Have no fear; ECO-MAN is Here

By Guest Blogger: Jason Green, SPC Sustainability Coordinator

To further their mission of incorporating sustainable values and practices into the global culture of St. Petersburg College and that of its stakeholders, the SPC Office for Sustainability has released the first in a series of entertaining, environmentally focused short films.

Each three minute serialized film focuses on Eco-Man, whose alter ego is that of mild-mannered SPC instructional technologist, Alan Shapiro. Episode One of “The Adventures of Eco-Man” focuses on energy savings, and spotlights simple steps individuals can take to conserve energy in the work place.

The role of environmental superhero isn’t new to Shapiro. In fact, in the early 1990’s Shapiro created Captain Recycle, Boca Ciega High School’s masked marvel of all things green and recyclable. “I was a science teacher at the time, and the state of Florida had just passed a law requiring communities to recycle a certain percentage of their waste,” Shapiro recalled. “I wanted to get a recycling center started at the school, so I started a club we called Eco-Action.” The club gathered and recycled aluminum cans, paper, cardboard and Styrofoam. The effort was so successful that the recycling center at Bocas Ciega became the most productive such center in the entire St. Petersburg system.

Shapiro left Captain Recycle’s cape behind when he left Boca Ciega in the mid-1990’s. Because environmental issues continue to become more mainstream, and through the encouragement of Jason Green, SPC’s Sustainability Coordinator (and former student), Shapiro has reprised his role as masked doer of environmental good, this time as Eco-Man.