Don t Shoot We Recycle Too: The Government of Alberta is Going GREEN October 5, 2011 Michael Fleming, Service Alberta & Giselle Beaudry, Alberta

Transcription

1 Don t Shoot We Recycle Too: The Government of Alberta is Going GREEN October 5, 2011 Michael Fleming, Service Alberta & Giselle Beaudry, Alberta Environment

2 Presentation Overview 1. Strategy background and overview 2. Green purchasing highlights 3. Greening our buildings highlights 4. Creating a culture of green 5. Challenges so far

3 Why Green Government? " Supports a number of GoA strategies " e.g. Too Good to Waste, Climate Change Strategy, Water for Life, Clean Air Strategy " Albertans expect it " It makes good business sense " Employee attraction & retention " GoA operations have a considerable environmental footprint " 2,035,600 m 2 of building space " 30,000 employees " Over 3200 vehicles

4 Strategy Development 2006 Cross Ministry Committee " Drafted the Greening Government Strategy 2008 Partnership Team (AI, SA, AENV) " Lead gov t wide consultation and championed the Strategy April 2010 Cabinet " Strategy passed " Implementation begins

5 Greening Government Policy PURPOSE: to continuously reduce, in concrete and measurable ways, any detrimental environmental impacts that result from the Government of Alberta s operations and overall procurement practices.

6 Greening Government Policy Statement The Government of Alberta is committed to greening government operations by using services, processes, practices and products that: " minimize resource use; " reduce or even prevent the generation and release of waste, greenhouse gases and other pollutants to air, water and land; " manage waste (that cannot be avoided) in an environmentally responsible manner, and " meet or exceed Government of Alberta s business needs.

7 Green Purchasing Highlights achievements so far

8 Greening our Standing Offers " Copy Paper third party certified (SFI or FSC); 30% post consumer content (PCC) (issues with 100% PCC paper = reevaluating use) " Corrugated File Boxes 100% PCC " Pre-printed Stationery third-party certified; % PCC " Computers and notebooks third-party certified (EPEAT GOLD and ENERGY STAR ) " Photocopiers and printers third-party certified (ENERGY STAR ) " Office Supplies " Not many third-party certified products available " Relying on the vendors definitions of green

9 Greening our Vehicle Fleet " 86 hybrid vehicles (March 2011) " New vehicles 64% of the 428 new vehicles were from the Best in Class list, which includes fuel economy as one of four criteria " Replacement vehicles 17% more fuel efficient " ~ equivalent to removing 157 trucks from the road for a year " Preventative maintenance program

10 End of Life Management ( results) Reuse: " Almost 4,000 items redeployed back into the GoA " Over 23,000 items sold to the public " Over 9,00 computers and related equipment donated to Computers for Schools Recycled: " Over 38 tons of computers and other electronics " Over 291 tons of scrap metal " Almost 200,000 license plates (and recycled aluminum is used for new license plates)

11 Greening our Buildings Highlights achievements so far

12 Green Building Certifications " 82 certified buildings operating under the BOMA BESt program " Maintained LEED Silver as the requirement for all new government construction over $2.5 million

13 Green Electricity Purchases " All 1,300 owned buildings* were supplied with 100 per cent Eco-Logo certified green electricity (over 200,000 mwh 2010) " Receive Renewable Energy Certificates *Excludes sites that cannot access green electricity

14 Recycling " Expanding office recycling programs " E.g. blue bin programs in many Edmonton buildings (City of Edmonton partnership) " 1,267 metric tonnes of transitory documents recycled through a locked-bin program (last year) " Over 4500 kg of batteries recycled (since March 2009) " Over mercury containing items recycled (since summer 2006)

15 Energy Conservation " HVAC systems and lighting are being turned off in owned buildings during non-business hours, where possible. " Cleaning during the day being piloted in some buildings to reduce energy needs in evening. " Results: estimated $296,000 savings (2900 MWh) from 3 buildings in one year. " Demonstration technologies 4 solar panel installations (Gov t Centre Power Plant, Pincher Creek Provincial Building, Lethbridge Correctional Centre)

16 Creating a Culture of Green

17 Staff Education and Outreach " Greening Government site " Promoting green activities of the month " How to articles " Staff success stories " Promotional posters " Environment Week activities " Reward and recognition program (under development) " Department Lead network " Departmental Green Plan Implementation Manual

18 Green Activities of the Month 1. Form and participate in Green Teams 2. Office recycling 3. Use alternative transportation 4. Print duplex and don t print if you don t need to 5. Eliminate the use of disposable cups, plates, and cutlery 6. Minimize the use of bottled water 7. Reuse - use surplus sales

19 Green Activities of the Month (cont.) 8. Purchase green 9. Green accommodations 10. Host green meetings 11. Minimize travel through teleconferencing and videoconferencing 12. Green cleaning 13. Convert to network printing 14. Switch off the lights

20 Challenges so Far " Coordination " 24 departments with offices throughout the province " Reaching 30,000 employees " Various levels of interest and information overload " Making changes in some business practices are complex " e.g. turning off computers, paperless record keeping " Measurement & reporting " Collecting outcomes data is expensive and requires staff time " 24 department doing different things - how to roll up? " Cost perceptions " Expected to use government money effectively and concern that this greening costs money

21 More information on green certification programs referenced in this presentation " Sustainable Forest Initiative - " Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) - " Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) - " ENERGY STAR - " Building Owners and Managers Building Environmental Standards (BOMA BESt) Program - " Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) -

22 Questions? CONTACTS Michael Fleming, Service Alberta Phone: Giselle Beaudry, Alberta Environment Phone: