(Madison, WI, June 12, 2012) – Leonardo Academy was presented with the Clean Air Stewardship Award for their sustainability efforts in 2011 by the Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air (WPCA). Leonardo Academy President Michael Arny accepted the award on May 24 at the 2012 Clean Air Extravaganza held at Gateway Technical College in Racine, Wisconsin. The Clean Air Extravaganza is an event to celebrate the accomplishments of Wisconsin businesses and organizations that are improving air quality by reducing emissions from their facilities and fleets, improving energy efficiency, providing employee commuter options, and developing ways to educate the public about air quality issues.

Leonardo Academy was presented with the Clean Air Stewardship Award for their contribution and extensive experience in helping organizations throughout the country reduce their emissions through sustainable practices. Leonardo Academy efforts recognized included the:

• Development of partnerships in the transportation and logistics sector that have led to the advancement and dissemination of cleaner technologies.
• Promotion of the reduction of diesel fuel usage and emissions through participation in U.S. EPA’s SmartWay Transport Program as an Affiliate member and as a co-chair of the Wisconsin Clean Diesel Coalition. Efforts include earning and facilitating grants to fund clean diesel technologies on marine vessels, agricultural and construction equipment, school buses, and trucks.
• Work with landowners to implement property-specific sustainable land-use practices, which help to mitigate and sequester greenhouse gases, create biodiversity, restore and preserve various ecological communities.
• Assistance to businesses in measuring emission footprint, developing reduction strategies, and reporting reductions
• As an accredited standards developer, they create credible systems for measuring, tracking and documenting a full range of emission reductions to be a practical guide to sustainable actions and create a competitive marketplace for sustainable goods/services. Efforts include developing a standard for measuring vehicle performance to help manufacturers improve sustainability, helping companies report the performance of their fleet, and assisting buyers in their purchasing decisions.
• Implementation of internal measures such as reducing employee transportation emissions via flex scheduling, telecommuting, video conferencing and encouraging use of alternative transit, upgraded lighting, measuring employee and organizational footprints and reporting it to national climate change programs, and offsetting their organization’s emissions through purchases of renewable energy credits.

“It is indeed a tremendous honor for Leonardo Academy to be recognized for our efforts to improve air quality throughout the nation by the Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources,” said Michael Arny. “This is the result of hard work from a committed and dedicated team and we will strive to continue our success in making sustainability achievable for individuals and organizations.”

About the Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air
The Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air (WPCA) program is a coalition of about 300 businesses, community organizations, schools and government agencies committed to improving air quality through voluntary action. Leaders in Wisconsin founded the WPCA in 1996 when six counties in southeastern Wisconsin were recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as having one of the most severe, ground-level ozone problems in the U.S.  Today, WPCA continues to educate Wisconsin businesses and residents on air quality issues and works to effect behavior to improve air quality and reduce harmful air emissions as required by Wisconsin's state implementation plan under the federal Clean Air Act.