Environmental Sustainability Policy

Introduction

The earth’s environment is under severe stress from uncontrolled human activity, threatening the living conditions of our future generation who we at Arts Bridging the Gap serve, and putting at severe risk the survival of all humans and our planet.

At Arts Bridging the Gap we are committed to, and passionate about, doing our part to preserve the environmental sustainability of the planet, at all levels of our operations through our own practices, as a participant in a variety of communities, and as a participant in the Global social discourse.

Arts Bridging the Gap aspires to minimize its impact on our environment and maximize the effective use of resources. We strive to achieve this not only in our direct actions but also by increasing communication and awareness of both our sustainability efforts, the effort of others and fostering and celebrating responsible environmental behavior amongst staff, volunteers, and our community.

Arts Bridging the Gap is committed not only to complying with applicable law in all of its operations but to minimizing risks and impacts through the development of robust and documented systems to implement, measure, monitor, and disseminate excellent environmental performance within our operations both internally and when interacting with the wider community.

This Environmental Sustainability Policy aims to integrate a philosophy of sustainable development into all the organization’s activities and to establish and promote exemplary environmental practice in our operations.

Policy Overview

Arts Bridging the Gap commits itself to minimizing its impact on our environment through

• Providing a safe and healthful workplace;

• Having an environmental sustainability aware and proactive culture,

  where responsibility is assigned and understood;

• Being an environmentally responsible neighbor in our community;

• Conserving natural resources by reusing and recycling;

• Using, in our own operations, processes that do not adversely affect the environment;

• Ensuring the responsible use of energy throughout the organization;

• Participating in efforts to improve environmental protection and

  understanding;

• Taking steps to improve environmental performance continually;

• Conducting rigorous audits, evaluations, and self-assessments of the

  implementation of this policy;

• Working with suppliers who promote sound environmental practices; and

• Enhancing awareness among our employees, volunteers, and community educating and motivating them to act in an environmentally responsible manner.

Policy in Action ; Procedures

1. Arts Bridging the Gap will develop guidelines for staff, volunteers and

   users to adopt sound environmental work practices, and adequate

   training will be provided to ensure these practices are carried out.

2. Arts Bridging the Gap will act responsibly to correct incidents or

   conditions that endanger health, safety, or the environment. It will promptly report any such incidents to the relevant authorities and inform affected parties as appropriate.

3. Arts Bridging the Gap will reuse and recycle materials, purchase recycled materials, and use recyclable packaging and other reusable materials wherever possible.

4. Arts Bridging the Gap will ensure its services and products are safe, efficient in their use of energy, protective of the environment, and able to be reused, recycled or disposed of safely.

5. Arts Bridging the Gap will minimize materials and energy use, do our utmost to prevent air, water, and other pollution, and dispose of waste safely and responsibly.

6. Arts Bridging the Gap will conserve energy by improving energy efficiency and giving preference to renewable over non-renewable energy sources when possible.

7. Arts Bridging the Gap will utilize its particular knowledge and experience to contribute to environmentally sustainable techniques, technology, knowledge and methods.

8. Arts Bridging the Gap will meet or exceed all applicable government requirements and voluntary requirements generally observed in its field, and will, in addition, adhere to the more stringent requirements of its own environmental policy.

9. In order to continually improve its environmental management system Arts Bridging the Gap will conduct audits and self-assessments of its compliance with this policy.

10. Arts Bridging the Gap will maintain an open and honest dialogue with staff, volunteers, stakeholders, and the public about the environmental, health and safety performance of its operations and services.

11. Arts Bridging the Gap will ensure that every employee, volunteer and contractor is informed of and expected to follow this policy and to report any environmental, health, or safety concern to management so that action may be taken.

12. Our Street Art Initiative uses low to zero VOC emitting outdoor paint products to ensure our impact on the planet is as minimal as possible. We work with re-usable containers, brushes, and other painting supplies to reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills. All of our leftover paint water is sent to designated water treatment facilities to protect the earths water cycle from synthetic compounds. Furthermore, all of our discarded paint is sent to official paint recycling centers for proper chemical treatment and disposal. Part of our mission is to educate kids about the issues they will face in their lifetime, and by taking these steps we are helping inform our program participants of how to protect the environment and choose more earth friendly products.

For a detailed description of particular sustainability practices adopted by Arts Bridging the Gap please reference ‘ABG Sustainability in Action’– please contact georgia@artsbridgingthegap.org for this document.