2024 USGBC-CA Green Building Awards
Merit in Zero Waste & Circular Solutions
Inspiring change starts with immersive education. Founded in 1972, the Environmental Nature Center is a fascinating combination of 15 California native plant communities; wildlife habitats; walking trails; and a sustainably designed LEED Platinum learning center- the first building in Orange County to receive LEED Platinum certification.
The ENC Nature Preschool serves as a model nature preschool providing a research forum on nature-based early childhood education. Its mission is to provide transformative experiences through connection with nature and its vision is to provide equitable access and inspire all to protect the natural world by serving as a community leader in ecological responsibility, sustainable practices and environmental education.
Respecting the natural environment and being mindful of resources is an intrinsic value at the ENC. The ENC has spent the last decade implementing low-waste operations for both employees and guests and enforcing waste diversion at the site for all workers, students, and visitors and has most recently added a TRUE Zero Waste Platinum certification to its repertoire.
The Artisan Marketplace, ENC’s biggest event, engages thousands of people in zero waste education every year. The thousands of children that visit and learn at the ENC ever year can carry on the sustainable nature-forward mindset the Center provides and inspire themselves and others to become leaders in environmental responsibility and waste reduction.
Through reusables, zero-waste event policies, and paperless operations the ENC boasts a 97% diversion rate. ENC diversion efforts equal to annual GHG emissions from 43 gallons of gasoline and 16 cylinders of home barbeque propane. Continued performance is monitored using the ArcSkoru platform to track and report energy, water, and waste performance.
The ENC has a long-standing practice of prioritizing eco-friendly products and vendors as required by their zero-waste purchasing policy. 100% of materials are meeting their highest and best use. Reuse is championed on site, with reusable hand towels, food ware, shared office supplies, and single-sided paper reuse. More than 700 lbs of waste is prevented from entering the landfill monthly just from replacing the single-use animal-handling gloves with reusable rubber gloves on site.
The zero-waste policies on site also provide teaching opportunities. Any items that are not reusable are recycled as crafts, so that children can be fully immersed in their zero-waste initiative. During Nature Camps, kids participate in the “Zero Waste Challenge” to learn about waste reduction. The ENC also gives back to the community by donating any uneaten food from events. All on-site greenery comprises native plants that thrive in low-water, dry climate areas. 100% of yard waste is reduced at the ENC, as it’s all reused for mulch, compost, etc. The “Compost Learning Lab” provides a highly teachable and effective compost system.
Since its opening in 1972, the Environmental Nature Center (ENC) in Newport Beach has emerged as a premier immersive learning facility, offering transformative experiences that foster a deep connection with nature within the community. The ENC Nature Preschool plays a pivotal role in nurturing environmental
stewardship from an early age through its nature-based early childhood education programs. The ENC is committed to providing equitable access to environmental education, inspiring all community members to become champions of ecological responsibility and sustainable practices. The ENC’s LEED Platinum-certified facilities are nationally recognized for their innovative integration of nature and the built environment. The organization upholds the intrinsic value of respecting the natural world and engages over 50,000 community members annually through a diverse array of programs, including school field trips, Traveling Naturalist initiatives, nature camps, and professional development workshops.
Over the past decade, the ENC has implemented low-waste operations for both employees and visitors, most recently achieving TRUE Zero Waste certification. This commitment has resulted in an impressive 97% waste diversion rate. The ENC not only met all credits attempted across the certification scorecard but also achieved 100% of points in seven credit categories, culminating in a remarkable total score of 72 points to earn Platinum certification level.
The dedicated ENC team actively contributed to this process, quickly identifying and implementing improvements following a comprehensive waste audit. This proactive approach even allowed the ENC to downsize one of their waste bins, leading to significant cost savings that can be reinvested in enhancing educational programs and community events.
The ENC exemplifies sustainability, utilizing recycled materials in its administrative building and preschool, and adopting reusable kitchen supplies, multi-use towels, and achieving a 100% compost rate. All staff members, both part-time and full-time, are deeply engaged in maintaining and innovating the center’s zero- waste goals.