Michael Beanan Named Orange County’s 2012 Cox Conserves Hero

Cox Communications and The Trust for Public Land announced Michael Beanan as Orange County’s 2012 Cox Conserves Hero. The program honors volunteers who are creating, preserving or enhancing outdoor spaces.

He was nominated for leading a movement to prevent urban runoff from Aliso Creek from entering the ocean. The goal of his project is to clean the urban runoff, combine it with recycled water, decrease reliance on potable water and ultimately reduce ocean pollution.

As the winner, Beanan’s nonprofit of choice, Laguna Bluebelt Coalition, will receive $5,000, promotion through on-air public service announcements and 20 volunteer hours donated by Cox employees.

Jean Watt’s nonprofit of choice—Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks—will receive $2,500 and promotion through on-air public service announcements.

Ed Amador’s nonprofit of choice, Canyonland Conservation Fund, will receive $1,000 and promotion through on-air public service announcements.

The Cox Conserves Heroes program was created through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Cox Communications, to honor everyday conservationists. The program also runs in Arizona, Atlanta, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara (Calif.), Seattle and Virginia. More than $230,000 has been donated to local nonprofits through the Cox Conserves Heroes program.

About Cox Conserves
Launched in 2007, Cox Conserves is the company’s national sustainability program that seeks to reduce Cox Enterprises’ energy consumption by embracing alternative forms of energy, conserving natural resources and inspiring eco-friendly behavior. The program engages each of the company’s major subsidiaries (Cox Communications, Manheim, Cox Media Group and AutoTrader.com) and encourages Cox Enterprises’ 50,000 employees and their families to engage in eco-friendly practices.

About The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since 1972, The Trust for Public Land has completed 5,200 park and conservation projects, conserved more than 3 million acres, and helped generate $34 billion in state and local conservation funding.