May 2, 2017 | News
The American Lung Association has released their 2017 State of the Air rankings and the Upstate South Carolina region is continuing to see the ratings for counties within the region improve. Of the Upstate counties specifically referenced in the report, Abbeville, Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties received “A” ratings for Ozone; while Greenville, Spartanburg and Cherokee received “B”. This marks the first time that all seven counties have received an A or B rating.
In 2016, Spartanburg and Anderson were rated as a “C” and Cherokee a “D”. Dating back to 2012, Spartanburg had received an “F” grade and the rest of the Upstate was rated as a “C”, so the improvement within the region over the last few years has been remarkable and good for the health of all Upstate residents.
These ratings are consistent with the ozone monitor numbers that are recorded by the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC) as part of the EPA Clean Air Act monitoring. The emission numbers in the Upstate have seen steady improvement over the last 15 years and now, for the first time ever, the Upstate region is well within the current EPA attainment standards.
Since 2012, Ten at the Top has coordinated the Upstate Air Quality Advisory Committee, which includes public, private and civic stakeholders all focused on ensuring the Upstate’s air quality continues to meet federal standards. Through voluntary efforts of many businesses, local governments and residents, the air quality in the Upstate is continuing to improve.
The American Lung Association measures the state of the air by analyzing particle pollution in two different ways: the average annual levels of particle pollution and spikes of short term particle pollution. The levels of ozone and particle pollution are measured at official monitoring sites maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency. To view the American Lung Association State of the Air 2017 report in its entirety please visit www.tenatthetop.org and click on Natural Beauty & Resources.
The week of May 1st through May 5th is recognized as Air Quality Awareness Week. This special week provides an opportunity to educate the public on the importance of clean air and simple ways we can improve our air quality. Check out www.CleanAirUpstate.org or the Ten at the Top Facebook page for tips on how to play a role in keeping our air clean and safe for everyone in the Upstate.
![Recent Air Quality Ratings Show That Voluntary Efforts Can Make a Difference]()
May 2, 2017 | News
By: Dean Hybl
The American Lung Association (ALA) has released their “State of the Air” report for 2017 and while there is always room for continued improvement, the “grades” for the Upstate region are definitely looking good.
It was just five years ago that the ALA ratings gave Spartanburg an “F” grade for Ozone emission levels and the rest of the region a “C” grade. Fast-forward to the 2017 report and it is a very different story. Abbeville, Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties all received a grade of “A” by ALA and Greenville, Spartanburg and Cherokee received a “B” rating (ALA did not give individual county ratings for Laurens, Greenwood or Union).
These ratings are very consistent with the ozone monitor numbers that are recorded by the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Controls (DHEC) as part of the EPA Clean Air Act monitoring. The emission numbers in the Upstate have seen steady improvement over the last 15 years and now, for the first time ever, the Upstate region is well within the current EPA attainment standards.
So, what has changed over the last five years or for that matter the last 15 years?
There are many factors that can be identified as contributing to the consistent improvements in air quality in the Upstate. Some, such as summer weather and air flow are out of our control. However, many other things that are to some extent within the control of our local communities and businesses have helped make the air cleaner and safer for Upstate residents.
Dating back to the early 2000s when the region first had the potential of being out of attainment with the EPA standards, it was a partnership of local governments and businesses that created an “Early Action Compact” that helped keep the region within compliance. The elimination of coal fired electric plants in the region and emission reduction efforts by other industries also played an important role.
In recent years, communities and businesses within the Upstate have continued to implement voluntary actions, many related to vehicles and mobile emission sources, that have helped reduce emissions and make the air cleaner for Upstate residents. Campaigns like the “Clean Air Upstate” campaign that started in 2012 also have helped grow awareness across the region of what can be done by individuals, businesses & institutions and local governments to make our air cleaner and safer. Individual actions with a compounding cumulative impact.
One important word to recognize in that phrase is “voluntary.” As folks at the national level debate the regulatory role of government in issues related to natural resources, the Upstate has shown that voluntary efforts and a community commitment to improving health of local residents can help make a difference at a time when the Upstate is also seeing consistently high levels of manufacturing investment and job growth.
It can certainly be debated whether the Upstate would have started down this path towards clean air 15 years ago had there not been a threat of regulations that would have increased costs for manufacturers and local governments in the region. What isn’t debatable is that as the momentum has grown and improvements have been seen, many local businesses and communities have continued to find new ways to make the air safer for all Upstate residents.
Now, just because the Upstate has seen amazing improvement in air quality doesn’t mean the job is over. ALA estimates that there are nearly 25,000 cases of Pediatric Asthma and 80,000 cases of Adult Asthma within our region. These numbers are slightly below those from past years, but still are significant.
Continuing to encourage voluntary opportunities to reduce emissions as individuals, local businesses, governments and a region is vital to this important issue that impacts both the public health of our residents and the economic vitality of our region.
For ideas on how you, your business or local government can continue to reduce air pollution and make air quality in the Upstate even better, please check out www.CleanAirUpstate.org.
Apr 20, 2017 | News
Greenville, SC [April 18, 2017] – Ten at the Top (TATT) and Upstate International are co-hosting the Our Upstate Vision Forum and Workshop: Building Global Fluency in the Upstate on April 27, 2017, at BMW Zentrum. The workshop presented by Ivannovation Language Management is limited to 25 participants and will be held from 10 am to 2 pm while the Forum presented by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina will be in the afternoon from 2:30 to 4:30 pm with a networking reception to follow.
Global Fluency is the ability to understand and collaborate across the complexities of language and culture. With nearly 600 companies representing 36 countries, the Upstate has long been recognized as a national leader in attracting and retaining international companies. This thriving global market is critical to the economic success and overall quality of life for the Upstate region. Global Fluency allows a metropolitan area to maximize the benefits of globalization and minimize the negative consequences. The more globally fluent the Upstate is collectively, the smoother the trajectory into the globalized economy to ensure success and sustainability. Maintaining a culture that is supportive of residents from all cultures is essential to the continued success of the Upstate.
Registration for the workshop is $150 and includes 4-hour training, lunch, and admission to the forum and networking reception. Brad Gosche, Senior Director at the Global Fluency Institute in Columbus, Ohio, will lead the Workshop, which is a premier training resource for professionals of all trades and backgrounds. Global Fluency Training develops cross-cultural competence and provides tools for effectively and successfully working across cultures.
Admission into the forum is $10 per person. The forum will look at the Global Economy in the Upstate and how the region is developing a culture that embraces Global Fluency. Brad Gosche will serve as the keynote speaker and also be joined for a panel discussion by Upstate leaders who are among those building Global Fluency in the region such as Reid Lohr, Senior Managing Director of the EDI Group, and Susan Simmons, Director of Career Management Worldwide for Michelin.
Register and find more information at www.tenatthetop.org (Forum) and www.upstateinternational.org (Workshop).
Forum supporting sponsors include GSP International Airport, Fluor, Upstate SC Alliance, 94.5 The Answer, and GSA Business Report. If you and your company are interested in being a part of building Global Fluency in the Upstate please contact Megan Zapf (mzapf@tenatthetop.org or 864-283-2317).
About Ten at the Top
Comprised of public, private and civic leaders from across the ten-county Upstate South Carolina Region, Ten at the Top was created to connect and encourage regional collaboration through data-driven research and regular convening of leaders and citizens to address key issues facing the region. Ten at the Top works with regional partners to foster collaboration and strategic planning to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life for Upstate residents both today and as the region continues to grow. For more information, visit www.tenatthetop.org.
About Upstate International
Upstate International is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose focus is on empowering people and businesses of all nations to thrive in the Upstate by connecting them through programs, events, and initiatives that foster the dynamic exchange of international cultures and ideas. The center is a regional leader in innovative international programs and events, and serves as an important community resource to people from more than 70 countries. For more information please visit our website at upstateinternational.org.
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Feb 10, 2017 | News
Greenville, SC [February 8, 2017] – During the fall of 2016 several Upstate counties, and areas in North Carolina, experienced wildfires that burned for many weeks. During this time the Upstate experienced hazy skies and air quality alert days.
During a February 15th meeting the Upstate Air Quality Advisory Committee will hear a presentation from South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) representatives. The presentation will include an update on air quality readings from ozone monitors located in the Upstate. As part of the update, SCDHEC representatives will also explain how the wildfires impacted air quality in our region.
The meeting will be held from 1PM until 3PM on Wednesday, February 15th at the Ten at the Top office (124 Verdae Boulevard, Suite 202, Greenville, SC 29607). Please visit www.tenatthetop.org to register and find more information.
The Upstate Air Quality Advisory Committee, coordinated by Ten at the Top, is made up of regional stakeholders that represent businesses, nonprofits, and governments that have a desire to improve the air quality in our region. Past projects coordinated by the committee include the Clean Air Upstate education campaign, an anti-idling campaign, and the J. Dan. Powell Electric Vehicle Charging Station Matching Grant Program.
For more details about the Upstate Air Quality Advisory Committee and tips for how you can help make our air cleaner, please visit www.cleanairupstate.org.
Feb 6, 2017 | News
Greenville, SC [February 6, 2017] – Ten at the Top (TATT) will host the PIQUE, an annual event focusing on the collaboration and connection of young professionals (ages 21-40) in the ten county Upstate. The March 23rd event, to be held at Wofford College in Spartanburg, will feature four workshops, an opportunity to network with Upstate business and community leaders, a panel on diversity in the Upstate, and a networking reception.
Event workshops will include: Entrepreneurship & Alternative Career Paths, Young Professionals to Baby Boomers – The Four Generation Workplace, Rethinking the Executive of the Future, and How to Land a Job You Aren’t “Qualified” For. The personal and professional development portion of the program will wrap up with a panel on diversity in the Upstate titled Breaking Glass Ceilings in the Upstate: Age, Gender, and Diversity.
Immediately following the event a networking reception, sponsored by Piedmont Natural Gas, will be held. The reception will feature local food, desserts, and beer.
New for 2017, the reception will also feature a silent auction with a twist. Young professionals will bid for items using volunteer hours, rather than money. Volunteer hours will have to be served at an Upstate nonprofit, providing an opportunity for young professionals to make a big impact in our nonprofit community.
In the spirit of collaboration, the PIQUE brings together existing young professional organizations in the Upstate. Organizations promote the event to members and in return $5 of each ticket sold to a partner organization is given back to help fund their programming and events. 2017 partner young professional organizations include: AFL Young Professionals, Clemson Young Professionals, Connect Young Professionals (Greenwood), Greenville Rotaract, PULSE (Greenville), Spartanburg Young Professionals, Young Professionals of Anderson County, and United Way of the Piedmont Young Leaders.
If you represent a young professional organization and would like to become a partner please contact Tiffany Tate (ttate@tenatthetop.org or 864-283-2313).
The event is being held from 1:15PM until 6:30PM on Thursday, March 23rd at Wofford College (429 N Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303). The cost to attend is $26 and space is limited. Register and find more information at www.thepique.org.
Jan 4, 2017 | News
Upstate, SC [January 4, 2017] – Ten at the Top (TATT), a non-profit organization focused on promoting collaboration and strategic planning across the Upstate region, has hired Megan Zapf for the position of Partner Relations and Communications Manager.
An Upstate native, Zapf received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Presbyterian College and a Master’s Degree in Sports Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
She served as the Manager of New Initiatives for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association from 2008-2010 and as the Director of Marketing and Development for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund from 2010-2013.
Since returning to the Upstate, Zapf has served as Chief Financial Officer for Zapf Physical Wellness and is the Owner/Operator of Banner Bashes event coordinating.
In her duties with Ten at the Top, Zapf will be responsible for managing relationships with TATT Board Members and Funding Partners as well as leading fundraising and sponsorship efforts. She will also coordinate external communications and events.
“We are pleased to have Megan join the Ten at the Top staff,” said TATT Executive Director Dean Hybl. “Her knowledge of the Upstate and background cultivating engagement and support will be valuable as we look to continue building regional capacity and strategic partnerships in the Upstate.”
About Ten at the Top
Formed in 2009, Ten at the Top envisions an Upstate region where collaboration, coordination and cooperation across communities and business sectors are hallmarks. It fosters partnerships and cooperation amongst the ten counties that form South Carolina’s Upstate, and encourages these diverse communities and stakeholder groups to work together to enhance the Upstate’s economic vitality and quality of life. To date, Ten at the Top has hosted more than 600 meetings, programs, workshops and forums that have informed and engaged 30,000+ participants. To learn more, visit www.tenatthetop.org.
