South Carolina publishers named environmental champions

By W. Thomas Smith Jr.

The husband-wife publishing team of Alan and Cheryl Cooper were named environmental champions during the morning kickoff event for POWERPLANTSC’s statewide tree-planting initiative, Thurs. – Earth Day – April 22, 2021. The event, held on the grounds of the Governor’s Mansion in Columbia, honored the Coopers, each with an award jointly presented by S.C. Floodwater Commission Chair Tom Mullikin and S.C. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.

Alan Cooper, Publisher, MidlandsBiz; S.C. Floodwater Commission Chair Tom Mullikin; S.C. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette; and Cheryl Cooper, Editor, MidlandsBiz

“In terms of creating awareness of statewide environmental challenges through online print media and spotlight video, Alan and Cheryl Cooper, are without peer,” said Mullikin, who conceived and directed POWERPLANTSC. “For years the Coopers have been environmental champions, and that is why we are so-honoring them on this Earth Day.”

Prior to the awards presentation, Mullikin, Evette, and Gov. and Mrs. Henry McMaster planted a tree, the first of some 3.4-million loblolly pine tree seeds and some saplings which were to be planted by schoolchildren, Boy Scouts, 4H clubs, and other partners later in the day across the state’s 46 counties.

Attending the event were representatives from many of POWERPLANTSC’s growing number of partners, which have included the S.C. Forestry Commission, the S.C. Dept. of Education, the S.C. Dept. Corrections, Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, the Clemson University Extension Center, Palmetto Pride, the S.C. Association of Counties, Keep America Beautiful, Yamaha Rightwaters and many others.

The Coopers received their awards based on their “fervent support” for many years of statewide environmental causes specifically publishing numerous articles on their widely read media platforms which have shared and championed the work of Global Eco Adventures, founded by Mullikin, as well as that of the S.C. Floodwater Commission, the 2020 South Carolina Seven (SC7) expedition, and POWERPLANTSC.

“We are grateful to be honored in this way by Global Eco Adventures and we appreciate Tom’s words about how MidlandsBiz offers companies and organizations a fair and impartial way to tell their story,” said Alan Cooper, founding publisher of MidlandsBiz’s parent company, WhosOnTheMove.com. “There is no more important story at the moment in South Carolina than coming up with solutions to alleviate and mitigate flood impacts to this State. That is exactly what the S.C. Floodwater Commission is tasked with doing.”

WhosOnTheMove.com is the parent company of a family of three local online business magazines in South Carolina: MidlandsBiz, UpstateBizSC and LowcountryBizSC. The company was founded in 2006 with a vision to help companies highlight their news and events. In 2020, the Coopers partnered with Laurens County resident and community leader, Brenda Stewart, to create a county version of the other platforms entitled LaurensCountyBUZZ. Other county versions are in the development stage.

Also receiving a GEA Environmental Champion award was S.C. Black Belt Hall of Fame President Mike Genova.

For more information about Global Eco Adventures, please visit globalecoadventures.org/.