By Ramon Galiana, Special Aide, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz
November 11, 2008

Governments across the world have been faced with issues of urban sustainability and the environment. Generations of rapid urbanization have led to large'scale pollution and waste that may compromise the habitability of our cities. The future leaders of our country will inevitably be the decision-makers charged with finding solutions to these problems.

On October 1, Miami, in partnership with EcoMedia and CBS, unveiled a program that introduces eco-friendly practices in secondary schools across America at the Maritime and Science Technology High School.

The contest was launched the same week that US mayors gathered in Miami for the Mayors ’08 Action Forum on Environment and Energy.

The EcoZone and CBS Green My School Contest is a competition among Miami-Dade Public Schools that grants the winning school a comprehensive “green makeover” – renovations that enhance environmentally sound waste reduction, energy saving, and eco-friendly practices- that is valued over $100,000. Participating schools are asked to submit essays on what being green means to their institution and how they will benefit from eco-friendly upgrades in their high schools. The competition was also launched in the San Francisco United School District.

Diaz was joined by EcoMedia CEO Paul Polizzoto and representatives from numerous public and private sector environmental organizations to launch the contest in Miami.

“We are proud to launch this exciting initiative in Miami and happy to provide an opportunity for our students to think about what being environmentally responsible truly means,” said Diaz. “We are looking forward to the children’s responses and to soon awarding Miami students with the tools to ‘green’ their school.”

EcoMedia is a marketing company that spends 50 percent of its revenue to help fund local and state environmental programs. In return for their contribution, they are able to advertise on exclusive outdoor government properties and through numerous environmental projects.

“We’ve created a new model for advertising,” said Paul Polizzotto, Founder and CEO of EcoMedia. “By providing funding for environmental projects and technologies through the sale of advertising, our media can be procured and sourced like any other sustainable product,” he said. “Now, in addition to energy saving light bulbs and recycled paper, the simple everyday purchase of advertising can be part of a corporation’s ongoing sustainability initiatives.”

The contest will end on December 10. The grand prize winners will be announced shortly after and the green renovations will be completed by the end of the 2008/2009 school year.