The Earth Keeper project has earned an Environmental Stewardship Award from the Lake Superior Binational Program in recognition of this spring's collection of more than 320 tons of electronic waste across northern Michigan, and other environmental projects including a 2005 Clean Sweep program that collected more than 46 tons of household poisons.

The award was announced Tuesday, July 11.

The Earth Keeper project is coordinated by faith communities across the Upper Peninsula, environmental groups the Central Lake Superior Watershed Partnership and the Cedar Tree Institute, and Northern Michigan University students. The leaders of nine participating faith communities signed the Earth Keeper Covenant in 2004, pledging to actively protect the environment and reach out to the Upper Peninsula's large American Indian community.

The binational forum that granted the award is formed of U.S. and Canadian volunteers from many sectors of the community. The forum will honor 11 other winners from the U.S. and Canada in the Lake Superior basin in several categories.