Page 52: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Q4 2015)

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CHARITY

Corporate Charity on the Waterfront

For all the right reasons.

By Joseph Keefe

Tenneco NAMEPA T&T Salvage aterborne commerce today in large part operates industry, regulators, environmental groups, educators and the beyond all but vaguest awareness by the general public by promoting sound environmental practices. NAME-

Wpublic that it exists at all. Here in the United States, PA is a non-pro? t organization committed to preserving the as much as 98 percent of all consumer goods and raw materi- marine environment through educating seafarers, students and als at some point get from point A to point B, on the water. the public about the need and strategies for protecting global

Nevertheless, quite often, the ? rst and only time the average ocean resources.

person hears about global shipping and maritime concerns is NAMEPA’s education and outreach programs provide when there is bad news to tell. STEM-based learning about the marine environment and the

Maybe that involves an oil spill or a collision, perhaps an ac- maritime industry to Boys and Girls Clubs in underserved and cident at sea, or some other such calamity. Or, it could involve port communities. Over the past year alone, NAMEPA has the frequently invoked mantra of how much global shipping is held 15 hands-on workshops with Boys and Girls Clubs in responsible for global warming and a disproportionate share the Connecticut cities of Bridgeport, Stamford, Southport, and of stack emissions. Beyond the bad news, the greater com- Ridge? eld; in Chicago, IL; and in Half Moon Bay, CA. These mercial waterfront also does an arguably poor job of telling workshops teach the children about the marine environment, its own story. the negative effects of marine debris, and what they can do to

The value of the maritime piece of the world’s intermodal mitigate marine debris in their communities. NAMEPA also equation, in all the obvious places, can’t be understated. Away teaches children about the maritime industry and the impact from the daily logistics battle, the collective waterfront also it makes in their everyday lives. In addition to the workshops, provides value – sometimes in places where we least expect the organization hosted two beach cleanups for the Boys & it. Nowhere is that more true than the many examples of cor- Girls Club. The beach cleanups reinforce the lessons learned porate philanthropy and charitable efforts that emanate from in the workshops and allow the children to see ? rsthand the the maritime professionals who regularly donate time, talent positive impact they can make on the marine environment. and treasure to those less fortunate. In this edition of Maritime And, NAMEPA Public education programs have taken place

Professional, we highlight – yes, for all the right reasons – at countless venues, nationwide. NAMEPA’s ultimate goal is just a few of those many acts of corporate kindness. to “Save Our Seas” by teaching an entire generation to care for and protect the marine environment.

NAMEPA

MARITIME PROFESSIONAL TRAINING (MPT) “Save Our Seas” is the mission of the North American Ma- rine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) which Founded in 1983, Florida-based Maritime Professional is an independent, marine industry-led entity that engages Training (MPT) is one the largest private maritime training 52 Maritime Professional 4Q 2015| | 50-63 Q4 MP2015.indd 52 11/18/2015 9:12:01 AM