. California EPA Vice-Chair, Francis Diamond attended the launch on behalf of the organization and had this to say about the program: EcoZone continues to receive recognition and support from Federal and State representatives. The City of Long Beach has been a strong and innovative leader in addressing environmental pollution," said Francine Diamond, Vice Chair of the California Regional Water Quality Control Water Board. "On behalf of the Regional Board, I applaud the City for bringing EcoZone to the west coast and initiating a very promising collaboration between private and public sector interests. Certainly the residents of Long Beach, as well as all of Southern California, will benefit from EcoZone and the City's activism."

Terry Tamminen, former Cabinet Secretary and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Energy and the Environment, spoke at the launch in support of EcoZone: "Through a unique partnership between government, business and individuals, the EcoZone program effectively addresses the most important environmental challenges facing communities today. I heartily support this innovative, market-based strategy that will lead to improvements in energy use, air and water quality, green space, and ultimately quality of life."

Joining a strong list of national and local sponsors such as DaimlerChrysler and CH2M Hill are Comerica Bank, AbTech and the Long Beach Airport. "We are particularly happy today to announce our corporate sponsorship of the innovative EcoZone program," stated Alan Davidson, first vice president for Comerica Bank and a premier sponsor in Long Beach. "At Comerica Bank, we are proud to join the launch of the EcoZone program and its ongoing mission to protect and preserve natural resources starting at the local and regional level. We are excited to partner with Paul Polizzotto from EcoZone in making a difference for the environment."

Also on board for the Long Beach launch was AbTech Industries, a leading environmental technologies firm dedicated to providing innovative solutions to communities and industry addressing issues of water pollutants and bacterial contamination through use of products such as the Smart Sponge which removes hydrocarbons, bacterial pathogens such as E. coli and other foreign elements from still or flowing water. Glenn Rink, founder, president and CEO spoke on behalf of AbTech and stated: "As a longtime supporter of Paul Polizzotto and his continued commitment to the environment, I am thrilled to take part in such a pioneering program as EcoZone. This collaborative effort affords companies like AbTech an innovative way to educate the public about the affects of pollution as well as help cities and local municipalities to meet their obligation under the Clean Water Act."

"EcoZone provides an outstanding opportunity for Long Beach Airport to build upon its existing initiatives to protect the environment," said Chris Kunze, Manager, Long Beach Airport. "The Airport has a commitment to air quality improvement, noise abatement, water conservation, and storm water pollution prevention," Kunze said. "Moving forward, we will maintain and enhance our environmental program by introducing alternative energy sources, using environmentally-friendly materials, as well as continuing to recycle and use recycled products. We view EcoZone as an outstanding addition to our effort to enhance the quality of life in Long Beach."

Under the EcoZone program, educational signage featuring environmental messages will be posted throughout the district. The signage will include EcoZone's public education messages reminding consumers to recycle, ride-share, turn lights off when not in use and avoid littering, among other eco-friendly tips. In the city of Long Beach, there will be EcoZone signs located throughout the city.

Half of the revenues from the EcoZone corporate sponsorships of educational outdoor signage will go directly to a dedicated and audited government account to fund the pre-determined environmental projects selected by the Long Beach government. This will help the city comply with Federal environmental regulations, and/or fund new local environmental programs that otherwise would not happen. Cleanup projects can include:

-- Storm drain catch basin insert filters that mitigate storm water runoff, -- Hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles for municipal fleets that improve both air quality and energy efficiency, -- Solar paneling on city facilities to provide alternative, cleaner energy, -- Greening projects to convert industrial lots into green space.

EcoZone leverages program sponsorships to fund, produce and administer comprehensive public education and environmental outreach programs, including local cable television and radio public service commercials, grassroots education campaigns, podcasts, mobisodes, branded merchandise, local community events and online media.

EcoZone is an aggressive multi-pronged environmental program whose goal is to launch nationally in the top 25 major markets by year-end 2007, and the next 25 in the following 12 months. Additional cities and states to be included in a 2006 national rollout of the EcoZone program include: Washington, D.C. (launched June 20, 2006); Miami, FL (June 29, 2006); Sacramento County (launches October 16, 2006); Hermosa Beach; Redondo Beach; Hawthorne; Malibu; Inglewood; Huntington Beach; Baltimore; Westchester County (NY); Nassau County (NY); and St. Petersburg, FL, among others.

Based in New York City, EcoMedia is a leading environmental media company dedicated to pioneering market-based media solutions that generate necessary funds and resources to address critical environmental challenges. For more information, log on to: www.ecomedia.us http://www.ecomedia.us/.

CONTACTS: The Emilio Company Alison Emilio 310.748.1089 Contact via http://www.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=8FD343D38AB8A1BC EcoMedia Janice Sakamoto 310.871.6889 Contact via http://www.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=AFBF81E61E533042

SOURCE: EcoMedia

Source: MARKET WIRE

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