[caption id="attachment_6558" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Windmills"]
[/caption]GHN Editor - While all eyes are on Egypt and the weather problems, it also calls attention to the long-range effects of how energy can be interrupted to force some nations to continue activities that increase greenhouse gases, so here is welcome news that might bring news thoughts on these crises.
Federal agencies in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska walked their talk in 2010
and significantly reduced their carbon footprint. Through energy
efficiency, waste diversion, lighting retrofitting, and water saving
projects, federal agencies reduced
their combined footprint by 380 million pounds of CO2e. This is the
equivalent of taking 33,000 passenger vehicles off the road for a year.
These reductions also resulted in cost savings of more than $1 million
in 2010.
This week at the third annual Federal Green Challenge
Symposium in Portland, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will
announce the 2010 Champions of Environmental Leadership and Green
Government Awards.
Symposium in Portland, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will
announce the 2010 Champions of Environmental Leadership and Green
Government Awards.
The program recognizes individuals and initiatives in the federal
government that have gone beyond regulatory compliance and have reduced
their greenhouse gas emissions. These agencies have proven results
towards an overall goal of five percent or more reduction in GHG
emissions.
The 2010 Champions of Environmental Leadership and Green
Government Awards are part of the Federal Green Challenge, a
comprehensive federal program to reduce the federal GHG footprint.
The following agencies have been recognized for their outstanding green projects in 2010:
Overall Environmental Leadership Award: Bonneville Power
Administration, Energy Smart Federal Partnership – Since 2001, energy
efficiency projects have been completed with 21 federal agencies,
producing more than 170 million kWh per year of electricity savings, as
well as gas, steam, and water savings in the Pacific Northwest.
Waste Award: Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Waste
Diversion Program – JBLM achieved an 85 percent waste diversion rate
(with construction and demolition) in 2010. This is up from 77 percent
in 2009. This can be attributed to the comprehensive diversion program
which in 2010 alone was responsible for the diversion of almost 67,000
tons of waste and over $3 million in avoided costs.
Diversion Program – JBLM achieved an 85 percent waste diversion rate
(with construction and demolition) in 2010. This is up from 77 percent
in 2009. This can be attributed to the comprehensive diversion program
which in 2010 alone was responsible for the diversion of almost 67,000
tons of waste and over $3 million in avoided costs.
Energy Award: Bonneville Power Administration, Grand Coulee Dam – The
lighting retrofit project at 20 hydro electric facilities, 20
transmission facilities, and 15 hatcheries has saved a megawatt of
electricity, allowing that megawatt to serve the electricity needs of
the Pacific Northwest. The new system provides more and better quality
light while saving about 50 percent of overall lighting energy usage.
Water Award: General Services Administration, Thomas A. Foley,
U.S. Courthouse, Spokane, WA. - In 2010, the Foley Courthouse Team
field tested touch-less/self-closing faucets in the public restrooms and
introduced new landscaping practices. The Courthouse saved a total of
385,220 gallons of water, a 12.32 percent reduction in 2010 by
implementing these projects.
