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US Lawmakers Gear Up For National Greening Push
Washington DC (SPX) Jul 28, 2009 At a time when many American families are committed to reducing their energy costs and become more environmentally conscious, lawmakers at the House of Representatives are doing the same. As part of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's "Green the Capitol" Initiative, the Committee on House Administration and the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, which manages House operations, are now coordinating a national effort to green Members' district offices around the country. A similar initiative to make the DC-based offices of lawmakers more sustainable was launched by Speaker Pelosi on Earth Day in Washington, and has already resulted in over 120 Members of Congress signing up to that phase of the program. The move follows two years of large-scale operational improvements to the House side of the Capitol Complex that have resulted in a 74 percent reduction in the institution's carbon footprint. "This program is a great example of the opportunity all Members of Congress have before them to save the American taxpayers money," said Representative Robert Brady of Pennsylvania. "Through a bi-partisan effort, my colleagues are demonstrating to their constituents that we are serious about energy conservation and reducing the impact Congressional operations have on the environment." "This new push is significant in that the House of Representatives occupies millions of square feet of office space all over the United States, not just here in Washington, DC," said Dan Beard, the House's Chief Administrative Officer. "The fact that many Members of Congress want to also make the offices in their home states more sustainable shows a tremendous amount of leadership and says to the constituents in their districts, 'Saving energy is not just your priority, it's ours, too." Both the DC and district-based "Green My Office" initiative, in which Members of Congress agree to make a series of operational changes, such as using recycled paper and switching to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, has reduced the amount of energy and resources the House of Representatives consumes. The district office greening pilot program is set to launch officially on Monday, July 27, in Philadelphia. The event will be held at 12 noon at the Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, an organization which has also championed one of the most comprehensive sustainability programs in the NFL. Brady, who is the Chairman of the Committee on House Administration, which oversees the institution's operations, will be joined by other Members of Congress from the Tri-State area. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links "Green the Capitol" Initiative
EU eyes binding targets to cut energy consumptionAare, Sweden (AFP) July 23, 2009 With the EU striving to meet its ambitious climate goals, the European Commission quizzed member nations Thursday on whether to make targets for cutting energy use legally binding. EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs opened a debate with ministers at a meeting in Aare, central Sweden, on the bloc's goal to cut consumption by 20 percent by 2020 becoming a mandatory target. ... read more |
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